--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As to precedents, to be sure they will…" description: "\"As to precedents, to be sure they will increase in course of time; but the more precedents there are, the less occasion is there for law; that is to sa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/samuel-johnson-50_courses_as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-in_476908.png" --- # As to precedents, to be sure they will increase in course… ![“As to precedents, to be sure they will increase in course of time; but the more precedents there are, the less occasion is there for law; that is to say, the less occasion is there for investigating principles.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/samuel-johnson-50_courses_as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-in_476908.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/samuel-johnson-50_courses_as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-in_476908.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/samuel-johnson-50_courses_as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-in_476908.png) > “As to precedents, to be sure they will increase in course of time; but the more precedents there are, the less occasion is there for law; that is to say, the less occasion is there for investigating principles.” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. More precedents reduce opportunities to explore underlying legal principles, limiting deeper understanding. **In simple terms:** Too many past cases can hinder principle analysis. Key Takeaway Balance precedent use with principle inquiry. Themes law precedent principles analysis Mood analytical critical Type philosophical inquisitive When to use this quote - court decisions - legislative drafting - academic research Key Concepts legal theory jurisprudence Questions to Reflect On - How can lawyers balance precedent with fresh interpretation? - When should courts prioritize principle over past rulings? A Different Perspective Relying solely on precedent may stifle innovation in law. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Increase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase/) [Investigating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investigating/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Occasion Investigating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasion-investigating-4109533/) [Occasions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasions/) [Precedent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precedent/) [Precedents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precedents-367797/) [Precedents Occasion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precedents-occasion-4109530/) [Precedents Sure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precedents-sure-4109531/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Precedents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-precedents-4109532/) ## Related quotes > [When I went to law school, which after all was back in the dark ages, we never looked beyond our borders for precedents. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/when-i-went-to-law-school-which-after-all-was-back-in-the-dark-ages/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [“The error of those who reason by precedents drawn from antiquity, respecting the rights of man, is that they do not go far enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-error-of-those-who-reason-by-precedents-drawn-from-antiquity/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The glory of each generation is to make its own precedents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-glory-of-each-generation-is-to-make-its-own-precedents/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Precedents are treated by powerful minds as fetters with which to bind down the weak, as reasons with which to mistify the moderately informed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-babbage/precedents-are-treated-by-powerful-minds-as-fetters-with-which-to/) [Charles Babbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-babbage/) > [I would rather be accused of breaking precedents than breaking promises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/i-would-rather-be-accused-of-breaking-precedents-than-breaking/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [If you are strong enough, there are no precedents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/if-you-are-strong-enough-there-are-no-precedents/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Stability means respecting precedents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/stability-means-respecting-precedents/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [It is found by experience that admirable laws and right precedents among the good have their origin in the misdeeds of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/it-is-found-by-experience-that-admirable-laws-and-right-precedents/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [Precedents once established are so much positive power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/precedents-once-established-are-so-much-positive-power/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [I think the thing that you've seen with Donald Trump is that he doesn't - he doesn't look to the past and say, 'I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/i-think-the-thing-that-you-ve-seen-with-donald-trump-is-that-he-doesn/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Every lawyer of experience comes to know (more or less unconsciously) that in the great majority of cases, the precedents are none too good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-frank/every-lawyer-of-experience-comes-to-know-more-or-less-unconsciously/) [Jerome Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-frank/) > [Precedents deliberately established by wise men are entitled to great weight. They are evidence of truth, but only evidence...But a solitary precedent...which has never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-clay/precedents-deliberately-established-by-wise-men-are-entitled-to-great/) [Henry Clay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-clay/) > [Precedents are dangerous things; let the rein of government then be braced and held with a steady hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/precedents-are-dangerous-things-let-the-rein-of-government-then-be/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [What is today supported by precedents will hereafter become a precedent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/what-is-today-supported-by-precedents-will-hereafter-become-a/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [“nothing, on the other hand, can be more impenetrable to the uninitiated than a legislation founded upon precedents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/nothing-on-the-other-hand-can-be-more-impenetrable-to-the-uninitiated/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More Courses quotes > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our critical day is not the very day of our death; but the whole course of our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/our-critical-day-is-not-the-very-day-of-our-death-but-the-whole/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [ Bernie \[Ecclestone\] is the commercial rights holder so the more outgoing the champion is, the better. Of course. I also do think about our… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-ecclestone/bernie-ecclestone-is-the-commercial-rights-holder-so-the-more/) [Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-ecclestone/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [We are always saying: Let the Law take its Course but what we really mean is: Let the Law take OUR Course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/we-are-always-saying-let-the-law-take-its-course-but-what-we-really/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I earn my living by teaching film, mostly filmmaking but also teaching courses on current cinema. I'm interested in movies. I hope that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-andersen/i-earn-my-living-by-teaching-film-mostly-filmmaking-but-also-teaching/) [Thom Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-andersen/) > [The wisdom of our actions in the first three years of peace will determine the course of world history for half a century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-wallace/the-wisdom-of-our-actions-in-the-first-three-years-of-peace-will/) [Henry A. Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-wallace/) > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [You can’t bake a cake without getting the kitchen messy. Halfway through surgery it looks like there’s been a murder in the operating room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/you-can-t-bake-a-cake-without-getting-the-kitchen-messy-halfway/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [ Leave a cavity behind the \[wall\] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-and-on-the-inside-build-walls/) [Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-vitruvius-pollio/) > [Of course it does on opening night, but I've never had that devastating stage fright that some people get, but apparently, you can develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/of-course-it-does-on-opening-night-but-i-ve-never-had-that/) [Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/) > [I studied philosophy and ended on sociology. For some reason, all the advanced courses in philosophy were offered 4:30 to 6:30, so I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-jackson/i-studied-philosophy-and-ended-on-sociology-for-some-reason-all-the/) [Lawrence Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-jackson/) > [There is no one who can change My course or affect My conduct to the slightest extent. I am the Master over all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/there-is-no-one-who-can-change-my-course-or-affect-my-conduct-to-the/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [In the course of our eternal existence, we spend infinitely more time in the spirit world on the other side than we spend in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/in-the-course-of-our-eternal-existence-we-spend-infinitely-more-time/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) [Browse all 6,995 Courses quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As to precedents, to be sure they will increase in course of time; but the more precedents there are, the less occasion is there for law; that is to say, the less occasion is there for investigating principles.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-increase-in-course-of-time-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Courses" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-increase-in-course-of-time-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/samuel-johnson-50_courses_as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-in_476908.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/samuel-johnson-50_courses_as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-in_476908.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/samuel-johnson-50_courses_as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-in_476908.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As to precedents, to be sure they will increase in course of time; but the more precedents there are, the…” — Samuel Johnson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Samuel Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As to precedents, to be sure...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-increase-in-course-of-time-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/as-to-precedents-to-be-sure-they-will-increase-in-course-of-time-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```