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
John Wesley's conversation is good, but he is never at leisure. He is always obliged to go at a certain hour. This… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Many a man is mad in certain instances, and goes through life without having it perceived. For example, a madness has seized… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A man is not obliged honestly to answer a question which should not properly be put. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
No man is obliged to do as much as he can do. A man is to have part of his life to… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
All to whom want is terrible, upon whatever principle, ought to think themselves obliged to learn the sage maxims of our parsimonious… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Sir, I have found you an argument; but I am not obliged to find you an understanding. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
A continual feast of commendation is only to be obtained by merit or by wealth: many are therefore obliged to content themselves… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Every period of life is obliged to borrow its happiness from time to come. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Nothing detains the reader's attention more powerfully than deep involutions of distress, or sudden vicissitudes of fortune; and these might be abundantly… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
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 Image
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 Image
It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
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 Image
The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
“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 Image
“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 Image
