11 Samuel Johnson Quotes on Ethics

Samuel Johnson quotes on ethics

6. A lawyer has no business with the justice or injustice of the cause which he undertakes, unless his client asks his opinion, and then he is bound to give it honestly. The justice or injustice of the cause is to be decided by the judge. Consider, sir; what is the purpose of courts of justice? It is, that every man may have his cause fairly tried, by men appointed to try causes. A lawyer is not to tell what he knows to be a lie: he is not to produce what he knows to be a false deed; but he is not to usurp the province of the jury and of the judge, and determine what shall be the effect of evidence - what shall be the result of legal argument.

29. He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.

49. It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust.

57. That he delights in the misery of others no man will confess, and yet what other motive can make a father cruel?

    Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

86. Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.

124. But if he does really think that there is no distinction between virtue and vice, why, Sir, when he leaves our houses let us count our spoons.

137. A decent provision for the poor is the true test of civilization.

142. Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.

164. Pleasure of itself is not a vice.

165. All theory is against the freedom of the will; all experience for it.

196. It might as well be said, 'Who drives fat oxen should himself be fat.'