To be flattered is grateful, even when we know that our praises are not believed by those who pronounce them; for they prove, at least, our power, and show that our favour is valued, since it is purchased by the meanness of falsehood.
Samuel JohnsonOne of the amusements of idleness is reading without fatigue of close attention; and the world, therefore, swarms with writers whose wish is not to be studied, but to be read.
Samuel JohnsonExcellence in any department can be attained only by the labor of a lifetime; it is not to be purchased at a lesser price.
Samuel JohnsonTo prevent evil is the great end of government, the end for which vigilance and severity are properly employed.
Samuel Johnson