The Pleasure Of Gratifying Whim

Writing A Book I Have Found To Be Like Building A House. A Man Forms A Plan, And Collects Materials. He Thinks He Has Enough To Raise A Large And Stately Edifice; But After He Has Arranged, Compacted And Polished, His Work Turns Out To Be A Very Small Performance. The Authour However Like The Builder, Knows How Much Labour His Work Has Cost Him; And Therefore Estimates It At A Higher Rate Than Other People Think It Deserves

One Must Be Strict Even In Little Things.

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; But No Beast Is A Cook....man Alone Can Dress A Good Dish; And Every Man Whatever Is More Or Less A Cook, In Seasoning What He Himself Eats.

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.

Boswell: But, Sir Is It Not Somewhat Singular That You Should Happen To Have Cocker's Arithmetic About You On Your Journey? Dr. Johnson: Why, Sir If You Are To Have But One Book With You Upon A Journey, Let It Be A Book Of Science. When You Read Through A Book Of Entertainment, You Know It, And It Can Do No More For You; But A Book Of Science Is Inexhaustible.