"By the consultation of books, whether of dead……" — Samuel Johnson
"By the consultation of books, whether of dead or living authors, many temptations of petulance and opposition, which occur in oral conferences, are avoided. An authour cannot obtrude his advice unasked, nor can be often suspected of any malignant intention to insult his readers with his knowledge or his wit. Yet so prevalent is the habit of comparing ourselves with others, while they remain within the reach of our passions, that books are seldom read with complete impartiality, but by those from whom the writer is placed at such a distance that his life or death is indifferent."
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Samuel Johnson
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1,266 Quotes by Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson has 1,266 quotes on this site.
A few more worth reading:
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Your aspirations are your possibilities.
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It is, indeed, at home that every man must be known by those who would make a just estimate either…
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The violence of war admits no distinction; the lance, that is lifted at guilt and power, will sometimes fall on…
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Much may be made of a Scotchman, if he be caught young.
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To a people warlike and indigent, an incursion into a rich country is never hurtful.
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The applause of a single human being is of great consequence.
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Health is certainly more valuable than money, because it is by health that money is procured.
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The certainty that life cannot be long, and the probability that it will be much shorter than nature allows, ought…
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Gratitude is a fruit of great cultivation; you do not find it among gross people.
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Politics are now nothing more than means of rising in the world.
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The true genius is a mind of large general powers, accidentally determined to some particular direction.
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He who expects much will be often disappointed; yet disappointment seldom cures us of expectation, or has any other effect…
See all 1,266 quotes by Samuel Johnson »
More Advice Quotes
This quote is filed under Advice Quotes,
one of 5,149 quotes in that category. Here are a few more:
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One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.
— Arthur Ashe
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Indeed, wretched the man whose fame makes his misfortunes famous.
— Lucius Accius
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If stock market experts were so expert, they would be buying stock, not selling advice.
— Norman Ralph Augustine
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Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man;…
— Marcus Aurelius
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Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.
— Marcus Aurelius
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To listen to some devout people, one would imagine that God never laughs.
— Sri Aurobindo
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If I were to give advice, I would say to parents that they ought to be very careful whom they…
— Teresa of Avila
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It is wise to keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final.
— Roger Babson
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He that gives good advice, builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example, builds with both; but…
— Francis Bacon
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The worst men often give the best advice.
— Francis Bacon
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Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable.
— Francis Bacon
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There is as much difference between the counsel that a friend giveth, and that a man giveth himself, as there…
— Francis Bacon
See all 5,149 Advice Quotes »
