--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My dear friend, clear your mind of cant…" description: "\"“My dear friend, clear your mind of cant [excessive thought]. You may talk as other people do: you may say to a man, \"Sir, I am your most humble servan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/samuel-johnson-50_appropriateness_my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-e_74600.jpg" --- # My dear friend, clear your mind of cant \[excessive… ![“My dear friend, clear your mind of cant [excessive thought]. You may talk as other people do: you may say to a man, "Sir, I am your most humble servant." You are not his most humble servant. You may say, "These are bad times; it is a melancholy thing to be reserved to such times." You don't mind…” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/samuel-johnson-50_appropriateness_my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-e_74600.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/samuel-johnson-50_appropriateness_my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-e_74600.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/samuel-johnson-50_appropriateness_my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-e_74600.jpg) > ““My dear friend, clear your mind of cant \[excessive thought\]. You may talk as other people do: you may say to a man, "Sir, I am your most humble servant." You are not his most humble servant. You may say, "These are bad times; it is a melancholy thing to be reserved to such times." You don't mind the times ... You may talk in this manner; it is a mode of talking in Society; but don't think foolishly.”” [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. Advises against pretentious self‑deprecation and empty social niceties, urging authentic expression over hollow politeness. **In simple terms:** Authenticity over affectation Key Takeaway Speak genuinely, not to impress Themes authenticity social conventions self‑deception humility communication Mood reflective serious cautious Type advice philosophical maxim When to use this quote - formal gatherings - political speeches - personal apologies - networking events Key Concepts social masks self‑presentation honesty Practical Applications - writing authentic dialogue - coaching public speakers Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑deprecation affect credibility? - When is modesty genuine versus performative? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appropriateness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appropriateness/) [Bad times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-times/) [Clear your mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear-your-mind/) [Dear friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dear-friend/) [Excess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excess/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Moderation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moderation/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“A faithful servant may be wiser than the master, and yet retain the true spirit and posture of the servant. The humble man looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/a-faithful-servant-may-be-wiser-than-the-master-and-yet-retain-the/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [“Then you do not belong here. Death holds no sweetness in this house. We are not warriors, nor soldiers, nor swaggering bravos puffed up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/then-you-do-not-belong-here-death-holds-no-sweetness-in-this-house-we/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“You know the words, but you are too proud to serve. A servant must be humble and obedient.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-know-the-words-but-you-are-too-proud-to-serve-a-servant-must-be/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [I thought... that we could at least talk about books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-thought-that-we-could-at-least-talk-about-books/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I thought talk was cheap until I saw our telephone bill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henny-youngman/i-thought-talk-was-cheap-until-i-saw-our-telephone-bill/) [Henny Youngman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henny-youngman/) > [The world is a very big place and there are many wonderful people in with ideas you haven't thought about. Talk to them, find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-morgan/the-world-is-a-very-big-place-and-there-are-many-wonderful-people-in/) [Nick Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-morgan/) > [What do you do when the person you thought you could always talk to about your problems, is now the one causing them !?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tay-leanne/what-do-you-do-when-the-person-you-thought-you-could-always-talk-to/) Tay Leanne > [In good company your thoughts run, in solitude your thought is still ... In talk your mind can be stretched, widened, exhilarated to heights,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumer-godden/in-good-company-your-thoughts-run-in-solitude-your-thought-is-still-2/) [Rumer Godden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumer-godden/) > [I have not spent years in therapy; I tried therapy in my mid-twenties, and it did not go very well. I just thought, 'This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-have-not-spent-years-in-therapy-i-tried-therapy-in-my-mid-twenties/) [Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/) > [My dear friend, clear your mind of cant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Clear your mind of cant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/clear-your-mind-of-cant/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [My dear friend, clear your mind of can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-can-t/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [ \[Children\] receive direct instruction from time to time about the appropriateness of various social comparisons ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-bandura/children-receive-direct-instruction-from-time-to-time-about-the/) [Albert Bandura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-bandura/) > [Nursing encompasses an art, a humanistic orientation, a feeling for the value of the