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The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752

Book by Samuel Johnson · 19 quotes · Men, May, Writing

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The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752 Quotes

“No cause more frequently produces bashfulness than too high an opinion of our own importance. He that imagines an assembly filled with his merit, panting with expectation, and hushed with attention, easily terrifies himself with the dread of disappointing them, and strains his imagination in pursuit of something that may vindicate the veracity of fame, and show that his reputation was not gained by chance.”

MayShowsCausesImaginationChanceAttentionOpinionImagineProduceFameExpectationsImportanceFilledPursuitReputationMeritArroganceDreadStrainAssemblyDisappointingVeracityBashfulness
Book:The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752
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“Sleep is a state in which a great part of every life is passed. No animal has yet been discovered, whose existence is not varied with intervals of insensibility; and some late philosophers have extended the empire of sleep over the vegetable world.”

WorldStatesLife IsSleepAnimalExistenceLatePhilosopherEmpiresVegetablesIntervalsInsensibility
Book:The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752
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“They whose activity of imagination is often shifting the scenes of expectation, are frequently subject to such sallies of caprice as make all their actions fortuitous, destroy the value of their friendship, obstruct the efficacy of their virtues, and set them below the meanest of those who persist in their resolutions, execute what they design, and perform what they have promised.”

ActionValuesImaginationVirtueFocusSubjectsDesignSceneActivityExpectationsResolutionPersistShiftingEfficacyCapriceFortuitous
Book:The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752
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“The authour who imitates his predecessors only by furnishing himself with thoughts and elegances out of the same general magazine of literature, can with little more propriety be reproached as a plagiary, than the architect can be censured as a mean copier of Angelo or Wren, because he digs his marble out of the same quarry, squares his stones by the same art, and unites them in columns of the same orders.”

WritingMeanLittlesArtOrderLiteratureStonesMagazinesSquaresArchitectOriginalityEleganceColumnsMarblePredecessorsProprietyWrensQuarryCopiers
Book:The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752
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“To exact of every man who writes that he should say something new, would be to reduce authors to a small number; to oblige the most fertile genius to say only what is new, would be to contract his volumes to a few pages. Yet, surely, there ought to be some bounds to repetition; libraries ought no more to be heaped for ever with the same thoughts differently expressed, than with the same books differently decorated.”

MenShouldWritingBookWould BeNumbersOughtGeniusPagesBoundsLibraryEvery ManSomething NewContractsOriginalityVolumeRepetitionFertileSmall Numbers
Book:The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752
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“Few men survey themselves with so much severity as not to admit prejudices in their own favour, which an artful flatterer may gradually strengthen, till wishes for a particular qualification are improved to hopes of attainment, and hopes of attainment to belief of possession.”

MenMayBeliefWishParticularPrejudicePossessionFavourFlatteryAttainmentSurveysQualificationsSeverityFlatterer
Book:The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752
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“To scatter praise or blame without regard to justice is to destroy the distinction of good and evil. Many have no other test of actions than general opinion; and all are so far influenced by a sense of reputation that they are often restrained by fear of reproach, and excited by hope of honour, when other principles have lost their power.”

ActionEvilLostJusticeOpinionPrinciplesInfluenceTestsPraiseRegardBlameExcitedReputationDistinctionGood And EvilHonourReproach
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“No man, however enslaved to his appetites, or hurried by his passions, can, while he preserves his intellects unimpaired, please himself with promoting the corruption of others. He whose merit has enlarged his influence would surely wish to exert it for the benefit of mankind. Yet such will be the effect of his reputation, while he suffers himself to indulge in any favourite fault, that they who have no hope to reach his excellence will catch at his failings, and his virtues will be cited to justify the copiers of his vices.”

MenSufferingPassionWishVirtueFailingInfluenceMankindEffectsPleaseBenefitsFaultsExcellenceVicesCorruptionIntellectReputationPreservesMeritJustifyAppetiteFavouritePromotingIndulgeNo HopeIndulge InCopiers
Book:The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752
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“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.”

StatesFoundWatchesPracticeAuthorityContradictionAssociationSubmitUnlimitedOffendedMaximsImpatientBachelorsTenaciousNegligenceMorose
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“A continual feast of commendation is only to be obtained by merit or by wealth: many are therefore obliged to content themselves with single morsels, and recompense the infrequency of their enjoyment by excess and riot, whenever fortune sets the banquet before them.”

WealthPraiseFortuneMeritEnjoymentExcessObligedRiotBanquetsRecompenseCommendation
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“The chief art of learning, as Locke has observed, is to attempt but little at a time. The widest excursions of the mind are made by short flights frequently repeated; the most lofty fabrics of science are formed by the continued accumulation of single propositions.”

MindLittlesArtMadeScienceLearningFlightChiefsFabricPropositionsAccumulationLoftyExcursions
Book:The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752
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