Quote

Those who attempt nothing themselves think every thing easily performed, and consider the unsuccessful always as criminal.

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
Easily
Consider
Nothing
Unsuccessful
Thing
Performed
Every
Modesty
Always
Criminal
Think
Criminals
Thinking
Attempt

More quotes by Samuel Johnson

Image
The world will never be long without some good reason to hate the unhappy their real faults are immediately detected and if those are not sufficient to sink them into infamy, an individual weight of calumny will be super-added.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Discord generally operates in little things it is inflamed ... by contrariety of taste oftener than principles.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Poetry cannot be translation
Samuel Johnson
Image
Wretched un-idea'd girls.
Samuel Johnson
Image
The expense is damnable, the position is ridiculous, and the pleasure fleeting.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Many leave the labours of half their life to their executors and to chance, because they will not send them abroad unfinished, and are unable to finish them, having prescribed to themselves such a degree of exactness as human diligence can scarcely ontain.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Reflect that life, like every other blessing, Derives its value from its use alone.
Samuel Johnson
Image
In general those parents have the most reverence who most deserve it for he that lives well cannot be despised.
Samuel Johnson
Image
What provokes your risibility, Sir? Have I said anything that you understand? Then I ask pardon of the rest of the company.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Tediousness is the most fatal of all faults.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Nothing is more idle than to inquire after happiness, which nature has kindly placed within our reach.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Human reason borrowed many arts from the instinct of animals.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Critics, like the rest of mankind, are very frequently misled by interest.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Nature has given women so much power that the law has very wisely given them little.
Samuel Johnson
Image
The world is seldom what it seems to man, who dimly sees, realities appear as dreams, and dreams realities.
Samuel Johnson
Image
We are more pained by ignorance than delighted by instruction.
Samuel Johnson
Image
The end of writing is to instruct the end of poetry is to instruct by pleasing.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Pride is a vice, which pride itself inclines every man to find in others, and to overlook in himself
Samuel Johnson
Image
The mind is never satisfied with the objects immediately before it, but is always breaking away from the present moment, and losing itself in schemes of future felicity... The natural flights of the human mind are not from pleasure to pleasure, but from hope to hope.
Samuel Johnson
Image
Idleness and timidity often despair without being overcome, and forbear attempts for fear of being defeated and we may promote the invigoration of faint endeavors, by showing what has already been performed.
Samuel Johnson