Inspirational Quotes

Samuel Johnson

One of the disadvantages of wine is that it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.

One of the disadvantages of wine is that it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.

490

The true art of memory is the art of attention.

The true art of memory is the art of attention.

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Poetry is the art of uniting pleasure with truth.

Poetry is the art of uniting pleasure with truth.

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Getting money is not all a man’s business: to cultivate kindness is a valuable part of the business of life.

Getting money is not all a man’s business: to cultivate kindness is a valuable part of the business of life.

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

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

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Man alone is born crying, lives complaining, and dies disappointed.

Man alone is born crying, lives complaining, and dies disappointed.

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He that fails in his endeavors after wealth or power will not long retain either honesty or courage.

He that fails in his endeavors after wealth or power will not long retain either honesty or courage.

580

Courage is the greatest of all virtues, because if you haven’t courage, you may not have an opportunity to use any of the others.

Courage is the greatest of all virtues, because if you haven’t courage, you may not have an opportunity to use any of the others.

576

There is no private house in which people can enjoy themselves so well as at a capital tavern… No, Sir; there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn.

There is no private house in which people can enjoy themselves so well as at a capital tavern… No, Sir; there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn.

501

There is nothing, Sir, too little for so little a creature as man. It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery and as much happiness as possible.

There is nothing, Sir, too little for so little a creature as man. It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery and as much happiness as possible.

501

We are long before we are convinced that happiness is never to be found, and each believes it possessed by others, to keep alive the hope of obtaining it for himself.

We are long before we are convinced that happiness is never to be found, and each believes it possessed by others, to keep alive the hope of obtaining it for himself.

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There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern.

There is nothing which has yet been contrived by man, by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern.

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I would not give half a guinea to live under one form of government other than another. It is of no moment to the happiness of an individual.

I would not give half a guinea to live under one form of government other than another. It is of no moment to the happiness of an individual.

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Subordination tends greatly to human happiness. Were we all upon an equality, we should have no other enjoyment than mere animal pleasure.

Subordination tends greatly to human happiness. Were we all upon an equality, we should have no other enjoyment than mere animal pleasure.

529

Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it makes some virtues impracticable, and others extremely difficult.

Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it makes some virtues impracticable, and others extremely difficult.

525

Nothing flatters a man as much as the happiness of his wife; he is always proud of himself as the source of it.

Nothing flatters a man as much as the happiness of his wife; he is always proud of himself as the source of it.

600

Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes and seeing them gratified.

Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes and seeing them gratified.

548

To keep your secret is wisdom; but to expect others to keep it is folly.

To keep your secret is wisdom; but to expect others to keep it is folly.

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The feeling of friendship is like that of being comfortably filled with roast beef; love, like being enlivened with champagne.

The feeling of friendship is like that of being comfortably filled with roast beef; love, like being enlivened with champagne.

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If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone. A man, sir, should keep his friendship in a constant repair.

If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone. A man, sir, should keep his friendship in a constant repair.

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