Combinations of wickedness would overwhelm the world, by the advantage which licentious principles afford, did not those who have long practised perfidy… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Almost all the moral good which is left among us is the apparent effect of physical evil. — 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
Wickedness is always easier than virtue; for it takes the short cut to everything. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The wickedness of a loose or profane author is more atrocious than that of a giddy libertine or drunken ravisher, not only… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
We are easily shocked by crimes which appear at once in their full magnitude, but the gradual growth of our own wickedness,… — 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
