Truth Quotes by Samuel Johnson

Reason and truth will prevail at last

— Samuel Johnson

Power is not sufficient evidence of truth.

— Samuel Johnson

Truth allows no choice

— Samuel Johnson

Falsehood always endeavors to copy the mien and attitude of truth.

— Samuel Johnson

Poetry is the art of uniting pleasure with truth.

— Samuel Johnson

Fraud and falsehood only dread examination. Truth invites it.

— Samuel Johnson

The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.

— Samuel Johnson

The first step to greatness is to be honest.

— Samuel Johnson

This mournful truth is ev'rywhere confess'd,- Slow rises worth by poverty depress'd

— Samuel Johnson

Officious, innocent, sincere, Of every friendless name the friend.

— Samuel Johnson

This mournful truth is everywhere confessed, slow rises worth by poverty depressed.

— Samuel Johnson

A man had rather have a hundred lies told of him than one truth which he does not wish should be told.

— Samuel Johnson

Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth…

— Samuel Johnson

The most useful truths are always universal, and unconnected with accidents and customs.

— Samuel Johnson

As the greatest liar tells more truths than falsehoods, so may it be said of the worst man, that he does more…

— Samuel Johnson

I know not any crime so great that a man could contrive to commit as poisoning the sources of eternal truth.

— Samuel Johnson

Truth, such as is necessary to the reputation of life, is always found where it is honestly sought.

— Samuel Johnson

I deny the lawfulness of telling a lie to a sick man for fear of alarming him; you have no business with…

— Samuel Johnson

“Every man has a right to utter what he thinks truth, and every other man has a right to knock him down…

— Samuel Johnson

“Truth will not afford sufficient food to their vanity; so they have betaken, themselves to errour. Truth, Sir, is a cow which…

— Samuel Johnson

Truth has no gradations; nothing which admits of increase can be so much what it is, as truth is truth. There may…

— Samuel Johnson

There is no crime more infamous than the violation of truth. It is apparent that men can be social beings no longer…

— Samuel Johnson

The duty of criticism is neither to depreciate nor dignify by partial representations, but to hold out the light of reason, whatever…

— Samuel Johnson

It is not uncommon to charge the difference between promise and performance, between profession and reality, upon deep design and studied deceit;…

— Samuel Johnson

“Whoever thou art that, not content with a moderate condition, imaginest happiness in royal magnificence, and dreamest that command or riches can…

— Samuel Johnson

It is, however, not necessary, that a man should forbear to write, till he has discovered some truth unknown before; he may…

— Samuel Johnson

Accustom your children constantly to this; if a thing happened at one window and they, when relating it, say that it happened…

— Samuel Johnson

Human experience, which is constantly contradicting theory, is the great test of truth. A system, built upon the discoveries of a great…

— Samuel Johnson

If an author be supposed to involve his thoughts in voluntary obscurity, and to obstruct, by unnecessary difficulties, a mind eager in…

— Samuel Johnson

“Perhaps the excellence of aphorisms consists not so much in the expression of some rare or abstruse sentiment, as in the comprehension…

— Samuel Johnson

The rules that I shall propose concerning secrecy, and from which I think it not safe to deviate without long and exact…

— Samuel Johnson

Among the innumerable mortifications which waylay human arrogance on every side may well be reckoned our ignorance of the most common objects…

— Samuel Johnson

The student who would build his knowledge on solid foundations, and proceed by just degrees to the pinnacles of truth, is directed…

— Samuel Johnson

In order that all men may be taught to speak truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear it;…

— Samuel Johnson

“APOLOGUE  (A'POLOGUE)   n.s.[.]Fable; story contrived to teach some moral truth. An apologue of Æsop is beyond a syllogism, and proverbs more powerful…

— Samuel Johnson

Large offers and sturdy rejections are among the most common topics of falsehood

— Samuel Johnson

There is always something a woman will prefer to the truth.

— Samuel Johnson

A man may be very sincere in good principles, without having good practice.

— Samuel Johnson

It is more from carelessness about truth than from intentionally lying that there is so much falsehood in the world.

— Samuel Johnson

In order that all men may be taught to speak the truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear…

— Samuel Johnson