Samuel Johnson Quotes
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Books that you carry to the fire, and hold readily in your hand, are most useful after all.
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I am a great friend of public amusements, they keep people from vice.
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Let me rejoice in the light which Thou hast imparted; let me serve Thee with active zeal, humbled confidence, and wait with patient expectation for the time in which the soul which Thou receivest shall be satisfied with knowledge.
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Wretched un-idea'd girls.
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PATRON, n. One who countenances, supports or protects. Commonly a wretch who supports with insolence, and is repaid in flattery.
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The atrocious crime of being a young man, which the honourable gentleman has with such spirit and decency charged upon me, I shall neither attempt to palliate nor deny; but content myself with wishing that I may be one of those whose follies may cease with their youth, and not of that number who are ignorant in spite of experience.
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As with my hat upon my headI walk'd along the Strand,I there did meet another manWith his hat in his hand.
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A frame of adamant, a soul of fire,No dangers fright him, and no labors tire.
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The mind is never satisfied with the objects immediately before it, but is always breaking away from the present moment, and losing itself in schemes of future felicity... The natural flights of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure, but from hope to hope.
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I would be loath to speak ill of any person who I do not know deserves it, but I am afraid he is an attorney.
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Treating your adversary with respect is striking soft in battle.
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Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it makes some virtues impracticable, and others extremely difficult.
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All censure of a man's self is oblique praise. It is in order to shew how much he can spare.
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Sir, 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.
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Blown about with every wind of criticism.
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The only end of writing is to enable the readers better to enjoy life, or better to endure it.
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I'll come no more behind your scenes, David Garrick; for the silk stockings and white bosoms of your actresses excite my amorous propensities.
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What is easy is seldom excellent.
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To let friendship die away by negligence and silence, is certainly not wise. It is voluntarily to throw away one of the greatest comforts of this weary pilgrimage.
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Frugality may be termed the daughter of Prudence, the sister of Temperance and the parent of Liberty.
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We are inclined to believe those whom we do not know because they have never deceived us.
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There are some sluggish men who are improved by drinking; as there are fruits that are not good until they are rotten.
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Between falsehood and useless truth there is little difference. As gold which he cannot spend will make no man rich, so knowledge which cannot apply will make no man wise.
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Sir, your levellers wish to level down as far as themselves; but they cannot bear levelling up to themselves.