Samuel Johnson Quotes - Page 37

• Among the numerous requisites that must concur to complete an author, few are of more importance than an early entrance into the living world. The seed of knowledge may be planted in solitude, but must be cultivated in public. Argumentation may be taught in colleges, and theories formed in retirement; but the artifice of embellishment and the powers of attraction can be gained only by a general converse.

  Samuel Johnson

  Retirement, Writing, College

  Samuel Johnson (1977). “Selected Poetry and Prose”, p.215, Univ of California Press

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• Whoever desires, for his writings or himself, what none can reasonably contemn, the favour of mankind, must add grace to strength, and make his thoughts agreeable as well as useful. Many complain of neglect who never tried to attract regard.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Grace, Desire

  Samuel Johnson (1784). “The Rambler: In Four Volumes..”, p.49

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• The diversion of baiting an author has the sanction of all ages and nations, and is more lawful than the sport of teasing other animals, because, for the most part, he comes voluntarily to the stake, furnished, as he imagines, by the patron powers of literature, with resistless weapons, and impenetrable armour, with the mail of the boar of Erymanth, and the paws of the lion of Nemea.

  Samuel Johnson

  Sports, Writing, Animal

  Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1840). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: With an Essay on His Life and Genius /c by Arthur Murphy, Esq”, p.267

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• Critics ought never to be consulted, but while errors may yet be rectified or insipidity suppressed. But when the book has once been dismissed into the world, and can be no more retouched, I know not whether a very different conduct should not be prescribed, and whether firmness and spirit may not sometimes be of use to overpower arrogance and repel brutality.

  Samuel Johnson

  Book, Writing, Errors

  Samuel Johnson (2003). “Selected Essays”, p.433, Penguin UK

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• The animadversions of critics are commonly such as may easily provoke the sedatest writer to some quickness of resentment and asperity of reply.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, May, Resentment

  Samuel Johnson (1820). “The Rambler”, p.394

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• There are certain topicks which are never exhausted. Of some images and sentiments the mind of man may be said to be enamoured; it meets them, however often they occur, with the same ardour which a lover feels at the sight of his mistress, and parts from them with the same regret when they can no longer be enjoyed.

  Samuel Johnson

  Regret, Writing, Men

  Samuel Johnson (1825). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.”, p.100

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• When a poet mentions the spring, we know that the zephyrs are about to whisper, that the groves are to recover their verdure, the linnets to warble forth their notes of love, and the flocks and herds to frisk over vales painted with flowers: yet, who is there so insensible of the beauties of nature, so little delighted with the renovation of the world, as not to feel his heart bound at the mention of the spring?

  Samuel Johnson

  Spring, Flower, Heart

  Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1825). “The works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: with Murphy's essay”, p.97

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• General irregularities are known in time to remedy themselves. By the constitution of ancient Egypt, the priesthood was continually increasing, till at length there was no people beside themselves; the establishment was then dissolved, and the number of priests was reduced and limited. Thus among us, writers will, perhaps, be multiplied, till no readers will be found, and then the ambition of writing must necessarily cease.

  Samuel Johnson

  Ambition, Writing, Egypt

  Samuel Johnson (1836). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.: D., with an Essay on His Life and Genius”, p.344

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• It is, however, not necessary, that a man should forbear to write, till he has discovered some truth unknown before; he may be sufficiently useful, by only diversifying the surface of knowledge, and luring the mind by a new appearance to a second view of those beauties which it had passed over inattentively before.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Men, Views

  Samuel Johnson (2009). “Samuel Johnson: Selected Writings”, p.204, Harvard University Press

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• Every man speaks and writes with intent to be understood; and it can seldom happen but he that understands himself, might convey his notions to another, if, content to be understood, he did not seek to be admired; but when once he begins to contrive how his sentiments may be received, not with most ease to his reader, but with most advantage to himself, he then transfers his consideration from words to sounds, from sentences to periods, and, as he grows more elegant, becomes less intelligible.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Men, Ease

  Samuel Johnson (1800). “The Idler: With Additional Essays”, p.122

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• Many leave the labours of half their life to their executors and to chance, because they will not send them abroad unfinished, and are unable to finish them, having prescribed to themselves such a degree of exactness as human diligence can scarcely ontain.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Degrees, Half

