--- title: "6 Display Quotes By Samuel Johnson" description: "6 Display quotes by Samuel Johnson. Plus more from Samuel Johnson and more Display sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/samuel-johnson-50_analysis_a-minute-analysis-of-life-at-once-destro_777004.png" --- > [A minute analysis of life at once destroys that splendor which dazzles the imagination. Whatsoever grandeur can display, or luxury enjoy, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/a-minute-analysis-of-life-at-once-destroys-that-splendor-which/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdd/samuel-johnson-50_analysis_a-minute-analysis-of-life-at-once-destro_777004.png) > [A simile, to be perfect, must both illustrate and ennoble the subject; must show it to the understanding in a clearer view,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/a-simile-to-be-perfect-must-both-illustrate-and-ennoble-the-subject/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e3/samuel-johnson-50_dignity_a-simile-to-be-perfect-must-both-illustr_1056180.jpg) > [Among those whose reputation is exhausted in a short time by its own luxuriance are the writers who take advantage of present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/among-those-whose-reputation-is-exhausted-in-a-short-time-by-its-own/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/samuel-johnson-50_advantage_among-those-whose-reputation-is-exhauste_1765786.jpg) > [As not every instance of similitude can be considered as a proof of imitation, so not every imitation ought to be stigmatised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/as-not-every-instance-of-similitude-can-be-considered-as-a-proof-of/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08c/samuel-johnson-50_adoption_as-not-every-instance-of-similitude-can_1832698.png) > [The business of the biographer is often to pass slightly over those performances and incidents which produce vulgar greatness, to lead the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-business-of-the-biographer-is-often-to-pass-slightly-over-those/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0c/samuel-johnson-50_biographers_the-business-of-the-biographer-is-often_1920034.png) > [Almost every man wastes part of his life attempting to display qualities which he does not possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/almost-every-man-wastes-part-of-his-life-attempting-to-display/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71f/samuel-johnson-50_attempting_almost-every-man-wastes-part-of-his-life_3091920.png) ## Other authors on Display ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/display/samuel-johnson/#itemlist", "name": "6 Display Quotes By Samuel Johnson", "numberOfItems": 6, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A minute analysis of life at once destroys that splendor which dazzles the imagination. 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It is not difficult to obtain readers, when we discuss a question which every one is desirous to understand, which is debated in every assembly, and has divided the nation into parties; or when we display the faults or virtues of him whose public conduct has made almost every man his enemy or his friend.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/among-those-whose-reputation-is-exhausted-in-a-short-time-by-its-own/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/samuel-johnson-50_advantage_among-those-whose-reputation-is-exhauste_1765786.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/samuel-johnson-50_advantage_among-those-whose-reputation-is-exhauste_1765786.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd5/samuel-johnson-50_advantage_among-those-whose-reputation-is-exhauste_1765786.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Among those whose reputation is exhausted in a short time by its own luxuriance are the writers who take…” — Samuel Johnson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As not every instance of similitude can be considered as a proof of imitation, so not every imitation ought to be stigmatised as plagiarism. 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