All Samuel Johnson Quotes
- His scorn of the great is repeated too often to be real; no man thinks much of that which he despises. Despise
- Deign on the passing world to turn thine eyes, And pause a while from learning to be wise. There mark what ills the scholar's life… Assail
- Pride is seldom delicate, it will please itself with very mean advantages; and envy feels not its own happiness, but when it may be compared… Advantage
- Politics are now nothing more than means of rising in the world. With this sole view do men engage in politics, and their whole conduct… Conduct
- The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality. Imagination
- Pain is less subject than pleasure to careless expression. Careless
- I have thought of a pulley to raise me gradually; but that would give me pain, as it would counteract my natural inclination. I would… Bed
- For who is pleased with himself. Funny
- My diseases are an asthma and a dropsy and, what is less curable, seventy-five. Age
- Shame arises from the fear of men, conscience from the fear of God. Arise
- In all pleasures hope is a considerable part. All
- Then with no throbs of fiery pain, No cold gradations of decay, Death broke at once the vital chain, And freed his soul the nearest… Broke
- Those who do not feel pain seldom think that it is felt. Feel
- To have gold is to be in fear, and to want it to be sorrow. Fear
- It is so far from being natural for a man and woman to live in a state of marriage, that we find all the motives… All
- Who drives fat oxen should himself be fat. Drives
- He that is already corrupt is naturally suspicious, and he that becomes suspicious will quickly become corrupt. Already Corrupt
- We may have many acquaintances, but we can have but few friends; this made Aristotle say that he that hath many friends hath none. Acquaintance
- He that is warm for truth, and fearless in its defense, performs one of the duties of a good man; he strenghtens his own conviction,… Belief
- A contempt of the monuments and the wisdom of the past, may be justly reckoned one of the reigning follies of these days, to which… Contempt
- How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of negroes? Among
- Pension: An allowance made to anyone without an equivalent. In England it is generally understood to mean pay given to a state hireling for treason… Allowance
- How small of all that human hearts endure/That part which laws or kings can cause or cure. All
- Such is the constitution of man that labour may be styled its own reward; nor will any external incitements be requisite, if it be considered… Agitation
- Censure is willingly indulged, because it always implies some superiority: men please themselves with imagining that they have made a deeper search, or wider survey… Advice