“Human life is every where a state in which much is to be endured, and little to be enjoyed.” — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Life is short. The sooner that a man begins to enjoy his wealth the better. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is not easy to surround life with any circumstances in which youth will not be delightful. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Since life itself is uncertain, nothing which has life for its basis can boast much stability. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
People may be taken in once, who imagine that an author is greater in private life than other men. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Whoever shall review his life, will find that the whole tenor of his conduct has been determined by some accident of no… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
You find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The round of a passionate man's life is in contracting debts in his passion, which his virtue obliges him to pay. He… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Those who attain any excellence, commonly spend life in one pursuit; for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Is not a patron one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and, when he has… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is natural for every man uninstructed to murmur at his condition, because, in the general infelicity of life, he feels his… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The number of such as live without the ardour of inquiry is very small, though many content themselves with cheap amusements, and… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Philosophers there are who try to make themselves believe that this life is happy; but they believe it only while they are… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
“Who will consider that no dictionary of a living tongue ever can be perfect, since, while it is hastening to publication, some… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Men go to sea, before they know the unhappiness of that way of life; and when they have come to know it,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Life of Ages, richly poured, Love of God unspent and free, Flowing in the Prophet's word And the People's liberty! Never was… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
We took tea, by Boswell's desire; and I eat one bun, I think, that I might not be seen to fast ostentatiously.… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The business of life is to go forward; he who sees evil in prospect meets it in his way, and he who… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The maxim of Cleobulus, "Mediocrity is best," has been long considered a universal principle, extending through the whole compass of life and… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes, and… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Such is the state of life, that none are happy but by the anticipation of change: the change itself is nothing; when… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
We are unreasonably desirous to separate the goods of life from those evils which Providence has connected with them, and to catch… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is commonly supposed that the uniformity of a studious life affords no matter for narration: but the truth is, that of… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
He that outlives a wife whom he has long loved, sees himself disjoined from the only mind that has the same hopes,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
“Shakespeare is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, the poet of nature; the poet that holds up to his… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Hope is necessary in every condition. The miseries of poverty, of sickness, or captivity, would, without this comfort, be insupportable; nor does… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
None but those who have learned the art of subjecting their senses as well as reason to hypothetical systems can be persuaded… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The certainty that life cannot be long, and the probability that it will be much shorter than nature allows, ought to awaken… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Providence has fixed the limits of human enjoyment by immovable boundaries, and has set different gratifications at such a distance from each… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Truth, such as is necessary to the reputation of life, is always found where it is honestly sought. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Now ... that you are going to marry, do not expect more from life, than life will afford. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Lawyers know life practically. A bookish man should always have them to converse with. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Hides from himself his state, and shuns to know That life protracted is protracted woe. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There mark what ills the scholar's life assail, toil, envy, want, and patron. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Each change of many-colour'd life he drew, Exhausted worlds, and then imagin'd new. — 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
