Samuel Johnson
England
18 Sep 1709 // 13 Dec 1784
Writer
18 Sep 1709 // 13 Dec 1784
Writer
Quotes
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Difficult do you call it, Sir? I wish it were impossible
Dictionaries are like watches, the worst is better than none and the best cannot be expected to go quite true
Depend upon it that if a man talks of his misfortunes there is something in them that is not disagreeable to him; for where there is nothing but pure misery there never is any recourse to the mention of it
Curiosity is one of the most permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect
Courage is the greatest of all virtues, because if you haven't courage, you may not have an opportunity to use any of the others
Classical quotation is the parole of literary men all over the world
Books, like friends, should be few and well-chosen
Almost every man wastes part of his life attempting to display qualities which he does not possess
Almost all absurdity of conduct arises from the imitation of those who we cannot resemble
Allow children to be happy in their own way, for what better way will they find?
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On Anger: "For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind."
Essays
Essays
On Destiny: "Our destiny exercises its influence over us even when, as yet, we have not learned its nature: it is our future that lays down the law of our today."
Human, All Too Human
Human, All Too Human
On Friendship: "A crowd is not company; and faces are but a gallery of pictures; and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love."
Essays
Essays