Samuel Johnson

Words are but the signs of ideas.

As to the rout that is made about people who are ruined by extravagance, it is no matter to the nation that some individuals suffer. When so much general productive exertion is the consequence of luxury, the nation does not care though there are debtors; nay, they would not care though their creditors were there too.

To cultivate kindness is a valuable part of the business of life.

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.

There are charms made only for distance admiration.

Depend upon it that if a man talks of his misfortunes there is something in them that is not disagreeable to him.

Haste makes Work which Caution prevents.

Work with some men is as besetting a sin as idleness.

I shall not wholly die, and a great part of me will escape the grave.

The only gift is a portion of thyself.

How could youths better learn to live than by at once trying the experiment of living?

Pity is for living, envy is for dead.

The greatest evils and the worst of crimes is poverty; our first duty, a duty to which every other consideration should be sacrificed, is not to be poor.

I know not, Madam, that you have a right, upon moral principles, to make your readers suffer so much.

In all pointed sentences, some degree of accuracy must be sacrificed to conciseness.

He is useless on top of the ground; he ought to be under it, inspiring the cabbages.

There is a sort of jealousy which needs very little fire; it is hardly a passion, but a blight bred in the cloudy, damp despondency of uneasy egoism.

A difference of taste in jokes is a great strain on the affections.

These are not dark days: these are great days – the greatest days our country has ever lived.

The only failure one should fear, is not hugging to the purpose they see as best.

I often quote myself. It adds spice to my conversation.