“The connection between authors, printers, and booksellers must be kept up.”
Source: London Journal, 1762-1763, as First Published in 1950 from the Original Manuscript
“Dr Johnson said, the inscription should have been in Latin, as every thing intended to be universal and permanent, should be.”
Source: The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Including a Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides: In Five Volumes
“What an insignificant life is this which I am now leading!”
Source: James Boswell: As His Contemporaries Saw Him
“For my own part I think no innocent species of wit or pleasantry should be suppressed: and that a good pun may be admitted among the smaller excellencies of lively conversation.”
Source: The life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: comprehending an account of his studies and numerous works, in chronological order; a series of his epistolatory 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
“I suppose no person ever enjoyed with more relish the infusion of that fragrant leaf than Johnson.”
“It is not every man who can be exquisitely miserable, any more than exquisitely happy.”
“If venereal delight and the power of propagating the species were permitted only to the virtuous, it would make the world very good.”
Source: The heart of Boswell: six journals in one volume
“My definition of Man is, a Cooking Animal. The beasts have memory, judgement, and all the faculties and passions of our mind, in a certain degree; but no beast is a cook....Man alone can dress a good dish; and every man whatever is more or less a cook, in seasoning what he himself eats.”
“But what can a man see of a library being one day in it?”
Source: James Boswell: the journal of his German and Swiss travels, 1764
“After we came out of the church, we stood talking for some time together of Bishop Berkeley's ingenious sophistry to prove the non-existence of matter, and that every thing in the universe is merely ideal. I observed, that though we are satisfied his doctrine is not true, it is impossible to refute it. I never shall forget the alacrity with which Johnson answered, striking his foot with mighty force against a large stone, till he rebounded from it, "I refute it thus."”
Source: Life of Johnson
“We must take our friends as they are.”
Source: Boswell, the great biographer, 1789-1795
“I have discovered that we may be in some degree whatever character we choose. Besides, practice forms a man to anything.”
“In an orchard there should be enough to eat, enough to lay up, enough to be stolen, and enough to rot on the ground.”
Source: The life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: comprehending an account of his studies and numerous works, in chronological order; a series of his epistolatory 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
“But the question is, whether the animals who endure such sufferings of various kinds for the service and entertainment of man, would accept existence upon the terms on which they have it.”
Source: 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. In Two Volumes
“Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed.”
Source: 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
“I am, I flatter myself, completely a citizen of the world. In my travels through Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Corsica, France, I never felt myself from home.”
“My mind was, as it were, strongly impregnated with the Johnsonian ether.”
Source: The Life of Samuel Johnson: Including a Journal of His Tour to the Hebrides
“I find I journalize too tediously. Let me try to abbreviate.”
Source: Boswell, the great biographer, 1789-1795
“I fancy mankind may come, in time, to write all aphoristically.”
Source: Boswell's Life of Johnson: Including Boswell's Journal of a Tour of the Hebrides, and Johnson's Diary of A Journey Into North Wales
“Influence must ever be in proportion to property; and it is right it should.”
Source: The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: Together with A Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides
“As all who come into the country must obey the King, so all who come into an university must be of the Church.”
Source: The life of Samuel Johnson ... including A journal of a tour to the Hebrides. With additions and notes, by J.W. Croker
“In every place, where there is any thing worthy of observation, there should be a short printed directory for strangers.”
Source: The journal of a tour to the Hebrides: with Samuel Johnson, LL. D.
“It is wonderful that five thousand years have now elapsed since the creation of the world, and still it is undecided whether or not there has ever been an instance of the spirit of any person appearing after death. All argument is against it; but all belief is for it.”
Source: The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: Including a Journal of His Tour to the Hebrides
“My readers, who may at first be apt to consider Quotation as downright pedantry, will be surprised when I assure them, that next to the simple imitation of sounds and gestures, Quotation is the most natural and most frequent habitude of human nature. For, Quotation must not be confined to passages adduced out of authors. He who cites the opinion, or remark, or saying of another, whether it has been written or spoken, is certainly one who quotes; and this we shall find to be universally practiced.”
“I am now to offer some thoughts upon that sameness or familiarity which we frequently find between passages in different authors without quotation. This may be one of three things either what is called Plagiarism, or Imitation, or Coincidence.”
“One must be strict even in little things.”
“Those who would extirpate evil from the world know little of human nature. As well might punch be palatable without souring as existence agreeable without care.”
Source: London Journal, 1762-1763, as First Published in 1950 from the Original Manuscript
“When we know exactly all a man's views and how he comes to speak and act so and so, we lose any respect for him, though we may love and admire him.”
Source: London Journal, 1762-1763, as First Published in 1950 from the Original Manuscript
“If a man is prodigal, he cannot be truly generous.”
Source: London Journal, 1762-1763, as First Published in 1950 from the Original Manuscript
“Melancholy cannot be clearly proved to others, so it is better to be silent about it.”
Source: The heart of Boswell: six journals in one volume
“Many infidels have maintained that Ignorance is the mother of Devotion.”
“The pleasure of gratifying whim is very great. It is known only by those who are whimsical.”
Source: London Journal, 1762-1763, as First Published in 1950 from the Original Manuscript
“There is indeed a strange prejudice against Quotation.”
“Quotation is more universal and more ancient than one would perhaps believe.”
“Boswell: But, Sir is it not somewhat singular that you should happen to have Cocker's Arithmetic about you on your journey? Dr. Johnson: Why, Sir if you are to have but one book with you upon a journey, let it be a book of science. When you read through a book of entertainment, you know it, and it can do no more for you; but a book of science is inexhaustible.”
Source: Journal of a tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson LL.D.: containing some poetical pieces by Dr. Johnson, relative to the tour, and never before published ... : with an authentic account of the distresses and escape of the grandson of King James II. in the year 1746