What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Women can spin very well; but they cannot make a good book of cookery. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A successful author is equally in danger of the diminution of his fame, whether he continues or ceases to write. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Modern writers are the moons of literature; they shine with reflected light, with light borrowed from the ancients. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Those authors who would find many readers, must endeavour to please while they instruct. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Invention is almost the only literary labour which blindness cannot obstruct. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Authors and lovers always suffer some infatuation, from which only absence can set them free. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Read over your compositions and whenever you meet with a passage which you think is particularly fine, strike it out. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Lexicographer: a writer of dictionaries, a harmless drudge, that busies himself in tracing the original, and detailing the signification of words. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Of riches it is not necessary to write the praise. Let it, however, be remembered that he who has money to spare… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
I fancy mankind may come, in time, to write all aphoristically, except in narrative; grow weary of preparation, and connection, and illustration,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
To fix the thoughts by writing, and subject them to frequent examinations and reviews, is the best method of enabling the mind… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The parallel circumstances and kindred images to which we readily conform our minds are, above all other writings, to be found in… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The animadversions of critics are commonly such as may easily provoke the sedatest writer to some quickness of resentment and asperity of… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
You may translate books of science exactly. ... The beauties of poetry cannot be preserved in any language except that in which… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There is scarcely any writer who has not celebrated the happiness of rural privacy, and delighted himself and his reader with the… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The authors that in any nation last from age to age are very few, because there are very few that have any… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There are certain topicks which are never exhausted. Of some images and sentiments the mind of man may be said to be… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Every man is of importance to himself, and, therefore, in his own opinion, to others; and, supposing the world already acquainted with… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There is ... scarcely any species of writing of which we can tell what is its essence, and what are its constituents;… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The diversion of baiting an author has the sanction of all ages and nations, and is more lawful than the sport of… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Many leave the labours of half their life to their executors and to chance, because they will not send them abroad unfinished,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
In writing, as in life, faults are endured without disgust when they are associated with transcendent merit, and may be sometimes recommended… — 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
Every man speaks and writes with intent to be understood; and it can seldom happen but he that understands himself, might convey… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
“That this is a practice contrary to the rules of criticism will be readily allowed; but there is always an appeal open… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
“The end of writing is to instruct; the end of poetry is to instruct by pleasing.” — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is much easier not to write like a man than to write like a woman. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
..to write and to live are very different. Many who praise virtue, do no more than praise it. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
An author places himself uncalled before the tribunal of criticism and solicits fame at the hazard of disgrace. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
I would rather be attacked than unnoticed. For the worst thing you can do to an author is to be silent as… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A man may write at any time, if he will set himself doggedly to it. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
I never desire to converse with a man who has written more than he has read. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Women can spin very well, but they cannot write a good book of cookery. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The only end of writing is to enable readers better to enjoy life or better to endure it. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Nobody can write the life of a man but those who have eat and drunk and lived in social intercourse with him. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A writer who obtains his full purpose loses himself in his own lustre. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The purpose of a writer is to be read, and the criticism which would destroy the power of pleasing must be blown… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
I know not, Madam, that you have a right, upon moral principles, to make your readers suffer so much. — 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
