Samuel Johnson

When speculation has done its worst, two and two still make four.

He that would be superior to external influences must first become superior to his own passions.

It is reasonable to have perfection in our eye that we may always advance toward it, though we know it can never be reached.

Christianity is the highest perfection of humanity.

That observation which is called knowledge of the world will be found much more frequently to make men cunning than good.

Those who attain any excellence, commonly spend life in one pursuit; for excellence is not often gained upon easier terms.

It is the only sensual pleasure without vice.

Farmers are respectable and interesting to me in proportion as they are poor.

Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.

People care more about being thought to have taste than about being thought either good, clever or amiable.

True, there are architects so called in this country, and I have heard of one at least possessed with the idea of making architectural ornaments have a core of truth, a necessity, and hence a beauty, as if it were a revelation to him. All very well perhaps from his point of view, but only a little better than the common dilettantism.

The older I grow the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom.

Men on their side must force themselves for a while to lay their notions by and begin to familiarize themselves with facts.

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

When you’ve told someone that you’ve left them a legacy the only decent thing to do is to die at once.

Perpetual modernness is the measure of merit in every work of art.

Quotation is the highest compliment you can pay to an author.

I would rather be attacked than unnoticed. For the worst thing you can do to an author is to be silent as to his works. An assault upon a town is a bad thing; but starving it is still worse.

The subtlety of nature is greater many times over than the subtlety of the senses and understanding.

In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to another.

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.