"No man will read with much advantage, who is not able, at pleasure, to evacuate his mind, or who brings not to his Author an intellect defecated and pure, neither turbid with care nor agitated by pleasure."
— Johnson, Samuel (1709-1784)
Author
Work Title
Date
September 15, 1759
Metaphor
"No man will read with much advantage, who is not able, at pleasure, to evacuate his mind, or who brings not to his Author an intellect defecated and pure, neither turbid with care nor agitated by pleasure."
Metaphor in Context
The true Art of Memory is the Art of Attention. No man will read with much advantage, who is not able, at pleasure, to evacuate his mind, or who brings not to his Author an intellect defecated and pure, neither turbid with care nor agitated by pleasure. If the repositories of thought are already full, what can they receive? If the mind is employed on the past or future, the book will be held before the eyes in vain. What is read with delight is commonly retained, because pleasure always secures attention; but the books which are consulted by occasional necessity, and perused with impatience, seldom leave any traces on the mind.
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
Samuel Johnson, The Idler: In Two Volumes (London: J. Newbury, 1761), 119-123. <Link to Google Books>
Date of Entry
05/23/2011
