Works of imagination excel by their allurement and delight; by their power of attracting and detaining the attention. That book is good… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Moral sentences appear ostentatious and tumid, when they have no greater occasions than the journey of a wit to his home town:… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
His death eclipsed the gayety of nations, and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
He said that few people had intellectual resources sufficient to forgo the pleasures of wine. They could not otherwise contrive how to… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The true effect of genuine politeness seems to be rather ease than pleasure. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Life must be filled up, and the man who is not capable of intellectual pleasures must content himself with such as his… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
On Sir Joshua Reynolds's observing that the real character of a man was found out by his amusements. Yes, Sir, no man… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
The liberty of using harmless pleasure will not be disputed; but it is still to be examined what pleasures are harmless. — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
No man reads a book of science from pure inclination. The books that we do read with pleasure are light compositions, which… — Samuel Johnson Copy Share Image
Attention and respect give pleasure, however late, or however useless. But they are not useless, when they are late, it is reasonable… — 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
