There may be community of material possessions, but there can never be community of love or esteem. Samuel Johnson More Quotes by Samuel Johnson More Quotes From Samuel Johnson I have two very cogent reasons for not printing any list of subscribers; one, that I have lost all the names, the other, that I have spent all the money. Samuel Johnson lists names two Let me rejoice in the light which Thou hast imparted; let me serve Thee with active zeal, humbled confidence, and wait with patient expectation for the time in which the soul which Thou receivest shall be satisfied with knowledge. Samuel Johnson light expectations waiting The student who would build his knowledge on solid foundations, and proceed by just degrees to the pinnacles of truth, is directed by the great philosopher of France to begin by doubting of his own existence. In like manner, whoever would complete any arduous and intricate enterprise, should, as soon as his imagination can cool after the first blaze of hope, place before his own eyes every possible embarrassment that may retard or defeat him. He should first question the probability of success, and then endeavour to remove the objections that he has raised. Samuel Johnson eye imagination doubt Life admits not of delays; when pleasure can be had, it is fit to catch it. Every hour takes away part of the things that please us, and perhaps part of our disposition to be pleased. Samuel Johnson delay hours fit A country governed by a despot is an inverted cone. Samuel Johnson cones inverted country A Poet, Naturalist, and Historian, Who left scarcely any style of writing untouched, And touched nothing that he did not adorn. Samuel Johnson style poet writing The richest author that ever grazed the common of literature. Samuel Johnson literature common But it is evident, that these bursts of universal distress are more dreaded than felt; thousands and ten thousands flourish in youth, and wither in age, without the knowledge of any other than domestic evils, and share the same pleasures and vexations, whether their kings are mild or cruel, whether the armies of their country pursue their enemies or retreat before them. Samuel Johnson army kings country New things are made familiar, and familiar things are made new. Samuel Johnson familiar-things familiar made It is man's own fault, it is from want of use, if his mind grows torpid in old age. Samuel Johnson age mind men Hunting was the labour of the savages of North America, but the amusement of the gentlemen of England. Samuel Johnson hunting gentleman america Sir, if a man has a mind to prance, he must study at Christ Church and All Souls. Samuel Johnson soul mind men Waste cannot be accurately told, though we are sensible how destructive it is. Economy, on the one hand, by which a certain income is made to maintain a man genteelly; and waste, on the other, by which on the same income another man lives shabbily, cannot be defined. It is a very nice thing; as one man wears his coat out much sooner than another, we cannot tell how. Samuel Johnson nice men hands It is generally allowed, that no man ever found the happiness of possession proportionate to that expectation which incited his desire, and invigorated his pursuit; nor has any man found the evils of life so formidable in reality, as they were described to him by his own imagination; every species of distress brings with it some peculiar supports, some unforeseen means of resisting, or powers of enduring. Samuel Johnson men mean reality Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else. Samuel Johnson done should should-have Good sense alone is a sedate and quiescent quality, which manages its possessions well, but does not increase them; it collects few materials for its own operations, and preserves safety, but never gains supremacy. Samuel Johnson safety success happiness Human experience, which is constantly contradicting theory, is the great test of truth. A system, built upon the discoveries of a great many minds, is always of more strength, than what is produced by the mere workings of any one mind, which, of itself, can do very little. There is not so poor a book in the world that would not be a prodigious effort were it wrought out entirely by a single mind, without the aid of prior investigators. Samuel Johnson writing discovery book Nay, Sir, those who write in them, write well, in order to be paid well. Samuel Johnson wells writing order I advised Chambers, and would advise every young man beginning to compose, to do it as fast as he can, to get a habit of having his mind to start promptly; it is so much more difficult to improve in speed than in accuracy. Samuel Johnson mind writing men The task of an author is, either to teach what is not known, or to recommend known truths by his manner of adorning them; either to let new light in upon the mind, and open new scenes to the prospect, or to vary the dress and situation of common objects, so as to give them fresh grace and more powerful attractions, to spread such flowers over the regions through which the intellect has already made its progress, as may tempt it to return, and take a second view of things hastily passed over, or negligently regarded. Samuel Johnson powerful flower writing
