Samuel Johnson Quotes About Criticism

• I would rather be attacked than unnoticed. For the worst thing you can do to an author is to be silent as to his works.

  Samuel Johnson

  Art, Powerful, Criticism

  James Boswell, Samuel Johnson (1888). “The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: Together with A Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”

• The duty of criticism is neither to depreciate nor dignify by partial representations, but to hold out the light of reason, whatever it may discover; and to promulgate the determinations of truth, whatever she shall dictate

  Samuel Johnson

  Determination, Light, Criticism

  Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1836). “The works of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: with an essay on his life and genius”, p.149

• He who praises everybody, praises nobody.

  Samuel Johnson

  Inspirational, Criticism, Flattery

  Dr. Samuel Johnson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Samuel Johnson (Illustrated)”, p.8598, Delphi Classics

• Criticism, as it was first instituted by Aristotle, was meant as a standard of judging well.

  Samuel Johnson

  Judging, Criticism, Firsts

  Samuel Johnson (2011). “Dictionary of the English Language (Complete and Unabridged)”, p.2341, BookBaby

• Criticism is a study by which men grow important and formidable at very small expense. He whom nature has made weak, and idleness keeps ignorant, may yet support his vanity by the name of a critic.

  Samuel Johnson

  Men, Vanity, Names

  Samuel Johnson (1977). “Selected Poetry and Prose”, p.252, Univ of California Press

• The ambition of superior sensibility and superior eloquence disposes the lovers of arts to receive rapture at one time, and communicate it at another; and each labors first to impose upon himself and then to propagate the imposture.

  Samuel Johnson

  Art, Ambition, Criticism

  Samuel Johnson, William Page (1860). “Life and Writings”, p.311

• As every writer has his use, every writer ought to have his patrons; and since no man, however high he may now stand, can be certain that he shall not be soon thrown down from his elevation by criticism or caprice, the common interest of learning requires that her sons should cease from intestine hostilities, and, instead of sacrificing each other to malice and contempt, endeavour to avert persecution from the meanest of their fraternity.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Son, Sacrifice

  Samuel Johnson (1787). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: Together with His Life, and Notes on His Lives of the Poets, by Sir John Hawkins, Knt. In Eleven Volumes ...”, p.32

• An author places himself uncalled before the tribunal of criticism and solicits fame at the hazard of disgrace.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Criticism, Hazards

  Samuel Johnson (1810). “The Works of the English Poets, from Chaucer to Cowper: Broome, Pope, Pitt, Thomson”, p.114

• The purpose of a writer is to be read, and the criticism which would destroy the power of pleasing must be blown aside

  Samuel Johnson

  Reading, Writing, Criticism

  Samuel Johnson (1804). “The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland: And a Criticism on Their Works”, p.569

• You may abuse a tragedy, though you cannot write one. You may scold a carpenter who has made you a bad table, though you cannot make a table. It is not your trade to make tables.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Abuse, Criticism

  On literary criticism, in James Boswell 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' (1791) vol. 1, p. 409 (25 June 1763)

• A fly, Sir, may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but, one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still.

  Samuel Johnson

  Horse, Pet, Criticism

  In James Boswell 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' (1791) vol. 1, p. 263, n. 3 (1754)

• Sir, there is no end of negative criticism.

  Samuel Johnson

  Criticism, Negative, Negative Criticism

  Samuel Johnson (2010). “Journey to the Hebrides: A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland & The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”, p.325, Canongate Books

• Criticism is a study by which men grow important and formidable at very small expense. The power of invention has been conferred by nature upon few, and the labour of learning those sciences which may, by mere labour, be obtained, is too great to be willingly endured; but every man can exert some judgment as he has upon the works of others; and he whom nature has made weak, and idleness keeps ignorant, may yet support his vanity by the name of critic.

  Samuel Johnson

  Men, Vanity, Names

  Samuel Johnson (1836). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.: D., with an Essay on His Life and Genius”, p.413

• Criticism, though dignified from the earliest ages by the labours of men eminent for knowledge and sagacity, has not yet attained the certainty and stability of science.

  Samuel Johnson

  Knowledge, Science, Men

  Samuel Johnson (1827). “The Rambler”, p.27

• 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.

  Samuel Johnson

  Errors, Criticism, May

  Samuel Johnson (1782). “The Beauties of Johnson: Consisting of Maxims and Observations, Moral, Critical, and Miscellaneous, Accurately Extracted from the Works of Dr. Samuel Johnson, and Arranged in Alphabetical Order, After the Manner of the Duke de la Roche-Foucault's Maxims”, p.176

• There prevails among men of letters, an opinion, that all appearance of science is particularly hateful to Women; and that therefore whoever desires to be well received in female assemblies, must qualify himself by a total rejection of all that is serious, rational, or important; must consider argument or criticism as perpetually interdicted; and devote all his attention to trifles, and all his eloquence to compliment.

  Samuel Johnson

  Science, Men, Rejection

  Samuel Johnson, Elizabeth Carter, Samuel Richardson, Catherine Talbot (1825). “The Rambler: A Periodical Paper, Published in 1750, 1751, 1752”, p.297

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