Quotes from Samuel Johnson

Friendship, compounded of esteem and love, derives from one its tenderness and its permanence from the other.

Love is only one of many passions.

Words are but the signs of ideas.

It is more from carelessness about truth than from intentionally lying that there is so much falsehood in the world.

I never desire to converse with a man who has written more than he has read.

I deny the lawfulness of telling a lie to a sick man for fear of alarming him; you have no business with consequences, you are to tell the truth.

Between falsehood and useless truth there is little difference. As gold which he cannot spend will make no man rich, so knowledge which cannot apply will make no man wise.

Every man has a right to utter what he thinks truth, and every other man has a right to knock him down for it. Martyrdom is the test.

All truth is valuable, and satirical criticism may be considered as useful when it rectifies error and improves judgment; he that refines the public taste is a public benefactor.

I know not any crime so great that a man could contrive to commit as poisoning the sources of eternal truth.

Falsehood always endeavors to copy the mien and attitude of truth.

In order that all men might be taught to speak truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear it.

A man had rather have a hundred lies told of him than one truth which he does not wish should be told.

Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt himself by telling what is not true.

Truth, such as is necessary to the reputation of life, is always found where it is honestly sought.

A man may be very sincere in good principles, without having good practice.

The truth is that the spectators are always in their senses, and know, from the first act to the last, that the stage is only a stage, and that the players are only players.

Every man has a right to utter what he thinks is truth and every other man has a right to knock him down for it.

Self-love is a busy prompter.

Love has no great influences upon the sum of life.

Where grief is fresh, any attempt to divert it only irritates.

Worth seeing? Yes; but not worth going to see.

Treating your adversary with respect is striking soft in battle.

In misery's darkest cavern known, His useful care was ever nigh Where hopeless anguish pour'd his groan, And lonely want retir'd to die.