Samuel Johnson

Wine makes a man better pleased with himself. I do not say that it makes him more pleasing to others… This is one of the disadvantages of wine, it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.

His scorn of the great is repeated too often to be real; no man thinks much of that which he despises.

If he really thinks there is no distinction between vice and virtue, when he leaves our houses let us count our spoons.

They that have grown old in a single state are generally found to be morose, fretful and captious; tenacious of their own practices and maxims; soon offended by contradiction or negligence; and impatient of any association but with those that will watch their nod, and submit themselves to unlimited authority.

I will be conquered; I will not capitulate.

Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not.

Our minds want clothes as much as our bodies.

Excellence encourages one about life generally; it shows the spiritual wealth of the world.

Is not every man sometimes a radical in politics? Men are conservatives when they are least vigorous, or when they are most luxurious. They are conservatives after dinner, or before taking their rest; when they are sick, or aged. In the morning, or when their intellect or their conscience has been aroused; when they hear music, or when they read poetry, they are radicals.

We are all alike, on the inside.

The sons of Judah have to choose that God may again choose them. The divine principle of our race is action, choice, resolved memory.

It is of no consequence of what parents a man is born, as long as he be a man of merit.

Much may be made of a Scotchman, if he be caught young.

Patience and diligence, like faith, remove mountains.

If people misunderstand you, do not worry…it is your voice that they hear, but what goes through their mind is…their own thoughts.

The more I see the less I know for sure.

The best efforts of a fine person is felt after we have left their presence.

Life gives nothing to man without labor.

You cannot run faster than a bullet.

Only poetry inspires poetry.

We allow our ignorance to prevail upon us and make us think we can survive alone, alone in patches, alone in groups, alone in races, even alone in genders.