Samuel Johnson Quotes About Choices

• Of the blessings set before you make your choice, and be content.

  Samuel Johnson

  Blessing, Choices

  Samuel Johnson, Peter Martin (2009). “Samuel Johnson: Selected Writings”, p.312, Harvard University Press

• When making your choice in life, do not neglect to live.

  Samuel Johnson

  Life, Attitude, Choices

• Of the blessings set before you make your choice, and be content. No man can taste the fruits of autumn while he is delighting his scent with the flowers of the spring: no man can, at the same time, fill his cup from the source and from the mouth of the Nile.

  Samuel Johnson

  Spring, Flower, Autumn

  Samuel Johnson (1977). “Selected Poetry and Prose”, p.119, Univ of California Press

• Liberty is, to the lowest rank of every nation, little more than the choice of working or starving.

  Samuel Johnson

  Choices, Liberty, Littles

  'The Bravery of the English Common Soldier' in 'The British Magazine' January 1760 (Yale ed., vol. 10, p. 283)

• I believe marriages would in general be as happy, and often more so, if they were all made by the lord chancellor, upon a due consideration of the characters and circumstances, without the parties having any choice in the matter.

  Samuel Johnson

  Party, Believe, Character

  In James Boswell 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' (1791) vol. 2, p. 461 (22 March 1776)

• Pendantry is the unseasonable ostentation of learning. It may be discovered either in the choice of a subject or in the manner d treating it.

  Samuel Johnson

  Choices, May, Subjects

• Leave to Heaven the measure and the choice.

  Samuel Johnson

  Choices, Heaven, Resignation

  'The Vanity of Human Wishes' (1749) l. 351 Page references to James Boswell The Life of Samuel Johnson are to L. F. Powell's revision of G. B. Hill's edition (1934-50; 1964)

• Truth allows no choice.

  Samuel Johnson

  Truth, Choices

  Samuel Johnson (1804). “The Lives of the Poets, Etc. [With a Portrait.]”, p.85

• Very few live by choice. Every man is placed in his present condition by causes which acted without his foresight, and with which he did not always willingly cooperate; and therefore you will rarely meet one who does not think the lot of his neighbor better than his own.

  Samuel Johnson

  Men, Thinking, Envy

  Samuel Johnson (1977). “Selected Poetry and Prose”, p.101, Univ of California Press

• To me - the choice of life is become less important; I hope hereafter to think only on the choice of eternity.

  Samuel Johnson

  Thinking, Choices, Important

  Samuel Johnson (1830). “Rasselas: A tale”, p.159

• He who sees different ways to the same end, will, unless he watches carefully over his own conduct, lay out too much of his attention upon the comparison of probabilities and the adjustment of expedients, and pause in the choice of his road, till some accident intercepts his journey.

  Samuel Johnson

  Journey, Choices, Too Much

  Samuel Johnson (1793). “The Rambler”, p.304

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