103 Quotes by James Boswell

After we came out of the church, we stood talking for some time together of Bishop Berkeley's ingenious sophistry to prove the non-existence of matter, and that every thing in the universe is merely ideal. I observed, that though we are satisfied his doctrine is not true, it is impossible to refute it. I never shall forget the alacrity with which Johnson answered, striking his foot with mighty force against a large stone, till he rebounded from it, “I refute it thus.

I have found you an argument; I am not obliged to find you an understanding.

He who has provoked the lash of wit, cannot complain that he smarts from it.

Boswell: "Pray, Sir, do you not suppose that there are fifty women in the world, with any one of whom a man may be as happy, as with any one woman in particular?" Johnson: "Ay, Sir, fifty thousand

There is nothing worth the wear of winning, but laughter and the love of friends.

But the question is, whether the animals who endure such sufferings of various kinds for the service and entertainment of man, would accept existence upon the terms on which they have it.

If a man is prodigal, he cannot be truly generous.

Melancholy cannot be clearly proved to others, so it is better to be silent about it.

Many infidels have maintained that Ignorance is the mother of Devotion.