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Of the present state, whatever it be, we feel and are forced to confess the misery yet when the same state is again at a distance, imagination paints it as desirable.

Samuel Johnson

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Samuel Johnson
Age: 75 †
Born: 1709
Born: September 18
Died: 1784
Died: December 13
Biographer
Bookseller
Essayist
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Literary Critic
Literary Historian
Poet
Politician
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Lichfield
Staffordshire
Dr Johnson
Dr. Johnson
Great Moralist
Present
Imagination
Paints
State
Confess
Whatever
Desirable
States
Forced
Feel
Misery
Feels
Distance
Paint

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He who praises everybody, praises nobody.
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The happiest conversation is that of which nothing is distinctly remembered, but a general effect of pleasing impression.
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We suffer equal pain from the pertinacious adhesion of unwelcome images, as from the evanescence of those which are pleasing and useful.
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It is so far from being natural for a man and woman to live in a state of marriage, that we find all the motives which they have for remaining in that connection, and the restraints which civilised society imposes to prevent separation, are hardly sufficient to keep them together.
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Reason and truth will prevail at last
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Large offers and sturdy rejections are among the most common topics of falsehood.
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Music is the only sensual pleasure without vice.
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Friendship, compounded of esteem and love, derives from one its tenderness and its permanence from the other.
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It is the just doom of laziness and gluttony to be inactive without ease and drowsy without tranquility.
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The trappings of a monarchy would set up an ordinary commonwealth.
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Human reason borrowed many arts from the instinct of animals.
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If I have said something to hurt a man once, I shall not get the better of this by saying many things to please him.
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All power of fancy over reason is a degree of madness.
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Never believe extraordinary characters which you hear of people. Depend upon it, they are exaggerated. You do not see one man shoot a great deal higher than another.
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Combinations of wickedness would overwhelm the world, by the advantage which licentious principles afford, did not those who have long practised perfidy grow faithless to each other.
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No man hates him at whom he can laugh.
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To proportion the eagerness of contest to its importance seems too hard a task for human wisdom. The pride of wit has kept ages busy in the discussion of useless questions, and the pride of power has destroyed armies, to gain or to keep unprofitable possessions.
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I fly from pleasure, said the prince, because pleasure has ceased to please I am lonely because I am miserable, and am unwilling to cloud with my presence the happiness of others.
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Let me rejoice in the light which Thou hast imparted let me serve Thee with active zeal, humbled confidence, and wait with patient expectation for the time in which the soul which Thou receivest shall be satisfied with knowledge.
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There is nothing so minute, or inconsiderable, that I would not rather know it than not.
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