Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Samuel Johnson

Quote by Samuel Johnson

“The specualtist, who is not content with superficial views, harasses himself with fruitless curiosity; and still, as he inquires more, perceives only that he knows less.”

Quote by Samuel Johnson

Create image

Author

Samuel Johnson
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

You May Also Like

“Knowledge is praised and desired by multitudes whom her charms could never rouse from the couch of sloth; whom the faintest invitation of pleasure draws away from their studies; to whom any other method of wearing the day is more eligible than the use of books, and who are more easily engaged by any conversation than such as may rectify their notions or enlarge their comprehension.”

MayBookUsePleasureKnowledgeStudyConversationDrawsMethodNotionEngagedCharmMultitudesInvitationsCouchesComprehensionSlothRectify
Book:A Grammar of the Italian Language: With a Copious Praxis of Moral Sentences. To which is Added an English Grammar for the Use of the Italians
Create image

“To understand the works of celebrated authors, to comprehend their systems, and retain their reasonings, is a task more than equal to common intellects; and he is by no means to be accounted useless or idle, who has stored his mind with acquired knowledge, and can detail it occasionally to others who have less leisure or weaker abilities.”

MindMeanAbilityCommonKnowledgeEqualTasksDetailsIntellectUselessReasoningLeisureIdle
Book:The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With An Essay on His Life and Genius
Create image

“Persius has justly observed, that knowledge is nothing to him who is not known by others to possess it: to the scholar himself it is nothing with respect either to honour or advantage, for the world cannot reward those qualities which are concealed from it; with respect to others it is nothing, because it affords no help to ignorance or errour.”

WorldHelpingQualityKnownKnowledgeIgnoranceAdvantageRewardsHonourScholarConcealedRespecting Others
Book:The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With An Essay on His Life and Genius
Create image

“All knowledge is of itself of some value. There is nothing so minute or inconsiderable, that I would not rather know it than not. In the same manner, all power, of whatever sort, is of itself desirable. A man would not submit to learn to hem a ruffle, of his wife, or his wife's maid; but if a mere wish could attain it, he would rather wish to be able to hem a ruffle.”

IfsKnowsMenAbleValuesWishKnowledgeWifeMinutesMereSubmitDesirableMaidsHemRuffles
Book:Dr. Johnson's Table-talk: Containing Aphorisms on Literature, Life, and Manners, with Anecdotes of Distinguished Persons, Selected and Arranged from Mr. Boswell's Life of Johnson
Create image