Samuel Johnson Quotes About Liberty

• He that outlives a wife whom he has long loved, sees himself disjoined from the only mind that has the same hopes, and fears, and interest; from the only companion with whom he has shared much good and evil; and with whom he could set his mind at liberty, to retrace the past or anticipate the future. The continuity of being is lacerated; the settled course of sentiment and action is stopped; and life stands suspended and motionless.

  Samuel Johnson

  Love, Past, Long

  Samuel Johnson (2002). “A Johnson Sampler”, Non Pareil Books

• How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of negroes?

  Samuel Johnson

  History, Cynical, Liberty

  Taxation No Tyranny (1775)

• No people can be great who have ceased to be virtuous.

  Samuel Johnson

  People, Liberty, Virtue

  "An Introduction to the Political State of Great Britain" (1756)

• 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)

• They who most loudly clamour for liberty do not most liberally grant it.

  Samuel Johnson

  Liberty, Clamour, Grants

  Samuel Johnson (1810). “The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets: Cowley. Denham. Milton. Butler. Rochester. Roscommon. Otway. Waller. Pomfret. Dorset. Stepney. J. Phillips. Walsh. Dryden. Smith. Duke. King. Sprat. Halifax. Parnell. Garth. Rowe. Addison. Hughes. Sheffield, duke of Buckinghamshire”, p.102

• They make a rout about universal liberty, without considering that all that is to be valued, or indeed can be enjoyed by individuals, is private liberty.

  Samuel Johnson

  Liberty, Individual, Considering

  James Boswell, Samuel Johnson (1824). “The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D., Comprehending an Account of His Studies, and Numerous Works, in Chronological Order: A Series of His Epistolary Correspondence and Conversations with Many Eminent Persons; and Various Original Pieces of His Composition, Never Before Published; the Whole Exhibiting a View of Literature and Literary Men in Great Britain, for Near Half a Century During which He Flourished”, p.55

• The liberty of using harmless pleasure will not be disputed; but it is still to be examined what pleasures are harmless.

  Samuel Johnson

  Liberty, Pleasure, Stills

  Samuel Johnson, Francis William Blagdon (1811). “The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia”, p.146

• Political liberty is only good insofar as it produces private liberty.

  Samuel Johnson

  Government, Political, Liberty

• Politics are now nothing more than means of rising in the world.

  Samuel Johnson

  Mean, Liberty, Rising

  In James Boswell 'The Life of Samuel Johnson' (1791) vol. 2, p. 369 (18 April 1775)

• In most ages many countries have had part of their inhabitants in a state of slavery; yet it may be doubted whether slavery can ever be supposed the natural condition of man. It is impossible not to conceive that men in their original state were equal; and very difficult to imagine how one would be subjected to another but by violent compulsion. An individual may, indeed, forfeit his liberty by a crime; but he cannot by that crime forfeit the liberty of his children.

  Samuel Johnson

  Country, Children, Men

  James Boswell, Samuel Johnson, Edmond Malone (1824). “The life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D., comprehending an account of his studies, and numerous works, in chronological order: a series of his epistolary correspondence and conversations with many eminent persons; and various original pieces of his composition, never before published; the whole exhibiting a view of literature and literary men in Great Britain, for near half a century during which he flourished”, p.195

• The liberty of the press is a blessing when we are inclined to write against others, and a calamity when we find ourselves overborne by the multitude of our assailants.

  Samuel Johnson

  Writing, Blessing, Liberty

  Samuel Johnson, Arthur Murphy (1857). “The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: With an Essay on His Life and Genius”, p.191

• Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it makes some virtues impracticable, and others extremely difficult.

  Samuel Johnson

  Rainy Day, Advice, Enemy

  Quoted in James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) (letter to Boswell, 7 Dec. 1782)

• Life of Ages, richly poured,
  Love of God unspent and free,
  Flowing in the Prophet's word
  And the People's liberty!
  
  Never was to chosen race
  That unstinted tide confined;
  Thine is every time and place,
  Fountain sweet of heart and mind!

  Samuel Johnson

  Sweet, Heart, Race

  Samuel Johnson (1865). “Hymns of the Spirit”, p.436

• Slavery is now nowhere more patiently endured, than in countries once inhabited by the zealots of liberty.

  Samuel Johnson

  Country, Liberty, Slavery

  Samuel Johnson (1804). “The beauties of Samuel Johnson: maxims and observations. To which are now added, biographical anecdotes of the doctor, his life [&c.].”, p.286

• Frugality may be termed the daughter of Prudence, the sister of Temperance, and the parent of Liberty.

  Samuel Johnson

  Daughter, Parent, Liberty

  Samuel Johnson (1761). “The Rambler: In Four Volumes”, p.19

• Economy is the parent of integrity, of liberty, and of ease, and the beauteous sister of temperance, of cheerfulness and health.

  Samuel Johnson

  Integrity, Parent, Liberty

  John Hawkesworth, Samuel Johnson, Richard Bathurst, Joseph Warton (1793). “The Adventurer”, p.164

• Liberty is the parent of truth, but truth and decency are sometimes at variance. All men and all propositions are to be treated here as they deserve, and there are many who have no claim either to respect or decency.

  Samuel Johnson

  Truth, Men, Parent

  Samuel Johnson (1787). “The works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.: In thirteen volumes. ...”, p.268

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