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Quote by Samuel Johnson

“Those authors who would find many readers, must endeavour to please while they instruct.”

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This book encompasses a variety of literary works, including essays, poems, and other forms of prose, showcasing the author's or authors' diverse talents and ideas. more

Author

Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson was an English writer, poet, and lexicographer, renowned for his comprehensive English dictionary, 'A Dictionary of the English Language', published in 1755. His distinctive writing style and wit have cemented his place as a significant figure in the history of English literature. more

“As every writer has his use, every writer ought to have his patrons; and since no man, however high he may now stand, can be certain that he shall not be soon thrown down from his elevation by criticism or caprice, the common interest of learning requires that her sons should cease from intestine hostilities, and, instead of sacrificing each other to malice and contempt, endeavour to avert persecution from the meanest of their fraternity.”

Source: The works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: Together with his life, and notes on his Lives of the poets, by Sir John Hawkins, Knt. In eleven volumes ...

“It ought to be the first endeavour of a writer to distinguish nature from custom; or that which is established because it is right, from that which is right only because it is established; that he may neither violate essential principles by a desire of novelty, nor debar himself from the attainment of beauties within his view, by a needless fear of breaking rules which no literary dictator had authority to enact.”

Writing Firsts May Desire Views Principles Ought Essentials Authority Customs Dictator Novelty Attainment Endeavour Breaking Rules Beauty Within

Book:Samuel Johnson: Selected Writings

Source: Samuel Johnson: Selected Writings

“In writing, as in life, faults are endured without disgust when they are associated with transcendent merit, and may be sometimes recommended to weak judgments by the lustre which they obtain from their union with excellence; but it is the business of those who presume to superintend the taste or morals of mankind to separate delusive combinations, and distinguish that which may be praised from that which can only be excused.”

Writing May Sometimes Moral Mankind Taste Judgment Weak Unions Faults Excellence Combination Merit Disgusting Transcendent

Book:The works of Samuel Johnson, with Murphy's essay, ed. by R. Lynam

Source: The works of Samuel Johnson, with Murphy's essay, ed. by R. Lynam

“Among the numerous requisites that must concur to complete an author, few are of more importance than an early entrance into the living world. The seed of knowledge may be planted in solitude, but must be cultivated in public. Argumentation may be taught in colleges, and theories formed in retirement; but the artifice of embellishment and the powers of attraction can be gained only by a general converse.”

World Writing May Taught College Theory Solitude Importance Seeds Attraction Retirement Entrances Converses Artifice Power Of Attraction Argumentation Embellishment Concur

Book:Selected poetry and prose

Source: Selected poetry and prose

“Whoever desires, for his writings or himself, what none can reasonably contemn, the favour of mankind, must add grace to strength, and make his thoughts agreeable as well as useful. Many complain of neglect who never tried to attract regard.”

Writing Wells Desire Grace Mankind Regard Add Complaining Neglect Favour

Book:The Rambler: In Four Volumes..

Source: The Rambler: In Four Volumes..

“The diversion of baiting an author has the sanction of all ages and nations, and is more lawful than the sport of teasing other animals, because, for the most part, he comes voluntarily to the stake, furnished, as he imagines, by the patron powers of literature, with resistless weapons, and impenetrable armour, with the mail of the boar of Erymanth, and the paws of the lion of Nemea.”

Writing Age Literature Nations Sports Animal Imagine Weapons Lions Stakes Mail Sanctions Tease Patron Diversion Paws Armour Boars

Book:The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: With an Essay on His Life and Genius /c by Arthur Murphy, Esq

Source: The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: With an Essay on His Life and Genius /c by Arthur Murphy, Esq

“Critics ought never to be consulted, but while errors may yet be rectified or insipidity suppressed. But when the book has once been dismissed into the world, and can be no more retouched, I know not whether a very different conduct should not be prescribed, and whether firmness and spirit may not sometimes be of use to overpower arrogance and repel brutality.”

Knows World Should Writing May Book Different Sometimes Use Spirit Ought Errors Critics Arrogance Brutality Firmness

Book:Selected essays

Source: Selected essays

“The animadversions of critics are commonly such as may easily provoke the sedatest writer to some quickness of resentment and asperity of reply.”

Writing May Critics Resentment Provoking Quickness

Book:The Rambler

Source: The Rambler

“He that condemns himself to compose on a stated day will often bring to his task attention dissipated, a memory embarrassed, an imagination overwhelmed, a mind distracted with anxieties, a body languishing with disease: he will labour on a barren topic till it is too late to change it; or, in the ardour of invention, diffuse his thoughts into wild exuberance, which the pressing hour of publication cannot suffer judgment to examine or reduce.”

Source: The Works of Samuel Johnson: An essay on the life and genius of Dr. Johnson [by A. Murphy] Poems.- v. 2-4. The rambler.- v. 5. The idler. History of Rasselas, prince of Abissinia.- v. 6-8. The lives of the English poets.- v. 9. Lives of eminent persons. Letters, selected from the collection of Mrs. Piozzi and others. Prayers and meditations.- v. 10. Philological tracts, &c.- v. 11. Miscellaneous tracts, &c. Dedications. Reviews and criticisms. Tales of imagination. The adventurers.-

“To read, write, and converse in due proportions, is, therefore, the business of a man of letters.”

Men Writing Letters Dues Proportion Converses Letter Writing

Book:The Wisdom of the Rambler, Adventurer, and Idler

Source: The Wisdom of the Rambler, Adventurer, and Idler

Quote by Samuel Johnson

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