--- title: "8 Impression Quotes By Samuel Johnson" description: "8 Impression quotes by Samuel Johnson. Plus more from Samuel Johnson and more Impression sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/samuel-johnson-50_communication_the-happiest-conversation-is-that-of-whi_88149.png" --- > [The happiest conversation is that of which nothing is distinctly remembered, but a general effect of pleasing impression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-happiest-conversation-is-that-of-which-nothing-is-distinctly/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/samuel-johnson-50_communication_the-happiest-conversation-is-that-of-whi_88149.png) > [I soon found that wit, like every other power, has its boundaries; that its success depends upon the aptitude of others to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/i-soon-found-that-wit-like-every-other-power-has-its-boundaries-that/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/921/samuel-johnson-50_aptitude_i-soon-found-that-wit-like-every-other-p_664325.png) > [Words too familiar, or too remote, defeat the purpose of a poet. From those sounds which we hear on small or on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-too-familiar-or-too-remote-defeat-the-purpose-of-a-poet-from/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db8/samuel-johnson-50_attention_words-too-familiar-or-too-remote-defeat_1502261.png) > [The belief of immortality is impressed upon all men, and all men act under an impression of it, however they may talk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-belief-of-immortality-is-impressed-upon-all-men-and-all-men-act/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/874/samuel-johnson-50_belief_the-belief-of-immortality-is-impressed-u_1633471.png) > [Merriment is always the effect of a sudden impression. The jest which is expected is already destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/merriment-is-always-the-effect-of-a-sudden-impression-the-jest-which/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/samuel-johnson-50_destroyed_merriment-is-always-the-effect-of-a-sudd_1935646.png) > [What we read with inclination makes a much stronger impression. If we read without inclination, half the mind is employed in fixing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-we-read-with-inclination-makes-a-much-stronger-impression-if-we/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5e/samuel-johnson-50_attention_what-we-read-with-inclination-makes-a-mu_2753206.png) > [When a friend is carried to his grave, we at once find excuses for every weakness, and palliation of every fault. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/when-a-friend-is-carried-to-his-grave-we-at-once-find-excuses-for/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8a/samuel-johnson-50_death_when-a-friend-is-carried-to-his-grave-we_2761818.jpg) > [Forgetfulness is necessary to remembrance. Ideas are retained by renovation of that impression which time is always wearing away,and which new images…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/forgetfulness-is-necessary-to-remembrance-ideas-are-retained-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c71/samuel-johnson-50_forgetfulness_forgetfulness-is-necessary-to-remembranc_2814943.jpg) ## Other authors on Impression ## 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/impression/samuel-johnson/#itemlist", "name": "8 Impression Quotes By Samuel Johnson", "numberOfItems": 8, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The happiest conversation is that of which nothing is distinctly remembered, but a general effect of pleasing impression.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-happiest-conversation-is-that-of-which-nothing-is-distinctly/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/samuel-johnson-50_communication_the-happiest-conversation-is-that-of-whi_88149.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/samuel-johnson-50_communication_the-happiest-conversation-is-that-of-whi_88149.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1fb/samuel-johnson-50_communication_the-happiest-conversation-is-that-of-whi_88149.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The happiest conversation is that of which nothing is distinctly remembered, but a general effect of…” — Samuel Johnson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I soon found that wit, like every other power, has its boundaries; that its success depends upon the aptitude of others to receive impressions; and that as some bodies, indissoluble by heat, can set the furnace and crucible at defiance, there are min", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/i-soon-found-that-wit-like-every-other-power-has-its-boundaries-that/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/921/samuel-johnson-50_aptitude_i-soon-found-that-wit-like-every-other-p_664325.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/921/samuel-johnson-50_aptitude_i-soon-found-that-wit-like-every-other-p_664325.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/921/samuel-johnson-50_aptitude_i-soon-found-that-wit-like-every-other-p_664325.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I soon found that wit, like every other power, has its boundaries; that its success depends upon the…” — Samuel Johnson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Words too familiar, or too remote, defeat the purpose of a poet. 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