Abuse is often of service. There is nothing so dangerous to an author as silence. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
“The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading in order to write.” — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There seems to be a strange affectation in authors of appearing to have done everything by chance. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is the condition of our present state to see more than we can attain; the exactest vigilance and caution can never… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is advantageous to an author that his book should be attacked as well as praised. Fame is a shuttlecock. If it… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
While an author is yet living, we estimate his powers by his worst performance; and when he is dead, we rate him… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
You may abuse a tragedy, though you cannot write one. You may scold a carpenter who has made you a bad table,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Those who will not take the trouble to think for themselves, have always somebody that thinks for them; and the difficulty in… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Whoever desires, for his writings or himself, what none can reasonably contemn, the favour of mankind, must add grace to strength, and… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A Poet, Naturalist, and Historian, Who left scarcely any style of writing untouched, And touched nothing that he did not adorn. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Genius now and then produces a lucky trifle. We still read the Dove of Anacreon, and Sparrow of Catullus; and a writer… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
He that writes may be considered as a kind of general challenger, whom every one has a right to attack; since he… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
When a poet mentions the spring, we know that the zephyrs are about to whisper, that the groves are to recover their… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The faults of a writer of acknowledged excellence are more dangerous, because the influence of his example is more extensive; and the… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
To love their country has been considered as virtue in men, whose love could not be otherwise than blind, because their preference… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
To exact of every man who writes that he should say something new, would be to reduce authors to a small number;… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
No place affords a more striking conviction of the vanity of human hopes than a public library; for who can see the… — 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
Words too familiar, or too remote, defeat the purpose of a poet. From those sounds which we hear on small or on… — 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
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
It is indeed certain, that whoever attempts any common topick, will find unexpected coincidences of his thoughts with those of other writers;… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
New arts are long in the world before poets describe them; for they borrow everything from their predecessors, and commonly derive very… — 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
Too much nicety of detail disgusts the greatest part of readers, and to throw a multitude of particulars under general heads, and… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
“A man who writes a book, thinks himself wiser or wittier than the rest of mankind; he supposes that he can instruct… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The work of a correct and regular writer is a garden accurately formed and diligently planted, varied with shades, and scented with… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
“It is strange that there should be so little reading in the world, and so much writing. People in general do not… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
[The poet] must write as the interpreter of nature and the legislator of mankind, and consider himself as presiding over the thoughts… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
As the faculty of writing has chiefly been a masculine endowment, the reproach of making the world miserable has always been thrown… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There is nothing more dreadful to an author than neglect; compared with which reproach, hatred, and opposition are names of happiness; yet… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It seems not more reasonable to leave the right of printing unrestrained, because writers may be afterwards censured, than it would be… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
One of the amusements of idleness is reading without the fatigue of close attention; and the world therefore swarms with writers whose… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
In this work are exhibited, in a very high degree, the two most engaging powers of an author. New things are made… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Human experience, which is constantly contradicting theory, is the great test of truth. A system, built upon the discoveries of a great… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
You need a good editor because every writer thinks he can write a War and Peace, but by the time he gets… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
If an author be supposed to involve his thoughts in voluntary obscurity, and to obstruct, by unnecessary difficulties, a mind eager in… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
He that condemns himself to compose on a stated day will often bring to his task attention dissipated, a memory embarrassed, an… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The art of the writer, like that of the player, is attained by slow degrees. The power of distinguishing and discriminating comick… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Many causes may vitiate a writer's judgement of his own works. On that which has cost him much labour he sets a… — 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
![“[The poet] must write as the interpreter of nature and the legislator of mankind, and consider himself as presiding over the thoughts and manners of future generations, as a being superior to time and place.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/668/samuel-johnson-50_future-generation_the-poet-must-write-as-the-interpreter-o_3180253.png)
