Never speak of a man in his own presence. It is always indelicate, and may be offensive . — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Frugality may be termed the daughter of Prudence, the sister of Temperance, and the parent of Liberty. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
By forbearing to do what may innocently be done, we may add hourly new vigor to resolution. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Friendship, like love, is destroyed by long absence, though it may be increased by short intermissions. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The seeds of knowledge may be planted in solitude, but must be cultivated in public. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Such is the constitution of Man that labor may be said to be its own re-ward. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
You never find people laboring to convince you that you may live very happily upon a plentiful income. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
People may be taken in once, who imagine that an author is greater in private life than other men. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A merchant may, perhaps, be a man of an enlarged mind, but there is nothing in trade connected with an enlarged mind. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
He is a benefactor of mankind who contracts the great rules of life into the short sentences, that may be easily impressed… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A fly, Sir, may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but, one is but an insect, and the other is… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
From all our observations we may collect with certainty, that misery is the lot of man, but cannot discover in what particular… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There are goods so opposed that we cannot seize both, but, by too much prudence, may pass between them at too great… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
He who writes much will not easily escape a manner, such a recurrence of particular modes as may be easily noted. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Most vices may be committed very genteelly: a man may debauch his friend's wife genteelly: he may cheat at cards genteelly — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Every other enjoyment malice may destroy; every other panegyric envy may withhold; but no human power can deprive the boaster of his… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Those who are in the power of evil habits must conquer them as they can; and conquered they must be, or neither… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is, however, not necessary, that a man should forbear to write, till he has discovered some truth unknown before; he may… — 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
That all who are happy are equally happy is not true. A peasant and a philosopher may be equally satisfied, but not… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
False taste is always busy to mislead those that are entering upon the regions of learning; and the traveller, uncertain of his… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is not difficult to conceive, however, that for many reasons a man writes much better than he lives. For without entering… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The business of life is to go forward; he who sees evil in prospect meets it in his way, and he who… — 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
It is true that of far the greater part of things, we must content ourselves with such knowledge as description may exhibit,… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It is justly considered as the greatest excellency of art to imitate nature; but it is necessary to distinguish those parts of… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
That the happiness of man may still remain imperfect, as wants in this place are easily supplied, new wants likewise are easily… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
In order that all men may be taught to speak truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear it;… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
He that would travel for the entertainment of others, should remember that the great object of remark is human life. Every nation… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Among the innumerable mortifications which waylay human arrogance on every side may well be reckoned our ignorance of the most common objects… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
It may be observed in general that the future is purchased by the present. It is not possible to secure distant or… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The student who would build his knowledge on solid foundations, and proceed by just degrees to the pinnacles of truth, is directed… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Get together a hundred or two men, however sensible they may be, and you are very likely to have a mob. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Bashfulness may sometimes exclude pleasure, but seldom opens any avenue to sorrow or remorse. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A man may write at any time, if he will set himself doggedly to it. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A man may be very sincere in good principles, without having good practice. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
I wish you would add an index rerum, that when the reader recollects any incident he may easily find it. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
He that never labors may know the pains of idleness, but not the pleasures. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
There may be community of material possessions, but there can never be community of love or esteem. — 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
