Samuel Johnson Quotes about Life - Page 2

Life is a pill which none of us can bear to swallow without gilding.

Life is a pill which none of us can bear to swallow without gilding.

Life, Pills, Bears

Hester Lynch Piozzi, Samuel Johnson (1826). “Anecdotes of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. during the last twenty years of his life”, p.65

Learn that the present hour alone is man's.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Learning, Men

Samuel Johnson (1754). “Irene: A Tragedy. As it is Acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane. By Mr. Samuel Johnson”, p.35

Reflect that life, like every other blessing, Derives its value from its use alone.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Blessing, Use

Samuel Johnson (1782). “The Beauties of Johnson: Consisting of Maxims and Observations, Moral, Critical, and Miscellaneous, Accurately Extracted from the Works of Dr. Samuel Johnson, and Arranged in Alphabetical Order, After the Manner of the Duke de la Roche-Foucault's Maxims”, p.47

The drama's laws the drama's patrons give. For we that live to please must please to live.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Drama, Law

'Prologue spoken at the Opening of the Theatre in Drury Lane' (1747)

In life's last scene what prodigies surprise, Fears of the brave, and follies of the wise! From Marlborough's eyes the streams of dotage flow, And Swift expires a driveller and a show.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Wise, Eye

Samuel Johnson (1820). “The Poems of Dr. Samuel Johnson. To which is Prefixed, a Life of the Author”, p.39

Catch, then, oh! catch the transient hour, Improve each moment as it flies; Life's a short summer-man a flower; He dies-alas! how soon he dies!

Samuel Johnson

Life, Summer, Time

Samuel Johnson, Francis William Blagdon (1811). “The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia”, p.184

That man is never happy for the present is so true, that all his relief from unhappiness is only forgetting himself for a little while. Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Men, Progress

James Boswell, Samuel Johnson, Edmond Malone (1824). “The life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D., comprehending an account of his studies, and numerous works, in chronological order: a series of his epistolary correspondence and conversations with many eminent persons; and various original pieces of his composition, never before published; the whole exhibiting a view of literature and literary men in Great Britain, for near half a century during which he flourished”, p.45

The truly strong and sound mind is the mind that can embrace equally great things and small.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Strong, History

James Boswell, Samuel Johnson (1859). “The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: Including a Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”, p.185

The great source of pleasure is variety.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Pleasure, Source

'The Lives of the English Poets' (1779-81) 'Butler'

The main of life is composed of small incidents and petty occurrences; of wishes for objects not remote, and grief for disappointments of no fatal consequence.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Disappointment, Grief

Samuel Johnson (1819). “The Beauties of Samuel Johnson: Consisting of Maxims and Observations, Moral, Critical, and Miscellaneous”, p.165

A man is not obliged honestly to answer a question which should not properly be put.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Men, Advice

There is little peace or comfort in life if we are always anxious as to future events. He that worries himself with the dread of possible contingencies will never be at rest.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Peace, Future

Is not a patron, my lord, one who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and when he has reached ground encumbers him with help? The notice which you have been pleased to take care of my labors, had it been early, had been kind; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent, and cannot enjoy it; till I am solitary, and cannot impart it; till I am known, and do not want it.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Struggle, Men

Quoted in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) (letter to Lord Chesterfield, 7 Feb. 1755)

Each change of many-colour'd life he drew, Exhausted worlds, and then imagin'd new.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Change, World

William Shakespeare, Edmond Malone, Samuel Johnson, George Steevens (1790). “The Plays and Poems of William Shakspeare: pt. 2. Historical account of the English stage. Emendations and additions. Tempest. Two gentlemen of Verona”, p.220

Hides from himself his state, and shuns to know That life protracted is protracted woe.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Woe, States

'The Vanity of Human Wishes' (1749) l. 255

When I find that so much of my life has stolen unprofitably away, and that I can descry by retrospection scarcely a few single days properly and vigorously employed, why do I yet try to resolve again? I try, because reformation is necessary and despair is criminal. I try, in humble hope of the help of God.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Hope, Humble

"The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D".

He is a benefactor of mankind who contracts the great rules of life into the short sentences, that may be easily impressed on the memory, and so recur habitually to the mind.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Memories, Mind

Novelty is indeed necessary to preserve eagerness and alacrity; but art and nature have stores inexhaustible by human intellects, and every moment produces something new to him who has quickened his faculties by diligent observation.

Samuel Johnson

Life, Art, Novelty

Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1837). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: With an Essay on His Life and Genius /c by Arthur Murphy, Esq”, p.195