Samuel Johnson

Do not accustom yourself to consider debt only as an inconvenience; you will find it a calamity.

Piety practiced in solitude, like the flower that blooms in the desert, may give its fragrance to the winds of heaven, and delight those unbodied spirits that survey the works of God and the actions of men; but it bestows no assistance upon earthly beings, and however free from taints of impurity, yet wants the sacred splendor of beneficence.

There are some sluggish men who are improved by drinking; as there are fruits that are not good until they are rotten.

Nothing is more common than mutual dislike, where mutual approbation is particularly expected.

Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good is not original and the part that is original is not good.

In all evils which admits a remedy, impatience should be avoided, because it wastes the time and attention in complaints which, if properly applied, might remove the cause.

Important encounters are planned by the souls long before the bodies see each other.

The Athanasian Creed is to me light and intelligible reading in comparison with much that now passes for science.

The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back on their reserves.

I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest.

It is generally a feminine eye that first detects the moral deficiencies hidden under the dear deceit of beauty.

All of our actions take their hue from the complexion of the heart, as landscapes their variety from light.

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,Here once the embattled farmers stood,And fired the shot heard round the world.

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.

Intellect annuls fate. So far as a man thinks, he is free.

Life is a journey. Time is a river. The door is ajar.

Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so. Aim above morality. Be not simply good;be good for something.All fables, indeed, have their morals; but the innocent enjoy the story. Let nothing come between you and the light. Respect men and brothers only. When you travel to the Celestial City, carry no letter of introduction. When you knock, ask to see God,

Learn to say “I don’t know.” If used when appropriate, it will be often.

Curiosity is one of the most permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect.

All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow.

To know, is to know that you know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge.