Samuel Johnson
England
18 Sep 1709 // 13 Dec 1784
Writer
18 Sep 1709 // 13 Dec 1784
Writer
Quotes
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It is very common for us to desire most what we are least qualified to obtain
Instead of rating the man by his performances, we rate too frequently the performances by the man
In all political regulations, good cannot be complete, it can only be predominant
In all pointed sentences, some degree of accuracy must be sacrificed to conciseness
In all pleasure hope is a considerable part
In all evils which admit a remedy, impatience should be avoided, because it wastes that time and attention in complaints which, if properly applied, might remove the cause
Ignorance cannot always be inferred from inaccuracy; knowledge is not always present
If you are idle, be not solitary; if you are solitary, be not idle
If one was to think constantly of death, the business of life would stand still
If in an actor there appears an utter vacancy of meaning, a frigid equality, a stupid languor, a torpid apathy, the greatest kindness that can be shown him is a speedy sentence of expulsion
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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