The greatest part of a writer's time is spent in reading in order to write. A man will turn over half a library to make a book.

Quote by Samuel Johnson

Topics: Samuel Johnson Quotes

I hope I shall never be deterred from detecting what I think a cheat, by...

I hope I shall never be deterred from detecting what I think a cheat, by...

Whatever is attempted without previous certainty of success, may be considered as a project, and...

Whatever is attempted without previous certainty of success, may be considered as a project, and...

Don't think of retiring from the world until the world will be sorry that you...

Don't think of retiring from the world until the world will be sorry that you...

We are easily shocked by crimes which appear at once in their full magnitude, but...

We are easily shocked by crimes which appear at once in their full magnitude, but...

To love their country has been considered as virtue in men, whose love could not...

To love their country has been considered as virtue in men, whose love could not...

Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.

Life is a progress from want to want, not from enjoyment to enjoyment.

The world is seldom what it seems; to man, who dimly sees, realities appear as...

The world is seldom what it seems; to man, who dimly sees, realities appear as...

Attainment is followed by neglect, possession by disgust, and the malicious remark of the Greek...

Attainment is followed by neglect, possession by disgust, and the malicious remark of the Greek...

Courtesy and good humor are often found with little real worth

Courtesy and good humor are often found with little real worth

Without frugality none can be rich, and with it very few would be poor.

Without frugality none can be rich, and with it very few would be poor.

Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy...

Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy...

Admiration begins where acquaintance ceases

Admiration begins where acquaintance ceases

When I was as you are now, towering in the confidence of 21, little did...

When I was as you are now, towering in the confidence of 21, little did...

Read over your compositions, and when you meet a passage which you think is particularly...

Read over your compositions, and when you meet a passage which you think is particularly...

A man is in general better pleased when he has a good dinner upon his...

A man is in general better pleased when he has a good dinner upon his...

What is easy is seldom excellent.

What is easy is seldom excellent.

There will always be a part, and always a very large part of every community,...

There will always be a part, and always a very large part of every community,...

I respect Millar: he has raised the price of literature

I respect Millar: he has raised the price of literature

Reading history is good for all of us, he says, not surprisingly, perhaps, but his...

Reading history is good for all of us, he says, not surprisingly, perhaps, but his...

The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new things familiar, familiar...

The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new things familiar, familiar...