2,116 Quotes by Samuel Johnson

We may have many acquaintances, but we can have but few friends; this made Aristotle say that he that hath many friends hath none.

The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.

Misery and shame are nearly allied.

Each change of many-colour'd life he drew, Exhausted worlds, and then imagin'd new.

A mere literary man is a dull man; a man who is solely a man of business is a selfish man; but when literature and commerce are united, they make a respectable man.

Go into the street, and give one man a lecture on morality, and another a shilling, and see which will respect you most.

Knowledge always demands increase; it is like fire, which must first be kindled by some external agent, but will afterwards always propagate itself.

Nothing flatters a man as much as the happiness of his wife; he is always proud of himself as the source of it.

Frequent discontent must proceed from frequent hardships.