Quotes by Samuel Johnson

About Samuel Johnson:

Samuel Johnson is also the subject of "the most famous single work of biographical art in the whole of literature": James Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect.

Samuel Johnson

Men more frequently require to be reminded than informed.

Samuel Johnson

In order that all men may be taught to speak truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear it.

Samuel Johnson

The vanity of being known to be trusted with a secret is generally one of the chief motives to disclose it; for, however absurd it may be thought to boast an honour by an act which shows that it was conferred without merit, yet most men seem rather i...

Samuel Johnson

A man ought to read just as inclination leads him; for what he reads as a task will do him little good.

Samuel Johnson

[C]ourage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other.

Samuel Johnson

People have now a-days, (said he,) got a strange opinion that every thing should be taught by lectures. Now, I cannot see that lectures can do so much good as reading the books from which the lectures are taken. I know nothing that can be best taught...

Samuel Johnson

Hell is paved with good intentions.

Samuel Johnson

Sir, I did not count your glasses of wine, why should you number up my cups of tea?

Samuel Johnson

Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it. When we enquire into any subject, the first thing we have to do is to know what books have treated of it. This leads us to look at catalogues, a...

Samuel Johnson

Don't, Sir, accustom yourself to use big words for little matters.

Samuel Johnson

The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading, in order to write: a man will turn over half a library to make one book.

Samuel Johnson

This is one of the disadvantages of wine, it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.

Samuel Johnson

Read over your compositions, and wherever you meet with a passage which you think is particularly fine, strike it out.

Samuel Johnson

Getting money is not all a man's business: to cultivate kindness is a valuable part of the business of life.

Samuel Johnson

Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.

Samuel Johnson

If you are idle, be not solitary; if you are solitary be not idle.

Samuel Johnson

My dear friend, clear your mind of cant [excessive thought]. You may 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 b...

Samuel Johnson

You can never be wise unless you love reading.

Samuel Johnson

Truth will not afford sufficient food to their vanity; so they have betaken, themselves to errour. Truth, Sir, is a cow which will yield such people no more milk, and so they are gone to milk the bull.

Samuel Johnson

It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. The act of dying is not of importance, it lasts so short a time.

Samuel Johnson

Author Bio

  • NameSamuel Johnson
  • DescriptionEnglish writer
  • AliasesDr Johnson
  • BornSeptember 18, 1709
  • DiedDecember 13, 1784
  • CountryUnited Kingdom
  • ProfessionLexicographer; Linguist; Poet; Literary Historian; Writer; Teacher