John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
4037 Samuel Johnson 1709-1784 John Bartlett
| NUMBER: | 4037 |
| AUTHOR: | Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) |
| QUOTATION: | Sir, I think all Christians, whether Papists or Protestants, agree in the essential articles, and that their differences are trivial, and rather political than religious. 1 |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Life of Johnson (Boswell). 2 Vol. ii. Chap. v. 1763. |
| Note 1. I do not find that the age or country makes the least difference; no, nor the language the actor spoke, nor the religion which they professed,—whether Arab in the desert, or Frenchman in the Academy. I see that sensible men and conscientious men all over the world were of one religion of well-doing and daring.—Ralph Waldo Emerson: The Preacher. Lectures and Biographical Sketches, p. 215. [back] |
| Note 2. From the London edition, 10 volumes, 1835. Dr. Johnson, it is said, when he first heard of Boswell’s intention to write a life of him, announced, with decision enough, that if he thought Boswell really meant to write his life he would prevent it by taking Boswell’s!—Thomas Carlyle: Miscellanies, Jean Paul Frederic Richter. [back] |