  Samuel Johnson (1810). “The works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With An essay on his life and genius”, p.262

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• If an author be supposed to involve his thoughts in voluntary obscurity, and to obstruct, by unnecessary difficulties, a mind eager in the pursuit of truth; if he writes not to make others learned, but to boast the learning which he possesses himself, and wishes to be admired rather than understood, he counteracts the first end of writing, and justly suffers the utmost severity of censure, or the more afflicting severity of neglect.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Mind, Suffering

  Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1825). “The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752”

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• Truth, like beauty, varies its fashions, and is best recommended by different dresses to different minds; and he that recalls the attention of mankind to any part of learning which time has left behind it, may be truly said to advance the literatures of his own age. As the manners of nations vary, new topicks of persuasion become necessary, and new combinations of imagery are produced; and he that can accommodate himself to the reigning taste, may always have readers who perhaps would not have looked upon better performances.

  Samuel Johnson

  Fashion, Writing, Mind

  Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1825). “The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752”

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• The authors that in any nation last from age to age are very few, because there are very few that have any other claim to notice than that they catch hold on present curiosity, and gratify some accidental desire, or produce some temporary conveniency.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Curiosity, Age

  Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1825). “The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752”

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• All argument is against it; but all belief is for it.

  Samuel Johnson

  Atheism, Belief, Argument

  Quoted in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) (entry for 31 Mar. 1778)

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• Of those that spin out trifles and die without a memorial, many flatter themselves with high opinions of their own importance, and imagine that they are every day adding some improvement to human life.

  Samuel Johnson

  Memorial, Opinion, Improvement

  Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1825). “The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752”

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• Ignorance is mere privation by which nothing can be produced: it is a vacuity in which the soul sits motionless and torpid for want of attraction: and, without knowing why, we always rejoice when we learn, and grieve when we forget.

  Samuel Johnson

  Ignorance, Grieving, Knowing

  Samuel Johnson (2012). “Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia”, p.31, Simon and Schuster

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• There is no idleness, by which we are so easily seduced, as that which dignifies itself by the appearance of business, and by making the loiterer imagine that he has something to do which must not be neglected, keeps him in perpetual agitation, and hurries him rapidly from place to place.

  Samuel Johnson

  Agitation, Imagine, Appearance

  Samuel Johnson (1801). “Idler”, p.191

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• Babies do not want to hear about babies; they like to be told of giants and castles.

  Samuel Johnson

  Baby, Castles, Giants

  Samuel Johnson (1836). “Johnsoniana; or supplement to Boswell; being Anecdotes and sayings of Dr. Johnson, etc”, p.2

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• There should be a stated day for commemorating the birthday of our Savior, because there is danger that what may be done on any day, will be neglected.

  Samuel Johnson

  Christmas, Done, May

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• Happiness consists in the multiplicity of agreeable consciousness.

  Samuel Johnson

  Consciousness, Multiplicity

  In James Boswell 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' (1791) vol. 2, p. 9 (February 1766)

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• A lexicographer, a writer of dictionaries, a harmless drudge.

  Samuel Johnson

  Book, Reading, Lexicographer

  A Dictionary of the English Language (1755)

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• The life of a conscientious clergyman is not easy. I have always considered a clergyman as the father of a larger family than he is able to maintain. I would rather have chancery suits upon my hands than the cure of souls.

  Samuel Johnson

  Father, Hands, Soul

  Samuel Johnson (1807). “Dr. Johnson's Table-talk: Containing Aphorisms on Literature, Life, and Manners, with Anecdotes of Distinguished Persons, Selected and Arranged from Mr. Boswell's Life of Johnson”, p.50

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• John Wesley's conversation is good, but he is never at leisure. He is always obliged to go at a certain hour. This is very disagreeable to a man who loves to fold his legs and have his talk out as I do.

  Samuel Johnson

  Men, Leisure, Legs

  In James Boswell 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' (1791) vol. 3, p. 230 (31 March 1778)

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• Men are like stone jugs - you may lug them where you like by the ears.

  Samuel Johnson

  Men, Jugs, Ears

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