Leisure and curiosity might soon make great advances in useful knowledge, were they not diverted by minute emulation and laborious trifles.
Interpretation
Curiosity and leisure can lead to significant knowledge, but distractions often get in the way.
This quote by Samuel Johnson highlights the importance of leisure and curiosity as essential drives for acquiring useful knowledge. However, he points out that these noble pursuits are frequently hindered by trivial tasks and competition that divert attention from the deeper explorations of knowledge and understanding.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of lifelong learning, one might quote this to emphasize the need for curiosity over trivial concerns.
To be of no church is dangerous. Religion, of which the rewards are distant, and which is animated only by faith and hope, will glide by degrees out of the mind unless it be invigorated and reimpressed by external ordinances, by stated calls to worship, and the salutary influence of example.
He that reads and grows no wiser seldom suspects his own deficiency, but complains of hard words and obscure sentences, and asks why books are written which cannot be understood.
To let friendship die away by negligence and silence is certainly not wise. It is voluntarily to throw away one of the greatest comforts of the weary pilgrimage.
Fly-fishing may be a very pleasant amusement; but angling or float fishing I can only compare to a stick and a string, with a worm at one end and a fool at the other.
When any anxiety or gloom of the mind takes hold of you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaining; but exert yourselves to hide it, and by endeavoring to hide it you drive it away.
A fishing rod is a stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other.
My education was neglected, yet I was passionately fond of reading.
Anything that is worth teaching can be presented in many different ways. These multiple ways can make use of our multiple intelligences.
The foundations of any subject may be taught to anybody at any age in some form.
... bums on the outside, libraries inside.
I wrote the first book, and I thought people would say: 'Separate and unequal schools in the City of Boston? I didn't know that. Let's go out and fix it.'
When I had no money, and a great book came out, I couldn't get it. I had to wait. I love the idea that I have hardcover books here and at home that I haven't read yet. That's how I view that I'm rich. I have hardcover books I may never read.
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