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Samuel Johnson’s Truth
Every serious artist must take a position with regards to truth. Samuel Johnson’s position is fascinating, because it seems to involve vast contradictions and yet manages to resolve them in a world view that is consistent. Adherence to truth is a fundamental tenet for Johnson, as we see throughout his own writings and his conversations […]
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Quotes by Samuel Johnson
I finally finished Bowell’s Life of Johnson. At 1402 pages, this is probably the longest book I’ve ever read, but it was worth every minute. While a couple of the members of The Culture Club were unhappy with its weight, and thought it needed serious editing, there were three of us who thought its great […]
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Samuel Johnson and the End of Certainty
Johnson’s character betrays striking contradictions, which are particularly interesting because they represent his age, a turning point in human ideas that was so profound it continues to resonate with us today. What marks Johnson is the contrast between what might be called his ‘weighty assertiveness’ and on the other hand his radical scepticism. Or to […]