Courage is the greatest of all virtues, because if you haven't courage, you may not have an opportunity to use any of the others.

— Samuel Johnson

Curiosity is, in great and generous minds, the first passion and the last.

— Samuel Johnson

Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect.

— Samuel Johnson

Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully.

— Samuel Johnson

Despair is criminal.

— Samuel Johnson

Dictionaries are like watches; the worst is better than none, and the best cannot be expected to go quite true.

— Samuel Johnson

Dictionaries are like watches. The worst is better than none at all and even the best cannot be expected to run quite true.

— Samuel Johnson

Difficult do you call it, Sir? I wish it were impossible. [on hearing a famous violinist]

— Samuel Johnson

Disease generally begins that equality which death completes.

— Samuel Johnson

Distance has the same effect on the mind as on the eye.

— Samuel Johnson