Labour Quote by Samuel Johnson
“I have always suspected that the reading is right, which requires many words to prove it wrong; and the emendation wrong, that cannot without so much labour appear to he right.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Idler, Samuel Johnson, 1759
Proving a point often requires extensive argument, while correcting errors can be labor‑intensive, yet both seek truth.
In simple terms: Proofs are lengthy; corrections are hard.
Key Takeaway
Value effort in both argument and correction.
Themes
logic
truth
argumentation
error correction
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- academic writing
- legal debate
- peer review
Key Concepts
epistemology
rhetoric
intellectual labor
Questions to Reflect On
- When does a detailed argument become counterproductive?
- How can corrections be made efficiently?
A Different Perspective
Excessive verbosity can obscure clarity.
![“Geometry, which should only obey Physics, when united with it sometimes commands it. If it happens that the question which we wish to examine is too complicated for all the elements to be able to enter into the analytical comparison we wish to make, we separate the more inconvenient [elements], we…” quote by Jean le Rond d'Alembert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0d9/jean-le-rond-d-alembert-26487_able_geometry-which-should-only-obey-physics_6945.jpg)
