From Bard, to Bard, the frigid Caution crept, Till Declamation roar'd, while Passion slept. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Resentment is a union of sorrow with malignity; a combination of a passion which all endeavor to avoid with a passion which… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
He that would be superior to external influences must first become superior to his own passions. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Pour forth thy fervors for a healthful mind, Obedient passions, and a will resigned — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Our senses, our appetite, and our passions are our lawful and faithful guides in things that relate solely to this life. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The love of fame is a passion natural and universal, which no man, however high or mean, however wise or ignorant, was… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of justice. Injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged. — 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
It is necessary to the success of flattery, that it be accommodated to particular circumstances or characters, and enter the heart on… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The trade of advertising is now so near to perfection that it is not easy to propose any improvement. But as every… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Being married to those sleepy-souled women is just like playing at cards for nothing: no passion is excited and the time is… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Avarice is generally the last passion of those lives of which the first part has been squandered in pleasure, and the second… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Fear is implanted in us as a preservative from evil but its duty, like that of other passions, is not to overbear… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Among those whose reputation is exhausted in a short time by its own luxuriance are the writers who take advantage of present… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is justly considered as the greatest excellency of art to imitate nature; but it is necessary to distinguish those parts of… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
By the consultation of books, whether of dead or living authors, many temptations of petulance and opposition, which occur in oral conferences,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
No man, however enslaved to his appetites, or hurried by his passions, can, while he preserves his intellects unimpaired, please himself with… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Such is the state of every age, every sex, and every condition: all have their cares, either from nature or from folly;… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Solitude is the surest nurse of all prurient passions, and a girl in the hurry of preparation, or tumult of gaiety, has… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There are some works which the authors must consign unpublished to posterity, however uncertain be the event, however hopeless be the trust.… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Curiosity is, in great and generous minds, the first passion and the last; and perhaps always predominates in proportion to the strength… — 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
