Samuel Johnson Quotes

Sir, he [Bolingbroke] was a scoundrel and a coward: a scoundrel for charging a blunderbuss against religion and morality; a coward, because he had not resolution to fire it off himself, but left half a crown to a beggarly Scotchman to draw the trigger at his death.

Wretched un-idea'd girls.

Gloomy calm of idle vacancy.

The atrocious crime of being a young man, which the honourable gentleman has with such spirit and decency charged upon me, I shall neither attempt to palliate nor deny; but content myself with wishing that I may be one of those whose follies may cease with their youth, and not of that number who are ignorant in spite of experience.

A fellow that makes no figure in company, and has a mind as narrow as the neck of a vinegar-cruet.

The trappings of a monarchy would set up an ordinary commonwealth.

Words are men's daughters, but God's sons are things.

Trade's proud empire hastes to swift decay.

How small of all that human hearts endure,
That part which laws or kings can cause or cure!
Still to ourselves in every place consigned,
Our own felicity we make or find.
With secret course, which no loud storms annoy,
Glides the smooth current of domestic joy.

A Poet, Naturalist, and Historian,
Who left scarcely any style of writing untouched,
And touched nothing that he did not adorn.

Philips, whose touch harmonious could remove
The pangs of guilty power and hapless love!
Rest here, distress'd by poverty no more;
Here find that calm thou gav'st so oft before;
Sleep undisturb'd within this peaceful shrine,
Till angels wake thee with a note like thine!

God bless you, my dear!

I will be conquered; I will not capitulate.

Sir, I look upon every day to be lost, in which I do not make a new acquaintance.

Courage is a quality so necessary for maintaining virtue that it is always respected, even when it is associated with vice.