---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No man will be a sailor who has…"
description: "\"No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/samuel-johnson-50_business_no-man-will-be-a-sailor-who-has-contriva_2512017.jpg"
---

#  No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get…

![“No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/samuel-johnson-50_business_no-man-will-be-a-sailor-who-has-contriva_2512017.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/samuel-johnson-50_business_no-man-will-be-a-sailor-who-has-contriva_2512017.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/samuel-johnson-50_business_no-man-will-be-a-sailor-who-has-contriva_2512017.jpg)

> “No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company.”

[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.

The quote compares a ship to a jail, suggesting that being on a ship is as restrictive as imprisonment, yet a jail offers better conditions.

**In simple terms:** A ship can feel like a restrictive jail.

Key Takeaway

Consider freedom beyond physical constraints.

Themes

freedom confinement maritime prison

Mood

thoughtful philosophical

Type

observation analogy

When to use this quote

- naval life
- prison reform
- personal liberty

Key Concepts

existential social critique

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you feel trapped in your environment?
- What defines true freedom for you?

A Different Perspective

The analogy may oversimplify maritime life.

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