“The opinions prevalent in one age, as truths above the reach of controversy, are confuted and rejected in another, and rise again… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
That distrust which intrudes so often on your mind is a mode of melancholy, which, if it be the business of a… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Composition is for the most part an effort of slow diligence and steady perseverance, to which the mind is dragged by necessity… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Among other pleasing errors of young minds is the opinion of their own importance. He that has not yet remarked, how little… — 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
I advised Chambers, and would advise every young man beginning to compose, to do it as fast as he can, to get… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
“Do not disturb your mind,” said Imlac, “with other hopes or fears than reason may suggest; if you are pleased with the… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Such are the vicissitudes of the world, through all its parts, that day and night, labor and rest, hurry and retirement, endear… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There are innumerable questions to which the inquisitive mind can in this state receive no answer: Why do you and I exist?… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
If a madman were to come into this room with a stick in his hand, no doubt we should pity the state… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Whatever is attempted without previous certainty of success, may be considered as a project, and amongst narrow minds may, therefore, expose its… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Here lies our good Edmund, whose genius was such, We scarcely can praise it or blame it too much; Who, born for… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Some people have a foolish way of not minding, or pretending not to mind, what they eat. For my part, I mind… — 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
