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

Wine makes a man better pleased with himself. I do not say that it makes him more pleasing to others. Sometimes it does. But the danger is, that whil….

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 ….

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..

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

My definition of Man is, a Cooking Animal. The beasts have memory, judgement, and all the faculties and passions of our mind, in a certain degree; bu….

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 agre….

All censure of a man's self is oblique praise..

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

I went to my father's at night. He spoke of poor John [Boswell's brother] with disgust. I was shocked and said, "He's your son, and God made him." He….

Buffon, who, with all his theoretical ingenuity and extraordinary eloquence, I suspect had little actual information in the science on which he wrote….

After we came out of the church, we stood talking for some time together of Bishop Berkeley's ingenious sophistry to prove the non-existence of matte….

Addison writes with the ease of a gentleman. His readers fancy that a wise and accomplished companion is talking to them; so thathe insinuates his se….

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 liquor….

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

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..

Dr. Johnson ... sometimes employed himself in chymistry, sometimes in watering and pruning a vine, and sometimes in small experiments, at which those….

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

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

Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed..

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 my….