B.S. Johnson Quotes

Deign on the passing world to turn thine eyes, And pause awhile from letters, to be wise.

Many useful and valuable books lie buried in shops and libraries, unknown and unexamined, unless some lucky compiler opens them by chance, and finds an easy spoil of wit and learning.

A transition from an author's book to his conversation, is too often like an entrance into a large city.

Hope is itself a species of happiness.

What a strange narrowness of mind now is that, to think the things we have not known are better than the things we have known.

Bashfulness may sometimes exclude pleasure, but seldom opens any avenue to sorrow or remorse.

It is unpleasing to represent our affairs to our own disadvantage; yet it is necessary to shew the evils which we desire to be removed.

Most minds are the slaves of external circumstances, and conform to any hand that undertakes to mould them.

The eye of the mind, like that of the body, can only extend its view to new objects, by losing sight of those which are now before it.

Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect. Every advance into knowledge opens new prospects, and produces new incitements to farther progress.

We seldom learn the true want of what we have till it is discovered that we can have no more.

A generous and elevated mind is distinguished by nothing more certainly than an eminent degree of curiosity.

Indolence is the devil's cushion.

It is observed of gold, by an old epigrammatist, that to have it is to be in fear, and to want it is to be in sorrow.

The dependant who cultivates delicacy in himself very little consults his own tranquillity.

The inevitable consequence of poverty is dependence.

He that accepts protection, stipulates obedience.

Love is only one of many passions.

To a poet nothing can be useless.

I have always said the first Whig was the Devil.

We are more pained by ignorance than delighted by instruction.

If pleasure was not followed by pain, who would forbear it?

What I gained by being in France was learning to be better satisfied with my own country.

To hear complaints is wearisome alike to the wretched and the happy.

The wise man applauds he who he thinks most virtuous; the rest of the world applauds the wealthy.

A horse that can count to ten is a remarkable horse, not a remarkable mathematician.

People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.

The disturbers of our happiness, in this world, are our desires, our griefs, and our fears.

They know who keep a broken tryst, Till something from the Spring be missed We have not truly known the Spring.

Actually, I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself. 2:23:11 is a very good time - a very good time for a woman that is.

Their moral influence will then do infinitely more to advance the true interests of religion, than any measures which they may call on Congress to enact.

You go from these high hopes when you're writing to just a desperate want of not making a complete fool of yourself by the end of it.

Profuseness is a cruel and crafty demon, that gradually involves her followers in dependence and debt; that is, fetters them with irons that enter into their souls.

Doing the right thing is not the problem. Knowing what the right thing is, that's the challenge.

A lot of black guys always ask me, 'Did Larry Bird really play that good?' I said, 'Larry Bird is so good it's frightening.'

Larry, you only told me one lie. You said there will be another Larry Bird. Larry, there will never, ever be another Larry Bird.

Don't give up! Be friends with people who help you work hard.

This is not a jungle war, but a struggle for freedom on every front of human activity.

When I was young, poverty was so common that we didn't know it had a name.

For me, it is a deep personal tragedy. I know that the world shares the sorrow that Mrs. Kennedy and her family bear. I will do my best. That is all I can do. I ask for your help - and God's.

True poverty does not come from God.

If one little old general in shirt sleeves can take Saigon, think about 200 million Chinese comin' down those trails. No sir, I don't want to fight them.

We still seek no wider war.

The family is the corner stone of our society.

The best way to begin disarming is to begin-and the United States is ready to conclude firm agreements in these areas and to consider any other reasonable proposal.

The booksellers are generous liberal-minded men.

Of course, I may go into a strange bedroom every now and then that I don't want you to write about, but otherwise you can write everything.

I am a friend to subordination, as most conducive to the happiness of society. There is a reciprocal pleasure in governing and being governed.

Our understanding of how to live with one another is still far behind our knowledge of how to destroy one another.

I think my father felt very strongly that when there was bigotry anywhere, prejudice anywhere, all of us lose out.