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Fears of the brave and follies of the wise.

Samuel Johnson

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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
Prodigies
Follies
Folly
Fears
Brave
Wise

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Those writers who lie on the watch for novelty can have little hope of greatness for great things cannot have escaped former observation.
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To excite opposition and inflame malevolence is the unhappy privilege of courage made arrogant by consciousness of strength.
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The violence of war admits no distinction the lance, that is lifted at guilt and power, will sometimes fall on innocence and gentleness.
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The king who makes war on his enemies tenderly distresses his subjects most cruelly.
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When men come to like a sea-life, they are not fit to live on land.
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An author places himself uncalled before the tribunal of criticism and solicits fame at the hazard of disgrace.
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Treating your adversary with respect is striking soft in battle.
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Life of Ages, richly poured, Love of God unspent and free, Flowing in the Prophet's word And the People's liberty! Never was to chosen race That unstinted tide confined Thine is every time and place, Fountain sweet of heart and mind!
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Yet reason frowns in war's unequal game, Where wasted nations raise a single name And mortgag'd states their grandsire's wreaths regret, From age to age in everlasting debt Wreaths which at last the dear-bought right convey To rust on medals, or on stones decay.
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Merriment is always the effect of a sudden impression. The jest which is expected is already destroyed.
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Books have always a secret influence on the understanding we cannot at pleasure obliterate ideas he that reads books of science, thogh without any fixed desire of improvement, will grow more knowing.
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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.
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The peculiar doctrine of Christianity is that of a universal sacrifice and perpetual propitiation.
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Sir, there is no end of negative criticism.
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One of the disadvantages of wine is that it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.
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Truth allows no choice.
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Our aspirations are our possibilities.
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Those authors who would find many readers, must endeavour to please while they instruct.
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Do not accustom yourself to consider debt only as an inconvenience you will find it a calamity.
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The safe and general antidote against sorrow is employment.
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