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Quote by Samuel Johnson

“Words too familiar, or too remote, defeat the purpose of a poet. From those sounds which we hear on small or on coarse occasions, we do not easily receive strong impressions, or delightful images; and words to which we are nearly strangers, whenever they occur, draw that attention on themselves which they should transmit to other things.”

Book:The Lives of the English Poets

Work

The Lives of the English Poets

This book provides an in-depth exploration of the biographies and poetic contributions of various English poets throughout history. 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

“Works of imagination excel by their allurement and delight; by their power of attracting and detaining the attention. That book is good in vain which the reader throws away. He only is the master who keeps the mind in pleasing captivity; whose pages are perused with eagerness, and in hope of new pleasure are perused again; and whose conclusion is perceived with an eye of sorrow, such as the traveller casts upon departing day.”

Source: Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets: With Critical Observations on Their Works

“Every man is of importance to himself, and, therefore, in his own opinion, to others; and, supposing the world already acquainted with his pleasures and his pains, is perhaps the first to publish injuries or misfortunes which had never been known unless related by himself, and at which those that hear them will only laugh, for no man sympathises with the sorrows of vanity.”

Men World Writing Firsts Pain Pleasure Known Opinion Laughing Sorrow Importance Every Man Vanity Related Injury Misfortunes Publish Supposing

Book:The Works of the English Poets, from Chaucer to Cowper: Including the Series Edited with Prefaces, Biographical and Critical

Source: The Works of the English Poets, from Chaucer to Cowper: Including the Series Edited with Prefaces, Biographical and Critical

“It is indeed not easy to distinguish affectation from habit; he that has once studiously developed a style, rarely writes afterwards with complete ease.”

Writing Easy Style Habit Ease

Book:Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets: With Critical Observation on Their Works

Source: Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets: With Critical Observation on Their Works

“In this work are exhibited, in a very high degree, the two most engaging powers of an author. New things are made familiar, and familiar things are made new.”

Writing Made Two Degrees Familiar New Things Engaging Familiar Things

Book: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 ...

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 ...

“The art of the writer, like that of the player, is attained by slow degrees. The power of distinguishing and discriminating comick characters, or of filling tragedy with poetical images, must be the gift of nature, which no instruction nor labour can supply; but the art of dramatick disposition, the contexture of the scenes, the involution of the plot, the expedients of suspension, and the strategems of surprise, are to be learned by practice.”

Writing Art Character Practice Player Scene Degrees Tragedy Surprise Labour Plot Instruction Disposition Filling Suspension

Book:The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D..: The Adventurer and Idler

Source: The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D..: The Adventurer and Idler

“There seems to be a strange affectation in authors of appearing to have done everything by chance.”

Writing Done Seems Chance Strange Appearing Authorship

Book:Lives of the most eminent English poets, with critical observations on their works. With notes by P. Cunningham

Source: Lives of the most eminent English poets, with critical observations on their works. With notes by P. Cunningham

“Too much nicety of detail disgusts the greatest part of readers, and to throw a multitude of particulars under general heads, and lay down rules of extensive comprehension, is to common understandings of little use.”

Writing Littles Use Understanding Common Too Much Reader Lays Details Disgusting Multitudes Comprehension Niceties

Book:The Rambler: In Four Volumes..

Source: The Rambler: In Four Volumes..