individual, and an intuitive sense of ethics, and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrtle-aydelotte/nursing-encompasses-an-art-a-humanistic-orientation-a-feeling-for-the/) Myrtle Aydelotte > [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) ## 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 Appropriateness quotes > [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Nursing encompasses an art, a humanistic orientation, a feeling for the value of the individual, and an intuitive sense of ethics, and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myrtle-aydelotte/nursing-encompasses-an-art-a-humanistic-orientation-a-feeling-for-the/) Myrtle Aydelotte > [ \[Children\] receive direct instruction from time to time about the appropriateness of various social comparisons ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-bandura/children-receive-direct-instruction-from-time-to-time-about-the/) [Albert Bandura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-bandura/) > [The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dudley-warner/the-excellence-of-a-gift-lies-in-its-appropriateness-rather-than-in/) [Charles Dudley Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dudley-warner/) > [A good surgeon doesn't just concentrate on technical ability, but also on the appropriateness of what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/a-good-surgeon-doesn-t-just-concentrate-on-technical-ability-but-also/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [The event is not what you should be working on. You should be working on your response or reaction to an event. You either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/the-event-is-not-what-you-should-be-working-on-you-should-be-working/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [The first principle of architectural beauty is that the essential lines of a construction be determined by a perfect appropriateness to its use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-eiffel/the-first-principle-of-architectural-beauty-is-that-the-essential/) [Gustave Eiffel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-eiffel/) > [There is no constitutional or legal requirement that the President shall take the oath of office in the presence of the People but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-harrison/there-is-no-constitutional-or-legal-requirement-that-the-president/) [Benjamin Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-harrison/) > [Here's the acid test for appropriateness: Pretend that someone near and dear to you is witnessing what you are writing or sending, or knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-pinsky/here-s-the-acid-test-for-appropriateness-pretend-that-someone-near/) [Drew Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-pinsky/) > [I do object to the assumption that anything that might be outside of nature is ruled out of the conversation. That's an impoverished view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-do-object-to-the-assumption-that-anything-that-might-be-outside-of/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I'm a big, big blues fan and the last several years I've really invested in the blues a lot, and I think my playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-campbell/i-m-a-big-big-blues-fan-and-the-last-several-years-i-ve-really/) [Vivian Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-campbell/) > [Rather than me sort of characterize the appropriateness or inappropriateness of what Donald Trump is doing at the moment, I think what we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/rather-than-me-sort-of-characterize-the-appropriateness-or/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [When the words are fuzzy, the programmers reflexively retreat to the most precise method of articulation available: source code. Although there is nothing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amari-cooper/when-the-words-are-fuzzy-the-programmers-reflexively-retreat-to-the/) [Amari Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amari-cooper/) > [rejected both the appropriateness of an apology and of monetary redress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-j-mccloy/rejected-both-the-appropriateness-of-an-apology-and-of-monetary/) [John J. McCloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-j-mccloy/) > [There is little evidence that other animals judge the appropriateness of actions that do not directly affect themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/there-is-little-evidence-that-other-animals-judge-the-appropriateness/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) [Browse all 37 Appropriateness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appropriateness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“My dear friend, clear your mind of cant [excessive thought]. You may talk as other people do: you may say to a man, \"Sir, I am your most humble servant.\" You are not his most humble servant. You may say, \"These are bad times; it is a melancholy thing to be reserved to such times.\" You don't mind the times ... You may talk in this manner; it is a mode of talking in Society; but don't think foolishly.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-excessive-thought-you-may-talk/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appropriateness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-excessive-thought-you-may-talk/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/samuel-johnson-50_appropriateness_my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-e_74600.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/samuel-johnson-50_appropriateness_my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-e_74600.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/590/samuel-johnson-50_appropriateness_my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-e_74600.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My dear friend, clear your mind of cant [excessive thought]. You may talk as other people do: you may say to…” — 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": "“My dear friend, clear your mind...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-excessive-thought-you-may-talk/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-excessive-thought-you-may-talk/#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 } } ] } ```