Samuel Johnson Quotes About Habits

• The habit of looking on the bright side of every event is worth more than a thousand pounds a year.

  Samuel Johnson

  Optimistic, Positive Thinking, Years

• A man used to vicissitudes is not easily dejected.

  Samuel Johnson

  Men, Trouble, Habit

  Samuel Johnson, A.F. Neuwieller (1857). “The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia: A Tale”, p.38

• I advised Chambers, and would advise every young man beginning to compose, to do it as fast as he can, to get a habit of having his mind to start promptly; it is so much more difficult to improve in speed than in accuracy.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Men, Mind

  James Boswell, Samuel Johnson (1859). “The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D.: Including a Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”, p.343

• It is indeed not easy to distinguish affectation from habit; he that has once studiously developed a style, rarely writes afterwards with complete ease.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Style, Ease

  Samuel Johnson, Thomas Babington Macaulay Baron Macaulay (1854). “Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets: With Critical Observation on Their Works”, p.64

• By the consultation of books, whether of dead or living authors, many temptations to petulance and opposition, which occur in oral conferences, are avoided. An author cannot obtrude his service unasked, nor can be often suspected of any malignant intention to insult his readers with his knowledge or his wit. Yet so prevalent is the habit of comparing ourselves with others, while they remain within the reach of our passions, that books are seldom read with complete impartiality, but by those from whom the writer is placed at such a distance that his life or death is indifferent.

  Samuel Johnson

  Distance, Book, Passion

  "The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.: D., with an Essay on His Life and Genius".

• The hour of reformation is always delayed; every delay gives vice another opportunity of fortifying itself by habit.

  Samuel Johnson

  Opportunity, Giving, Vices

  Samuel Johnson (1827). “The Rambler”, p.16

• Those who are in the power of evil habits must conquer them as they can; and conquered they must be, or neither wisdom nor happiness can be attained: but those who are not yet subject to their influence may, by timely caution, preserve their freedom.

  Samuel Johnson

  Evil, May, Influence

  Samuel Johnson (1848). “The Wisdom of the Rambler, Adventurer, and Idler”, p.140

• It was the peculiar artifice of Habit not to suffer her power to be felt at first. Those whom she led, she had the address of appearing only to attend, but was continually doubling her chains upon her companions; which were so slender in themselves, and so silently fastened, that while the attention was engaged by other objects, they were not easily perceived. Each link grew tighter as it had been longer worn; and when by continual additions they became so heavy as to be felt, they were very frequently too strong to be broken.

  Samuel Johnson

  Strong, Broken, Suffering

  Samuel Johnson (1836). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.: D., with an Essay on His Life and Genius”, p.491

You May Also Like:

James Boswell

Dick Clark

Alexander Pope

Joshua Reynolds

John Milton

Jonathan Swift

Oliver Goldsmith