John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
3984 Samuel Johnson 1709-1784 John Bartlett
| NUMBER: | 3984 |
| AUTHOR: | Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) |
| QUOTATION: | Let observation with extensive view Survey mankind, from China to Peru. 1 |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Vanity of Human Wishes. Line 1. |
| Note 1. All human race, from China to Peru, Pleasure, howe’er disguised by art, pursue. Thomas Warton: Universal Love of Pleasure. De Quincey (Works, vol. x. p. 72) quotes the criticism of some writer, who contends with some reason that this high-sounding couplet of Dr. Johnson amounts in effect to this: Let observation with extensive observation observe mankind extensively. [back] |