James Boswell Quotes & Sayings

#1. My wife, who does not like journalizing, said it was leaving myself embowelled to posterity
a good strong figure. But I think itis rather leaving myself embalmed. It is certainly preserving myself.

James Boswell

#2. After I went to bed I had a curious fancy as to dreams. In sleep the doors of the mind are shut, and thoughts come jumping in at the windows. They tumble headlong, and therefore are so disorderly and strange. Sometimes they are stout and light on their feet, and then they are rational dreams.

James Boswell

#3. What an insignificant life is this which I am now leading!

James Boswell

#4. My mind was, as it were, strongly impregnated with the Johnsonian ether.

James Boswell

#5. The man who stops making new friends eventually will have none.

James Boswell

#6. I am so fond of tea that I could write a whole dissertation on its virtues. It comforts and enlivens without the risks attendant on spirituous liquors. Gentle herb! Let the florid grape yield to thee. Thy soft influence is a more safe inspirer of social joy.

James Boswell

#7. Nay, Sir, it was not the WINE that made your head ache, but the SENSE that I put into it'
'What, Sir! will sense make the head ache?'
'Yes, Sir, (with a smile,) when it is not used to it.

James Boswell

#8. In every place, where there is any thing worthy of observation, there should be a short printed directory for strangers.

James Boswell

#9. It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. The act of dying is not of importance, it lasts so short a time.

James Boswell

#10. When we know exactly all a man's views and how he comes to speak and act so and so, we lose any respect for him, though we may love and admire him.

James Boswell

#11. We had some port, and drank damnation to the play and eternal remorse to the author.

James Boswell

#12. I am sensible that my keenness of temper, and a vanity to be distinguished for the day, make me too often splash in life ... I amresolved to restrain myself and attend more to decorum.

James Boswell

#13. The scent of Sloth tempts a smug man.

James Boswell

#14. I fancy mankind may come, in time, to write all aphoristically.

James Boswell

#15. There is indeed a strange prejudice against Quotation.

James Boswell

#16. I think there is a blossom about me of something more distinguished than the generality of mankind.

James Boswell

#17. He had no settled plan of life, nor looked forward at all, but merely lived from day to day. Yet he read a great deal in a desultory manner, without any scheme of study, as chance threw books in his way, and inclination directed him through them.

James Boswell

#18. I have seen many a bear led by a man: but I never before saw a man led by a bear.

James Boswell

#19. [A]s a lady adjusts her dress before a mirror, a man adjusts his character by looking at his journal.

James Boswell

#20. A good pun may be admitted among the smaller excellencies of lively conversation.

James Boswell

#21. When a man is familiar with many people he must expect many disagreeable familiarizations.

James Boswell

#22. Quotation is more universal and more ancient than one would perhaps believe.

James Boswell

#23. I, who have no sisters or brothers, look with some degree of innocent envy on those who may be said to be born to friends.

James Boswell

#24. O charitable philosopher, I beg you to help me. My mind is weak but my soul is strong. Kindle that soul, and the sacred fire shall never be extinguished.

James Boswell

#25. We often observe in lawyers, who as Quicquid agunt homines is the matter of law suits, are sometimes obliged to pick up a temporary knowledge of an art or science, of which they understood nothing till their brief was delivered, and appear to be much masters of it.

James Boswell

#26. I argued that the chastity of women was of much more consequence than that of men, as the property and rights of families depend upon it.

James Boswell

#27. I am now to offer some thoughts upon that sameness or familiarity which we frequently find between passages in different authors without quotation. This may be one of three things either what is called Plagiarism, or Imitation, or Coincidence.

James Boswell

#28. Everything about his character and manners was forcible and violent; there never was any moderation; many a day did he fast, many a year did he refrain from wine; but when he did eat, it was voraciously; when he did drink wine, it was copiously. He could practise abstinence, but not temperance.

James Boswell

#29. A companion loves some agreeable qualities which a man may possess, but a friend loves the man himself.

James Boswell

#30. A woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hinter legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to see it done at all.

James Boswell

#31. I have discovered that we may be in some degree whatever character we choose. Besides, practice forms a man to anything.

James Boswell

#32. One must be strict even in little things.

James Boswell

#33. It is not every man who can be exquisitely miserable, any more than exquisitely happy.

James Boswell

#34. As all who come into the country must obey the King, so all who come into an university must be of the Church.

James Boswell

#35. Influence must ever be in proportion to property; and it is right it should.

James Boswell

#36. If a man who is born to a fortune cannot make himself easier and freer than those who are not, he gains nothing.

James Boswell

#37. The connection between authors, printers, and booksellers must be kept up.

James Boswell

#38. He who has provoked the lash of wit cannot complain that he smarts from it.

James Boswell

#39. Writing a book I have found to be like building a house. A man forms a plan, and collects materials.

James Boswell

#40. My definition of man is a cooking animal. The beasts have memory, judgement, and the faculties and passions of our minds in a certain degree; but no beast is a cook.

James Boswell

#41. Those who would extirpate evil from the world know little of human nature. As well might punch be palatable without souring as existence agreeable without care.

James Boswell

#42. Quoting Samuel Johnson: Men know that women are an overmatch for them, and therefore they choose the weakest or the most ignorant. If they did not think so, they never could be afraid of women knowing as much as themselves.

James Boswell

#43. The pleasure of gratifying whim is very great. It is known only by those who are whimsical.

James Boswell

#44. What a curious creature is man; with what a variety of powers and faculties is he endued; yet how easily is he disturbed and put out of order.

James Boswell

#45. If a man is prodigal, he cannot be truly generous.

James Boswell

#46. Dr Johnson said, the inscription should have been in Latin, as every thing intended to be universal and permanent, should be.

James Boswell

#47. I find I journalize too tediously. Let me try to abbreviate.

James Boswell

#48. But what can a man see of a library being one day in it?

James Boswell

#49. I have found you an argument; I am not obliged to find you an understanding.

James Boswell

#50. No, Sir, claret is the liquor for boys; port for men: but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy. In the first place brandy will do soonest for a man what drinking can do for him.

James Boswell

#51. It is wonderful that five thousand years have now elapsed since the creation of the world, and still it is undecided whether or not there has ever been an instance of the spirit of any person appearing after death. All argument is against it; but all belief is for it.

James Boswell

#52. He made two or three peculiar observations; as when shewn the botanical garden, 'Is not EVERY garden a botanical garden?

James Boswell

#53. A page of my journal is like a cake of portable soup. A little may be diffused into a considerable portion.

James Boswell

#54. Drinking is in reality an occupation which employs a considerable portion of the time of many people; and to conduct it in the most rational and agreeable manner is one of the great arts of living.

James Boswell

#55. A Sceptick therefore, who because he finds that Truths are not universally received, doubts of their existence, is just as foolish as a man who should try large shoes upon little feet, and little shoes upon large feet, and finding that they did not fit.

James Boswell