The Samuel Johnson Sound Bite Page

The most comprehensive collection of Samuel Johnson quotations on the web. Over 1,800 quotes from Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), one of the most quoted men of the 18th century.

Samuel Johnson:
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  • No people can be great who have ceased to be virtuous.
    —Samuel Johnson, on the behavior of the British colonists in America; "An Introduction to the Political State of Great Britain."


    Want ready access to some Samuel Johnson quotations and some of his more concise thoughts? That's why this site exists. Samuel Johnson (often referred to as "Doctor Johnson"), literary titan of the 18th century — essayist, lexicographer, poet, editor, critic, and famous talker — is the second most quoted person in the English language, after Shakespeare. More than a thousand quotes and snippets are here, organized by theme (see the Topical Guide), and Searchable. (If you're not searching for a specific Samuel Johnson quote, you might look at the Sampler of Popular Johnson Quotes to get an initial idea.)
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    Site last updated March 24, 2022.