All severity that does not tend to increase good, or prevent evil, is idle. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
As pride sometimes is hid under humility, idleness if often covered by turbulence and hurry. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
He that never labors may know the pains of idleness, but not the pleasures. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A soldier's time is passed in distress and danger, or in idleness and corruption. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
As peace is the end of war, so to be idle is the ultimate purpose of the busy. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
To be idle and to be poor have always been reproaches, and therefore every man endeavors with his utmost care to hide… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A contempt of the monuments and the wisdom of the past, may be justly reckoned one of the reigning follies of these… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Locke, whom there is no reason to suspect of being a favorer of idleness or libertinism, has advanced that whoever hopes to… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
No man can perform so little as not to have reason to congratulate himself on his merits, when he beholds the multitude… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There is no kind of idleness by which we are so easily seduced as that which dignifies itself by the appearance of… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Criticism is a study by which men grow important and formidable at very small expense. He whom nature has made weak, and… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Idleness and timidity often despair without being overcome, and forbear attempts for fear of being defeated; and we may promote the invigoration… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
One of the amusements of idleness is reading without the fatigue of close attention; and the world therefore swarms with writers whose… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The complaint, therefore, that all topicks are preoccupied, is nothing more than the murmur of ignorance or idleness, by which some discourage… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Idleness is often covered by turbulence and hurry. He that neglects his known duty and real employment naturally endeavours to crowd his… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There is no idleness, by which we are so easily seduced, as that which dignifies itself by the appearance of business, and… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The prosperity of a people is proportionate to the number of hands and minds usefully employed. To the community, sedition is a… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The safe and general antidote against sorrow is employment. It is commonly observed, that among soldiers and seamen, though there is much… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Criticism is a study by which men grow important and formidable at very small expense. The power of invention has been conferred… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Surely nothing is more reproachful to a being endowed with reason, than to resign its powers to the influence of the air,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share
