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Quote by Samuel Johnson

“It is much easier not to write like a man than to write like a woman.”

Quote by Samuel Johnson

Book:The Rambler: In Four Volumes..

Work

The Rambler: In Four Volumes..

This comprehensive work features a variety of essays and travelogues, offering insights into different cultures and societal issues during the period of its compilation. more

Author

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

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“A successful author is equally in danger of the diminution of his fame, whether he continues or ceases to write. The regard of the public is not to be kept but by tribute, and the remembrance of past service will quickly languish unless successive performances frequently revive it. Yet in every new attempt there is new hazard, and there are few who do not, at some unlucky time, injure their own characters by attempting to enlarge them.”

Writing Character Past Successful Danger Fame Performances Regard Cease Remembrance Attempting Tribute Hazards Revive Unlucky Languish

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

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

“Consultation and compliance can conduce little to the perfection of any literary performance; for whoever is so doubtful of his own abilities as to encourage the remarks of others, will find himself every day embarrassed with new difficulties, and will harass his mind, in vain, with the hopeless labour of uniting heterogeneous ideas, digesting independent hints, and collecting into one point the several rays of borrowed light, emitted often with contrary directions.”

Source: Samuel Johnson: Selected Writings

“I look upon this as I did upon the Dictionary: it is all work, and my inducement to it is not love or desire of fame, but the want of money, which is the only motive to writing that I know of.”

Knows Want Writing Looks Desire Fame Motive Look Up Dictionary

Book: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

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

“The more socially intelligent you are, the happier and more robust and more enjoyable your relationships will be.”

Intelligent Enjoyable Robust

Author:Daniel Goleman

“A writer who obtains his full purpose loses himself in his own lustre.”

Writing Purpose Loses

Book:The beauties of Johnson: choice selections from his works

Source: The beauties of Johnson: choice selections from his works

“He who writes much will not easily escape a manner, such a recurrence of particular modes as may be easily noted.”

Writing May Particular Recurrence

Book:The works of the English poets, from Chaucer to Cowper

Source: The works of the English poets, from Chaucer to Cowper

“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.”

Should Writing Purpose Strong Sound Attention Poet Draws Defeat Stranger Impression Familiar Occasions Delightful Transmit Coarse

Book:The Lives of the English Poets

Source: The Lives of the English Poets

“New arts are long in the world before poets describe them; for they borrow everything from their predecessors, and commonly derive very little from nature or from life.”

World Writing Littles Long Art Poet Predecessors

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

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

“Allegories drawn to great length will always break.”

Writing Break Length Allegory

Book:Johnson's Lives of the British poets completed by W. Hazlitt

Source: Johnson's Lives of the British poets completed by W. Hazlitt

“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