--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many useful and valuable books lie buried…" description: "\"Many useful and valuable books lie buried in shops and libraries, unknown and unexamined, unless some lucky compiler opens them by chance, and finds an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/samuel-johnson-50_book_many-useful-and-valuable-books-lie-burie_1736458.jpg" --- # Many useful and valuable books lie buried in shops and… ![“Many useful and valuable books lie buried in shops and libraries, unknown and unexamined, unless some lucky compiler opens them by chance, and finds an easy spoil of wit and learning.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/samuel-johnson-50_book_many-useful-and-valuable-books-lie-burie_1736458.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/samuel-johnson-50_book_many-useful-and-valuable-books-lie-burie_1736458.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03f/samuel-johnson-50_book_many-useful-and-valuable-books-lie-burie_1736458.jpg) > “Many useful and valuable books lie buried in shops and libraries, unknown and unexamined, unless some lucky compiler opens them by chance, and finds an easy spoil of wit and learning.” [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. Valuable books often remain unnoticed until someone discovers them, revealing hidden wisdom. **In simple terms:** Books hide knowledge until found. Key Takeaway Seek out overlooked works. Themes knowledge discovery literature Mood curious reflective Type inspirational literary When to use this quote - library browsing - secondhand book shopping - research - academic study Key Concepts cultural heritage intellectual curiosity Questions to Reflect On - What books have you overlooked? - How do you decide which works to explore? A Different Perspective Not all hidden books are valuable; personal taste varies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Buried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buried/) [Buried Shops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buried-shops-1478662/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Chance Finds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance-finds-1478663/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Libraries Unknown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/libraries-unknown-1478664/) [Library](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/library/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Quotations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quotations/) [Shops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shops/) [Shops Libraries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shops-libraries-1478665/) [Spoil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoil/) [Valuable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valuable/) [Valuable Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valuable-books-294298/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [The books that are really valuable are the books that evoke a sense of place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/the-books-that-are-really-valuable-are-the-books-that-evoke-a-sense/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“I am not as valuable as the books, I AM the books! They are a part of me I cannot delete or cut off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-l-grady/i-am-not-as-valuable-as-the-books-i-am-the-books-they-are-a-part-of/) [Whitney L. Grady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-l-grady/) > [“There are only two kinds of books worth keeping: Valuable books and valuable books. The first value is monetary, and the second value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/there-are-only-two-kinds-of-books-worth-keeping-valuable-books-and/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“No matter how valuable these books, it seems a bit sad to let them go unread,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isuna-hasekura/no-matter-how-valuable-these-books-it-seems-a-bit-sad-to-let-them-go/) [Isuna Hasekura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isuna-hasekura/) > [I don't want to spoil the magic, but it's a very curious thing that honestly baffles me. It's the nearest we'll ever get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/i-don-t-want-to-spoil-the-magic-but-it-s-a-very-curious-thing-that/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [Throw a theory into the fire; it only spoils life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/throw-a-theory-into-the-fire-it-only-spoils-life/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [“want to spoil things. I think she”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-hughes/want-to-spoil-things-i-think-she/) [Kathryn Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-hughes/) > [Spare the rod and spoil the child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/spare-the-rod-and-spoil-the-child/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [I don't want to spoil this for anybody but wrestling, sports entertainment, is 'pre-determined.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diamond-dallas-page/i-don-t-want-to-spoil-this-for-anybody-but-wrestling-sports/) [Diamond Dallas Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diamond-dallas-page/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [The mother's love is not given to us to spoil us with indulgence, but to soften our hearts, that we may in turn soften…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/the-mother-s-love-is-not-given-to-us-to-spoil-us-with-indulgence-but/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [“Living in the middle of beauty like this, we've no call to have puny ideas about God. Why do you suppose His world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/living-in-the-middle-of-beauty-like-this-we-ve-no-call-to-have-puny/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [Historically, art has always had a market. When one medieval fiefdom defeated another they would drag back its jewels, gold, tapestries and art objects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-glimcher/historically-art-has-always-had-a-market-when-one-medieval-fiefdom/) [Arne Glimcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-glimcher/) > [I hate to see prudence clinging to the green suckers of youth; 'tis like ivy round a sapling, and spoils the growth of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/i-hate-to-see-prudence-clinging-to-the-green-suckers-of-youth-tis/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [My rule is, when you are unhappy, think about it. But when you're happy, don't. Why spoil it? You're probably happy for some ridiculous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/my-rule-is-when-you-are-unhappy-think-about-it-but-when-you-re-happy/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) ## 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 Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. 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