"Between falsehood and useless truth there is little difference. As gold which he cannot spend will make no man rich, so knowledge which cannot apply will make no man wise."

Truth
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Insight & Reflection

Words carry weight, and Samuel Johnson's insight into truth is no exception. It serves as a gentle reminder that amidst the chaos of modern life, timeless wisdom still holds the power to guide our decisions and clarify our values.

About Samuel Johnson

Samuel Johnson, often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer and polymath who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The work for which he is best known is his 42,733-entry Dictionary of the English Language (1755). For this and other contributions in and to the English language, the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography has called him "arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history".

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Editorial Note: This quote is curated and fact-checked by the Quotes Archive Editorial Team. Verified Literature Specialist.

More by Samuel Johnson

"In order that all men may be taught to speak the truth, it is necessary that all likewise should learn to hear it."

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"There is no private house in which people can enjoy themselves so well as at a capital tavern... No, Sir there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern or inn."

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More about Truth

"Picasso said, 'Art is a lie that tells the truth.' What if you just want to tell the truth and not lie about it?"

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"It is a subtle truth that ethics is not a doctrine written in marble, but a daily standard lived in conscience."

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