Samuel Johnson

Adversity has ever been considered the state in which a man most easily becomes acquainted with himself.

The happiest conversation is that of which nothing is distinctly remembered but a general effect of pleasing impression.

We are inclined to believe those whom we don not know because they have never deceived us.

The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading in order to write. A man will turn over half a library to make a book.

There are innumerable questions to which the inquisitive mind can in this state receive no answer: Why do you and I exist? Why was this world created? Since it was to be created, why was it not created sooner?

Its proper use is to amuse the idle, and relax the studious, and dilute the full meals of those who cannot use exercise, and will not use abstinence.

In labouring to be concise, I become obscure.

A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time. When asked which dog wins, he reflected for a moment and replied, The one I feed the most. On Other Peoples Expectations: The only man who behaved sensibly was my tailor; he took my measurement anew every time he saw me, while all the rest went on with their old measurements and expected them to fit me.

Kings are not born they are made by universal hallucination.

Friends are thieves of time.

Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great.

Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.

With a burst of joy, my heels sprout wings, smile dancing. My heart sings like a bird caged, set free to soar, senses heightened like never before. Life. Is. Good.

Every thought which genius and piety throw into the world alters the world.

A man is in general better pleased when he has a good dinner upon his table, than when his wife talks Greek.

The longer we live the more we think and the higher the value we put on friendship and tenderness towards parents and friends.

How can you dare teach a man to read until you’ve taught him everything else first?

The beginning of an acquaintance whether with persons or things is to get a definite outline of our ignorance.

The great secret, Eliza, is not having bad manners or good manners or any other particular sort of manners, but having the same manner for all human souls: in short, behaving as if you were in Heaven, where there are no third-class carriages, and one soul is as good as another.

I am neither of the East nor of the West, no boundaries exist within my breast.

If we don’t occupy ourself with everything, then peaceful mind will have nowhere to abide.