|

|

Advertisements

Samuel Johnson Quotes

When the original is well chosen and judiciously copied, the imitator often arrives at excellence which he could never have attained without direction; for few are formed with abilities to discover new possibilities of excellence, and to distinguish themselves by means never tried before Picture Quote #1

When a language begins to teem with books, it is tending to refinement; as those who undertake to teach others must have undergone some labour in improving themselves, they set a proportionate value on their own thoughts, and wish to enforce them by efficacious expressions; speech becomes embodied and permanent; different modes and phrases are compared, and the best obtains an establishment. By degrees one age improves upon another Picture Quote #1

Exactness is first obtained, and afterwards elegance. But diction, merely vocal, is always in its childhood. As no man leaves his eloquence behind him, the new generations have all to learn. There may possibly be books without a polished language, but there can be no polished language without books Picture Quote #1

To exact of every man who writes that he should say something new, would be to reduce authors to a small number; to oblige the most fertile genius to say only what is new, would be to contract his volumes to a few pages. Yet, surely, there ought to be some bounds to repetition; libraries ought no more to be heaped for ever with the same thoughts differently expressed, than with the same books differently decorated Picture Quote #1

To live without feeling or exciting sympathy, to be fortunate without adding to the felicity of others, or afflicted without tasting the balm of pity, is a state more gloomy than solitude; it is not retreat, but exclusion from mankind. Marriage has many pains, but celibacy has no pleasures Picture Quote #1

Let us take a patriot, where we can meet him; and, that we may not flatter ourselves by false appearances, distinguish those marks which are certain, from those which may deceive; for a man may have the external appearance of a patriot, without the constituent qualities; as false coins have often lustre, though they want weight Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

Exercise cannot secure us from that dissolution to which we are decreed; but while the soul and body continue united, it can make the association pleasing, and give probable hopes that they shall be disciplined by an easy separation... to die is the fate of man; but to die with lingering anguish is generally his folly Picture Quote #1

They who have already enjoyed the crowds and noise of the great city, know their desire to return is little more than the restlessness of a vacant mind, that they are not so much led by hope as driven by disgust, and wish rather to leave the country than to see the town Picture Quote #1

Difference of thoughts will produce difference of language. He that thinks with more extent than another, will want words of a larger meaning; he that thinks with more subtilty will seek for terms of more nice discrimination; and where is the wonder, since words are but the images of things, that he who never knew the original should not know the copies? Picture Quote #1

There is no crime more infamous than the violation of truth. It is apparent that men can be social beings no longer than they believe each other. When speech is employed only as the vehicle of falsehood, every man must disunite himself from others, inhabit his own cave and seek prey only for himself Picture Quote #1

The joy of life is variety; the tenderest love requires to be renewed by intervals of absence Picture Quote #1

Those writers who lay on the watch for novelty, could have little hope of greatness; for great things cannot have escaped former observation Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

His death has eclipsed the gaiety of nations, and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure Picture Quote #1

I have, all my life long, been lying till noon; yet I tell all young men, and tell them with great sincerity, that nobody who does not rise early will ever do any good Picture Quote #1

A cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing Picture Quote #1

The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are Picture Quote #1

I hate a fellow whom pride or cowardice or laziness drives into a corner, and who does nothing when he is there but sit and growl. Let him come out as I do, and bark Picture Quote #1

If a man does not make new acquaintance as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone. A man, sir, should keep his friendship in a constant repair Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

A woman’s preaching is like a dog’s walking on his hinder legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all Picture Quote #1

Johnson observed, that he did not care to speak ill of any man behind his back, but he believed the gentleman was an attorney Picture Quote #1

A gentleman who had been very unhappy in marriage, married immediately after his wife died: Johnson said, it was the triumph of hope over experience Picture Quote #1

Read over your compositions, and wherever you meet with a passage which you think is particularly fine, strike it out Picture Quote #1

There is now less flogging in our great schools than formerly, but then less is learned there; so that what the boys get at one end they lose at the other Picture Quote #1

While grief is fresh, every attempt to divert only irritates. You must wait till grief be digested, and then amusement will dissipate the remains of it Picture Quote #1

Advertisements

Life admits not of delays; when pleasure can be had, it is fit to catch it. Every hour takes away part of the things that please us, and perhaps part of our disposition to be pleased Picture Quote #1

Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully Picture Quote #1

All censure of a man’s self is oblique praise. It is in order to shew how much he can spare Picture Quote #1

My friend was of opinion that when a man of rank appeared in that character, he deserved to have his merit handsomely allowed Picture Quote #1

A man might write such stuff for ever, if he would abandon his mind to it Picture Quote #1

It is strange that there should be so little reading in the world, and so much writing. People in general do not willingly read, if they can have any thing else to amuse them Picture Quote #1

