Samuel Johnson Death Quotations

Prepare for death, if here at night you roam, and sign your will before you sup from home.

It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. The act of dying is not of importance, it lasts so short a time.

I will be conquered; I will not capitulate.

Disease generally begins that equality which death completes.

His death eclipsed the gayety of nations, and impoverished the public stock of harmless pleasure.

If one was to think constantly of death, the business of life would stand still

Do not ... hope wholly to reason away your troubles; do not feed them with attention, and they will die imperceptibly away. Fix your thoughts upon your business, fill your intervals with company, and sunshine will again break in upon your mind.

The whole of life is but keeping away the thoughts of death.

It seems to be remarkable that death increases our veneration for the good, and extenuates our hatred for the bad.

Philosophy has often attempted to repress insolence by asserting that all conditions are leveled by death; a position which, however it may defect the happy, will seldom afford much comfort to the wretched.

The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.

The uncertainty of death is, in effect, the great support of the whole system of life.

To neglect at any time preparation for death is to sleep on our post at a siege; to omit it in old age is to sleep at an attack.

When a friend is carried to his grave, we at once find excuses for every weakness, and palliation of every fault. We recollect a thousand endearments, which before glided off our minds without impression, a thousand favors unrepaid, a thousand duties unperformed; and wish, vainly wish, for his return, not so much that we may receive as that we may bestow happiness, and recompense that kindness which before we never understood.

When we see our enemies and friends gliding away before us, let us not forget that we are subject to the general law of mortality, and shall soon be where our doom will be fixed forever.