Samuel Johnson (1709 – 1784)
British author, linguist and lexicographer.
A man is in general better pleased when he has a good dinner upon his table, than when his wife talks Greek.
So far is it from being true that men are naturally equal, that no two people can be half an hour together, but one shall acquire an evident superiority over the other.
"I fly from pleasure," said the prince, "because pleasure has ceased to please; I am lonely because I am miserable, and am unwilling to cloud with my presence the happiness of others."
My friend was of opinion that when a man of rank appeared in that character [as an author], he deserved to have his merit handsomely allowed.
A man might write such stuff for ever, if he would abandon his mind to it.
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.
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.
A man is very apt to complain of the ingratitude of those who have risen far above him. A man when he gets into a higher sphere, into other habits of life, cannot keep up all his former connections. Then, Sir, those who knew him formerly upon a level with themselves, may think that they ought still to be treated as on a level, which cannot be; and an acquaintance in a former situation may bring out things which it would be very disagreeable to have mentioned before higher company, though, perhaps, everybody knows of them.
Attack is the reaction; I never think I have hit hard unless it rebounds.
Sir, there is no settling the point of precedency between a louse and a flea.
Greek, sir, is like lace; every man gets as much of it as he can.
What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.
The unjustifiable severity of a parent is loaded with this aggravation, that those whom he injures are always in his sight.
I have two very cogent reasons for not printing any list of subscribers; — one, that I have lost all the names, — the other, that I have spent all the money.
With these celestial Wisdom calms the mind,
And makes the happiness she does not find.
I live in the crowd of jollity, not so much to enjoy company as to shun myself.
CLUB — An assembly of good fellows, meeting under certain conditions.
Books that you may carry to the fire, and hold readily in your hand, are the most useful after all.
Mrs. Digby told me that when she lived in London with her sister, Mrs. Brooke, they were every now and then honoured by the visits of Dr. Johnson. He called on them one day soon after the publication of his immortal dictionary. The two ladies paid him due compliments on the occasion. Amongst other topics of praise they very much commended the omission of all naughty words. 'What! my dears! then you have been looking for them?' said the moralist. The ladies, confused at being thus caught, dropped the subject of the dictionary.
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.