1 - 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 - 50

Friendship Quotes

Motivational Quotes

Inspirational Quotes

Advertisements

Text Quotes

When the original is well chosen and judiciously copied, the imitator often arrives at excellence which he could never have attained without direction; for few are formed with abilities to discover new possibilities of excellence, and to distinguish themselves by means never tried before (Samuel Johnson Quotes) When a language begins to teem with books, it is tending to refinement; as those who undertake to teach others must have undergone some labour in improving themselves, they set a proportionate value on their own thoughts, and wish to enforce them by efficacious expressions; speech becomes embodied and permanent; different modes and phrases are compared, and the best obtains an establishment. By degrees one age improves upon another (Samuel Johnson Quotes) Exactness is first obtained, and afterwards elegance. But diction, merely vocal, is always in its childhood. As no man leaves his eloquence behind him, the new generations have all to learn. There may possibly be books without a polished language, but there can be no polished language without books (Samuel Johnson Quotes) To exact of every man who writes that he should say something new, would be to reduce authors to a small number; to oblige the most fertile genius to say only what is new, would be to contract his volumes to a few pages. Yet, surely, there ought to be some bounds to repetition; libraries ought no more to be heaped for ever with the same thoughts differently expressed, than with the same books differently decorated (Samuel Johnson Quotes) To live without feeling or exciting sympathy, to be fortunate without adding to the felicity of others, or afflicted without tasting the balm of pity, is a state more gloomy than solitude; it is not retreat, but exclusion from mankind. Marriage has many pains, but celibacy has no pleasures (Samuel Johnson Quotes) Let us take a patriot, where we can meet him; and, that we may not flatter ourselves by false appearances, distinguish those marks which are certain, from those which may deceive; for a man may have the external appearance of a patriot, without the constituent qualities; as false coins have often lustre, though they want weight (Samuel Johnson Quotes) Exercise cannot secure us from that dissolution to which we are decreed; but while the soul and body continue united, it can make the association pleasing, and give probable hopes that they shall be disciplined by an easy separation... to die is the fate of man; but to die with lingering anguish is generally his folly (Samuel Johnson Quotes) They who have already enjoyed the crowds and noise of the great city, know their desire to return is little more than the restlessness of a vacant mind, that they are not so much led by hope as driven by disgust, and wish rather to leave the country than to see the town (Samuel Johnson Quotes) Difference of thoughts will produce difference of language. He that thinks with more extent than another, will want words of a larger meaning; he that thinks with more subtilty will seek for terms of more nice discrimination; and where is the wonder, since words are but the images of things, that he who never knew the original should not know the copies? (Samuel Johnson Quotes) There is no crime more infamous than the violation of truth. It is apparent that men can be social beings no longer than they believe each other. When speech is employed only as the vehicle of falsehood, every man must disunite himself from others, inhabit his own cave and seek prey only for himself (Samuel Johnson Quotes) The joy of life is variety; the tenderest love requires to be renewed by intervals of absence (Samuel Johnson Quotes) Those writers who lay on the watch for novelty, could have little hope of greatness; for great things cannot have escaped former observation (Samuel Johnson Quotes) His death has eclipsed the gaiety of nations, and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure (Samuel Johnson Quotes) I have, all my life long, been lying till noon; yet I tell all young men, and tell them with great sincerity, that nobody who does not rise early will ever do any good (Samuel Johnson Quotes) A cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing (Samuel Johnson Quotes) The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are (Samuel Johnson Quotes) I hate a fellow whom pride or cowardice or laziness drives into a corner, and who does nothing when he is there but sit and growl. Let him come out as I do, and bark (Samuel Johnson Quotes) If a man does not make new acquaintance as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone. A man, sir, should keep his friendship in a constant repair (Samuel Johnson Quotes) A woman’s preaching is like a dog’s walking on his hinder legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all (Samuel Johnson Quotes) Johnson observed, that he did not care to speak ill of any man behind his back, but he believed the gentleman was an attorney (Samuel Johnson Quotes) A gentleman who had been very unhappy in marriage, married immediately after his wife died: Johnson said, it was the triumph of hope over experience (Samuel Johnson Quotes) Read over your compositions, and wherever you meet with a passage which you think is particularly fine, strike it out (Samuel Johnson Quotes) There is now less flogging in our great schools than formerly, but then less is learned there; so that what the boys get at one end they lose at the other (Samuel Johnson Quotes) While grief is fresh, every attempt to divert only irritates. You must wait till grief be digested, and then amusement will dissipate the remains of it (Samuel Johnson Quotes) Life admits not of delays; when pleasure can be had, it is fit to catch it. Every hour takes away part of the things that please us, and perhaps part of our disposition to be pleased (Samuel Johnson Quotes) Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully (Samuel Johnson Quotes) All censure of a man’s self is oblique praise. It is in order to shew how much he can spare (Samuel Johnson Quotes) My friend was of opinion that when a man of rank appeared in that character, he deserved to have his merit handsomely allowed (Samuel Johnson Quotes) A man might write such stuff for ever, if he would abandon his mind to it (Samuel Johnson Quotes) It is strange that there should be so little reading in the world, and so much writing. People in general do not willingly read, if they can have any thing else to amuse them (Samuel Johnson Quotes)

1 - 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 - 50