Samuel Johnson

Truth, Sir, is a cow which will yield such people no more milk, and so they are gone to milk the bull.

Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

There are few things that we so unwillingly give up, even in advanced age, as the supposition that we still have the power of ingratiating ourselves with the fair sex.

Leisure and curiosity might soon make great advances in useful knowledge, were they not diverted by minute emulation and laborious trifles.

Nay, Madam, when you are declaiming, declaim; and when you are calculating, calculate.

What is easy is seldom excellent.

Although the road is never ending, take a step and keep walking, do not look fearfully into the distance…on the path let the heart be your guide for the body is hesitant and full of fear.

Too often the strong, silent man is silent only because he does not know what to say, and is reputed strong only because he has remained silent.

Usually the modest person passes for someone reserved, the silent for a sullen person.

Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.

I’m proof against that word failure. I’ve seen behind it. The only failure a man ought to fear is failure of cleaving to the purpose he sees to be best.

We are happier in many ways when we are old than when we were young. The young sow wild oats. The old grow sage.

The holy passion of friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked to lend money.

Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of their party.

When you’ve told someone that you’ve left them a legacy the only decent thing to do is to die at once.

We must make the world honest before we can honestly say to our children that honesty is the best policy.

A pessimist is a man who thinks everybody is as nasty as himself.

The growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistorical acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.

The reward of a thing well done is having done it.

Life is largely a matter of expectation.

The miracles of genius always rest on profound convictions which refuse to be analyzed.