Samuel Johnson Quotes

Criticism is an indirect form of self-boasting.

It is singular how impatient men are with overpraise of others, how patient of overpraise of themselves; and yet the one does them no injury, while the other may be their ruin.

A man is never more serious than when he praise himself.

Men of real merit, and whose noble and glorious deeds we are ready to acknowledge, are yet not to be endured when they vaunt their own actions.

There is scarcely any man, how much soever he may despise the character of a flatterer, but will condescend in the meanest manner to flatter himself.

Don't wrench your shoulder out of its socket trying to pat yourself on the back," Beldin said sourly.

Egotism is more like an offense, than a crime; though it is allowable to speak of yourself, provided nothing is advanced in favor; but I cannot help suspecting that those who abuse themselves are, in reality, angling for approbation.

Every man who praises himself brushes the luster from his best efforts.

A man that extols himself is a fool and an idiot

Fondly we think we honor merit then, When we but praise ourselves in other men.

Very thinly-veiled self glorification.

I don't want to write a hagiography on myself. To me, that is just a waste.

If we never flattered ourselves we should have but scant pleasure.

There is no such flatterer as is a man's self.

I scarce ever heard or saw the introductory words, "Without vanity I may say," etc., but some vain thing immediately followed.

The vain man makes a merit of misfortune, and triumphs in his disgrace.

He who sounds his own trumpet will soon find plenty to laugh at him.

The advantage of doing one's praising for oneself is that one can lay it on so thick and exactly in the right places.

I don't need to pat myself on the back until my arm breaks. I don't need any of that.

A vain man finds it wise to speak good or ill of himself; a modest man does not talk of himself.

I'm never in my life going to do a record that's a tribute to myself. I don't need it.

People that are conceited of their own merit take pride in being unfortunate, that themselves and others may think them considerable enough to be the envy and the mark of fortune.

Bragging just sounds good, man.

Vanity is a strong temptation to lying; it makes people magnify their merit, over flourish their family, and tell strange stories of their interest and acquaintance.

You can't go around saying you're the best, all the time, 'cause it puts a target on your back.