Samuel Johnson Quotes About Critics

• You need a good editor because every writer thinks he can write a War and Peace, but by the time he gets it on paper, it's not War and Peace anymore; it's comic-book stuff. Your manuscript is both good and original. But the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good.

  Samuel Johnson

  War, Book, Writing

• 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

• Critics ought never to be consulted, but while errors may yet be rectified or insipidity suppressed. But when the book has once been dismissed into the world, and can be no more retouched, I know not whether a very different conduct should not be prescribed, and whether firmness and spirit may not sometimes be of use to overpower arrogance and repel brutality.

  Samuel Johnson

  Book, Writing, Errors

  Samuel Johnson (2003). “Selected Essays”, p.433, Penguin UK

• The animadversions of critics are commonly such as may easily provoke the sedatest writer to some quickness of resentment and asperity of reply.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, May, Resentment

  Samuel Johnson (1820). “The Rambler”, p.394

• 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)

• Critics, like the rest of mankind, are very frequently misled by interest.

  Samuel Johnson

  Misled, Mankind, Interest

  Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1857). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With an Essay on His Life and Genius”, p.148

• The care of the critic should be to distinguish error from inability, faults of inexperience from defects of nature.

  Samuel Johnson

  Errors, Inexperience, Inability

  Samuel Johnson (1800). “The Idler: With Additional Essays”, p.85

• 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

• There is a certain race of men that either imagine it their duty, or make it their amusement, to hinder the reception of every work of learning or genius, who stand as sentinels in the avenues of fame, and value themselves upon giving Ignorance and Envy the first notice of a prey.

  Samuel Johnson

  Ignorance, Men, Race

  Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1857). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With an Essay on His Life and Genius”, p.16

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