Samuel Johnson (1709 – 1784)
British author, linguist and lexicographer.
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..
That he delights in the misery of others no man will confess, and yet what other motive can make a father cruel?
Ye who listen with credulity to the whispers of fancy, and pursue with eagerness the phantoms of hope; who expect that age will perform the promises of youth, and that the deficiencies of the present day will be supplied by the morrow; attend to the history of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia.
Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.
A lady once asked him how he came to define 'pastern', the knee of a horse: instead of making an elaborate defence, as might be expected, he at once answered, "Ignorance, Madam, pure ignorance."
Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it.
No oppression is so heavy or lasting as that which is inflicted by the perversion and exorbitance of legal authority.
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.
Greek, sir, is like lace; every man gets as much of it as he can.
Sir, there is no settling the point of precedency between a louse and a flea.
Attack is the reaction; I never think I have hit hard unless it rebounds.
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.
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.
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.
A man might write such stuff for ever, if he would abandon his mind to it.
Abstinence is as easy to me as temperance would be difficult.
A cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing.
A man is in general better pleased when he has a good dinner upon his table, than when his wife talks Greek.
Come, let me know what it is that makes a Scotchman happy!