Funny Quote by Samuel Johnson
“He that tries to recommend (Shakespeare) by select quotations, will succeed like the pedant in "Hierocles", who, when he offered his house to sale, carried a brick in his pocket as a specimen”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Art of Quotation, 1765
Selective quoting reduces complex works to pedantic fragments, missing their full value.
In simple terms: Selective quotes miss the whole work.
Key Takeaway
Engage with complete texts, not fragments.
Themes
literature
quotation
pedantry
depth
Mood
critical
educational
Type
essayistic
historical
When to use this quote
- academic study
- book clubs
- teaching
Key Concepts
critical theory
literary analysis
education
Questions to Reflect On
- How does context change meaning?
- When is quoting appropriate?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on quotes can oversimplify.
