--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fiction cannot move so much, but that the…" description: "\"“Fiction cannot move so much, but that the attention may be easily transferred; and though it must be allowed that pleasing melancholy be sometimes int..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c0/samuel-johnson-50_sad_fiction-cannot-move-so-much-but-that-the_297296.jpg" --- # Fiction cannot move so much, but that the attention may be… ![“Fiction cannot move so much, but that the attention may be easily transferred; and though it must be allowed that pleasing melancholy be sometimes interrupted by unwelcome levity, yet let it be considered likewise, that melancholy is often not pleasing, and that the disturbance of one man may be…” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c0/samuel-johnson-50_sad_fiction-cannot-move-so-much-but-that-the_297296.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c0/samuel-johnson-50_sad_fiction-cannot-move-so-much-but-that-the_297296.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c0/samuel-johnson-50_sad_fiction-cannot-move-so-much-but-that-the_297296.jpg) > ““Fiction cannot move so much, but that the attention may be easily transferred; and though it must be allowed that pleasing melancholy be sometimes interrupted by unwelcome levity, yet let it be considered likewise, that melancholy is often not pleasing, and that the disturbance of one man may be the relief of another; that different auditors have different habitudes; and that, upon the whole, all pleasure consists in variety.”” [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. Pleasure varies; melancholy and levity both have roles, and variety creates enjoyment **In simple terms:** Variety in emotions creates pleasure Key Takeaway Embrace diverse emotional experiences Themes emotion variety pleasure Mood thoughtful philosophical Type essay reflective When to use this quote - art criticism - personal reflection - mental health Key Concepts aesthetics human nature Questions to Reflect On - How does variety enrich life? - When is melancholy beneficial? 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Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [What if I tell you I'm falling again? what if I tell you I'm willing to stand there till you notice me again? what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/what-if-i-tell-you-i-m-falling-again-what-if-i-tell-you-i-m-willing/) [Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/) ## 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. 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Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [You felt a deep sorrow, the kind of melancholy you feel when you're in a beautiful place and the sun is going down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thrity-umrigar/you-felt-a-deep-sorrow-the-kind-of-melancholy-you-feel-when-you-re-in/) [Thrity Umrigar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thrity-umrigar/) > [“You have a right to be sad, and a duty to move on. Only wins who wipes the tears, gather strength and move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-branco/you-have-a-right-to-be-sad-and-a-duty-to-move-on-only-wins-who-wipes/) [Augusto Branco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-branco/) > [So sad! This is the saddest part when you lose someone you love- that person keeps changing. And later you wonder, Is this the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/so-sad-this-is-the-saddest-part-when-you-lose-someone-you-love-that/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [“The past is only making you to spill tears, tears of joy or tears pain. But anyway they are making you sad, for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-a/the-past-is-only-making-you-to-spill-tears-tears-of-joy-or-tears-pain/) T.A > [When You Lose Someone You Love, You Never Get Over It. You Just Get Used To It.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/when-you-lose-someone-you-love-you-never-get-over-it-you-just-get/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [From time to time I look at the picture when I am very sad. I just want to remember my past and that scene…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phan-thi-kim-phuc/from-time-to-time-i-look-at-the-picture-when-i-am-very-sad-i-just/) [Phan Thi Kim Phuc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phan-thi-kim-phuc/) > [In such a diversity it was impossible I should be disposed to melancholy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-boone/in-such-a-diversity-it-was-impossible-i-should-be-disposed-to/) [Daniel Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-boone/) > [I get lots of requests from people to write sad songs, and I'm like, 'No, that's rubbish patter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-capaldi/i-get-lots-of-requests-from-people-to-write-sad-songs-and-i-m-like-no/) [Lewis Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-capaldi/) > [The worst feeling is not being lonely, sometimes it is being forgotten by someone you cant forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-worst-feeling-is-not-being-lonely-sometimes-it-is-being-forgotten/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Every morning I sit at the kitchen table over a tall glass of water swallowing pills. 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It's just a sad, formal shrimp meal that I didn't even really enjoy that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-povitsky/i-have-the-saddest-pregnancy-cravings-it-s-just-a-sad-formal-shrimp/) [Esther Povitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-povitsky/) [Browse all 4,454 Sad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Fiction cannot move so much, but that the attention may be easily transferred; and though it must be allowed that pleasing melancholy be sometimes interrupted by unwelcome levity, yet let it be considered likewise, that melancholy is often not pleasing, and that the disturbance of one man may be the relief of another; that different auditors have different habitudes; and that, upon the whole, all pleasure consists in variety.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/fiction-cannot-move-so-much-but-that-the-attention-may-be-easily/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Sad" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/fiction-cannot-move-so-much-but-that-the-attention-may-be-easily/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c0/samuel-johnson-50_sad_fiction-cannot-move-so-much-but-that-the_297296.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c0/samuel-johnson-50_sad_fiction-cannot-move-so-much-but-that-the_297296.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c0/samuel-johnson-50_sad_fiction-cannot-move-so-much-but-that-the_297296.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fiction cannot move so much, but that the attention may be easily transferred; and though it must be allowed…” — 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": "“Fiction cannot move so much, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/fiction-cannot-move-so-much-but-that-the-attention-may-be-easily/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/fiction-cannot-move-so-much-but-that-the-attention-may-be-easily/#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 } } ] } ```