Samuel Johnson

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 the weary pilgrimage.

I am not able to instruct you. I can only tell that I have chosen wrong. I have passed my time in study without experience; in the attainment of sciences which can, for the most part, be but remotely useful to mankind. I have purchased knowledge at the expense of all the common comforts of life: I have missed the endearing elegance of female friendship, and the happy commerce of domestic tenderness.

Those who attain to any excellence commonly spend life in some single pursuit, for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms.

Surely a long life must be somewhat tedious, since we are forced to call in so many trifling things to help rid us of our time, which will never return.

The highest panegyric, therefore, that private virtue can receive, is the praise of servants.

If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone. A man, sir, should keep his friendship in a constant repair.

Between his consciousness and events stood always that impenetrable medium – indifference.

Friendships begin with liking or gratitude roots that can be pulled up.

Wise men make more opportunities than they find.

Anger is short madness

The drama’s laws, the drama’s patrons give, for we that live to please, must please to live.

Be yourself. Follow your instincts. Success depends, at least in part, on the ability to carry it off.

Achievement brings its own anticlimax.

Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to read any books except the books nobody reads.

We feel at first as if some opportunities of kindness and sympathy were lost, but learn afterward that any pure grief is ample recompense for all. That is, if we are faithful; for a spent grief is but sympathy with the soul that disposes events, and is as natural as the resin of Arabian trees. Only nature has a right to grieve perpetually, for she only is innocent. Soon the ice will melt, and the blackbirds sing along the river which he frequented, as pleasantly as ever. The same everlasting serenity will appear in this face of God, and we will not be sorrowful, if he is not.

If no mistake have you made, yet losing you are … a different game you should play.

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.

To have in general but little feeling, seems to be the only security against feeling too much on any particular occasion.

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.

Animals are my friends… and I don’t eat my friends.

What do we call love, hate, charity, revenge, humanity, forgiveness? Different results of the master impulse, the necessity of securing one’s self-approval.