English - Author | September 18, 1709 - December 13, 1784
Books like friends, should be few and well-chosen.
Samuel Johnson
FriendsBooksLikeShouldFew
From the middle of life onward, only he remains vitally alive who is ready to die with life.
LifeDieReadyAliveOnwardMiddle
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.
LifeSuccessStepSeeingWishesNew
Life cannot subsist in society but by reciprocal concessions.
LifeSocietyCannotReciprocal
A man ought to read just as inclination leads him, for what he reads as a task will do him little good.
GoodManWillHimTaskLittle
Wine makes a man more pleased with himself; I do not say it makes him more pleasing to others.
ManWineSayOthersMoreHim
It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust.
TrustBetterWrongSometimesSuffer
A man seldom thinks with more earnestness of anything than he does of his dinner.
ManDinnerMoreAnythingSeldomHe
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.
HappinessHopeLongAliveNever
It is dangerous for mortal beauty, or terrestrial virtue, to be examined by too strong a light. The torch of Truth shows much that we cannot, and all that we would not, see.
BeautyTruthLightStrongDangerous
The happiest conversation is that of which nothing is distinctly remembered, but a general effect of pleasing impression.
ConversationNothingImpressionWhich
The love of life is necessary to the vigorous prosecution of any undertaking.
LifeLoveNecessaryAnyProsecution
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