--- title: "4 Elevation Quotes By Samuel Johnson" description: "4 Elevation quotes by Samuel Johnson. Plus more from Samuel Johnson and more Elevation sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/samuel-johnson-50_action_when-emulation-leads-us-to-strive-for-se_1395770.png" --- > [When emulation leads us to strive for self-elevation by merit alone, and not by belittling another, then it is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/when-emulation-leads-us-to-strive-for-self-elevation-by-merit-alone/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/samuel-johnson-50_action_when-emulation-leads-us-to-strive-for-se_1395770.png) > [Prudence operates on life in the same manner as rule of composition; it produces vigilance rather than elevation; rather prevents loss than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/prudence-operates-on-life-in-the-same-manner-as-rule-of-composition/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/samuel-johnson-50_advantage_prudence-operates-on-life-in-the-same-ma_1962631.png) > [Advice, as it always gives a temporary appearance of superiority, can never be very grateful, even when it is most necessary or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/advice-as-it-always-gives-a-temporary-appearance-of-superiority-can-2/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a35/samuel-johnson-50_advice_advice-as-it-always-gives-a-temporary-ap_2543882.jpg) > [As every writer has his use, every writer ought to have his patrons; and since no man, however high he may now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/as-every-writer-has-his-use-every-writer-ought-to-have-his-patrons/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc6/samuel-johnson-50_avert_as-every-writer-has-his-use-every-writer_3189164.png) ## 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/elevation/samuel-johnson/#itemlist", "name": "4 Elevation Quotes By Samuel Johnson", "numberOfItems": 4, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When emulation leads us to strive for self-elevation by merit alone, and not by belittling another, then it is one of the grandest possible incentives to action.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/when-emulation-leads-us-to-strive-for-self-elevation-by-merit-alone/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/samuel-johnson-50_action_when-emulation-leads-us-to-strive-for-se_1395770.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/samuel-johnson-50_action_when-emulation-leads-us-to-strive-for-se_1395770.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e4/samuel-johnson-50_action_when-emulation-leads-us-to-strive-for-se_1395770.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When emulation leads us to strive for self-elevation by merit alone, and not by belittling another, then it…” — Samuel Johnson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Prudence operates on life in the same manner as rule of composition; it produces vigilance rather than elevation; rather prevents loss than procures advantage; and often miscarriages, but seldom reaches either power or honor.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/prudence-operates-on-life-in-the-same-manner-as-rule-of-composition/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/samuel-johnson-50_advantage_prudence-operates-on-life-in-the-same-ma_1962631.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/samuel-johnson-50_advantage_prudence-operates-on-life-in-the-same-ma_1962631.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/samuel-johnson-50_advantage_prudence-operates-on-life-in-the-same-ma_1962631.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Prudence operates on life in the same manner as rule of composition; it produces vigilance rather than…” — Samuel Johnson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Advice, as it always gives a temporary appearance of superiority, can never be very grateful, even when it is most necessary or most judicious. 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