Paradise Lost is a book that, once put down, is very hard to pick up again. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The reciprocal civility of authors is one of the most risible scenes in the farce of life. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Abuse is often of service. There is nothing so dangerous to an author as silence. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A transition from an author's book to his conversation, is too often like an entrance into a large city. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A man ought to read just as inclination leads him, for what he reads as a task will do him little good. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading in order to write. A man will turn over half a… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
In my early years I read very hard. It is a sad reflection, but a true one, that I knew almost as… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
To read, write, and converse in due proportions, is, therefore, the business of a man of letters. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
If a man begins to read in the middle of a book, and feels an inclination to go on, let him not… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Lectures were once useful; but now when all can read, and books are so numerous, lectures are unnecessary. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The man who is asked by an author what he thinks of his work is put to the torture and is not… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
We owe few of the rules of writing to the acuteness of critics, who have generally no other merit than that, having… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Exactness is first obtained, and afterwards elegance. But diction, merely vocal, is always in its childhood. As no man leaves his eloquence… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Few of those who fill the world with books, have any pretensions to the hope either of pleasing or instructing. They have… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A man finds in the productions of nature an inexhaustible stock of material on which he can employ himself, without any temptations… — 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
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 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
“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
A successful author is equally in danger of the diminution of his fame, whether he continues or ceases to write. The regard… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Works of imagination excel by their allurement and delight; by their power of attracting and detaining the attention. That book is good… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Knowledge is praised and desired by multitudes whom her charms could never rouse from the couch of sloth; whom the faintest invitation… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
“The chief advantage which these fictions have over real life is, that their authors are at liberty, though not to invent, yet… — 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
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
The authour who imitates his predecessors only by furnishing himself with thoughts and elegances out of the same general magazine of literature,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Books are faithful repositories, which may be awhile neglected or forgotten; but when they are opened again, will again impart their instruction:… — 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
Women can spin very well, but they cannot write a good book of cookery. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Man is a transitory being, and his designs must partake of the imperfections their author. — 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 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
Was there ever yet anything written by mere man that was wished longer by its readers, excepting Don Quixote, Robinson Crusoe, and… — 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
