Samuel Johnson

He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.

Wickedness is always easier than virtue, for it takes a short cut to everything.

Among the calamities of war, may be justly numbered the diminution of the love of truth, by the falsehoods which interest dictates, and credulity encourages.

He may justly be numbered among the benefactors of mankind, who contracts the great rules of life into short sentences, that may early be impressed on the memory, and taught by frequent recollection to occur habitually to the mind.

He that would be superior to external influences must first become superior to his own passions.

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.

Perhaps the greatest social service that can be rendered by anybody to the country and to mankind is to bring up a family.

Meeting Franklin Roosevelt was like opening your first bottle of champagne; knowing him was like drinking it.

Few people have any next, they live from hand to mouth without a plan, and are always at the end of their line.

If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God; and to do that, thou must be ruled by him who has given to kings his grace to command themselves and their subjects, and to the people the grace to obey God and their kings.

The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.

Knowledge is more than equivalent to force.

Obviously, as you grow up, no one’s ever 100 percent proud of every decision that they’ve made, and that’s OK. I think as long as you learn from your mistakes and don’t make them over and over again, you’re on the right path.

Necessity does everything well.

None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm

I have thought of a pulley to raise me gradually; but that would give me pain, as it would counteract my natural inclination. I would have something that can dissipate the inertia and give elasticity to the muscles. We can heat the body, we can cool it; we can give it tension or relaxation; and surely it is possible to bring it into a state in which rising from bed will not be a pain.

It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. The act of dying is not of importance, it lasts so short a time.

Every mind must make its choice between truth and repose. It cannot have both.

We are always too busy for our children; we never give them the time or interest they deserve. We lavish gifts upon them; but the most precious gift, our personal association, which means so much to them, we give grudgingly.

Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.

It was wonderful to find America, but it would have been more wonderful to miss it.