Quote

Happiness, said he, must be something solid and permanent, without fear and without uncertainty.

Samuel Johnson

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Samuel Johnson
Age: 75 †
Born: 1709
Born: September 18
Died: 1784
Died: December 13
Biographer
Bookseller
Essayist
Lexicographer
Linguist
Literary Critic
Literary Historian
Poet
Politician
Teacher
Translator
Writer
Lichfield
Staffordshire
Dr Johnson
Dr. Johnson
Great Moralist
Happiness
Fear
Without
Must
Something
Solid
Uncertainty
Permanent

More quotes by Samuel Johnson

Image
Dictionaries are like watches, the worst is better than none and the best cannot be expected to go quite true.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Cruel with guilt, and daring with despair, the midnight murderer bursts the faithless bar invades the sacred hour of silent rest and leaves, unseen, a dagger in your breast.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Criticism, as it was first instituted by Aristotle, was meant as a standard of judging well.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Games are good or bad as to their nature all may be perverted.
Samuel Johnson
Image
A vow is a snare for sin
Samuel Johnson
Image
What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.
Samuel Johnson
Image
There seems to be a strange affectation in authors of appearing to have done everything by chance.
Samuel Johnson
Image
What I gained by being in France was learning to be better satisfied with my own country.
Samuel Johnson
Image
I wish you would add an index rerum, that when the reader recollects any incident he may easily find it.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Sleep undisturbed within this peaceful shrine, Till angels wake thee with a note like thine.
Samuel Johnson
Image
All the performances of human art, at which we look with praise or wonder, are instances of the resistless force of perseverance.
Samuel Johnson
Image
There ambush here relentless ruffians lay, And here the fell attorney prowls for prey.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Was ever poet so trusted before?
Samuel Johnson
Image
Every man is prompted by the love of himself to imagine that he possesses some qualities superior, either in kind or degree, to those which he sees allotted to the rest of the world.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Pleasure is very seldom found where it is sought. Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks. The flowers which scatter their odours from time to time in the paths of life, grow up without culture from seeds scattered by chance.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Those who are in the power of evil habits must conquer them as they can and conquered they must be, or neither wisdom nor happiness can be attained: but those who are not yet subject to their influence may, by timely caution, preserve their freedom.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Discord generally operates in little things it is inflamed ... by contrariety of taste oftener than principles.
Samuel Johnson
Image
No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Babies do not want to hear about babies they like to be told of giants and castles.
Samuel Johnson
Image
To those who have lived long together, everything heard and everything seen recalls some pleasure communicated, some benefit conferred, some petty quarrel or some slight endearment. Esteem of great powers, or amiable qualities newly discovered may embroider a day or a week, but a friendship of twenty years is interwoven with the texture of life.
Samuel Johnson