S

Samuel Johnson

83 quotes

Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) was an English writer and literary critic who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, playwright, essayist, and the creator of *A Dictionary of the English Language*. Known as "Dr. Johnson," his wit, wisdom, and larger-than-life personality made him one of the most quoted Englishmen of all time.

“Were it not for imagination a man would be as happy in arms of a chambermaid as of a duchess.”

— Samuel Johnson

Imagination

All Quotes by Samuel Johnson

“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.”

— Samuel Johnson

Knowledge

“A am a great friend of public amusements, they keep people from vice.”

— Samuel Johnson

Great

“Nothing flatters a man as much as the happiness of his wife he is always proud of himself as the source of it.”

— Samuel Johnson

Happiness

“Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.”

— Samuel Johnson

Patriotism

“I would not give half a guinea to live under one form of government other than another. It is of no moment to the happiness of an individual.”

— Samuel Johnson

Government

“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 a book.”

— Samuel Johnson

Time

“Life cannot subsist in society but by reciprocal concessions.”

— Samuel Johnson

Society

“There is no private house in which people can enjoy themselves so well as at a capital tavern... No, Sir there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn.”

— Samuel Johnson

Happiness

“It is more from carelessness about truth than from intentionally lying that there is so much falsehood in the world.”

— Samuel Johnson

Truth

“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.”

— Samuel Johnson

Great

“Small debts are like small shot they are rattling on every side, and can scarcely be escaped without a wound: great debts are like cannon of loud noise, but little danger.”

— Samuel Johnson

Great

“The feeling of friendship is like that of being comfortably filled with roast beef love, like being enlivened with champagne.”

— Samuel Johnson

Friendship

“Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes and seeing them gratified.”

— Samuel Johnson

Success

“Money and time are the heaviest burdens of life, and... the unhappiest of all mortals are those who have more of either than they know how to use.”

— Samuel Johnson

Money

“All theory is against freedom of the will all experience for it.”

— Samuel Johnson

Experience

“Exercise is labor without weariness.”

— Samuel Johnson

Fitness

“It is better that some should be unhappy rather than that none should be happy, which would be the case in a general state of equality.”

— Samuel Johnson

Equality

“All the arguments which are brought to represent poverty as no evil show it evidently to be a great evil.”

— Samuel Johnson

Great

“He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts.”

— Samuel Johnson

Happiness

“He who waits to do a great deal of good at once will never do anything.”

— Samuel Johnson

Great