Samuel Johnson Wife Quotations

By taking a second wife he pays the highest compliment to the first, by showing that she made him so happy as a married man, that he wishes to be so a second time.

Nothing flatters a man as much as the happiness of his wife; he is always proud of himself as the source of it.

He who would have fine guests, let him have a fine wife.

A small country town is not the place in which one would choose to quarrel with a wife; every human being in such places is a spy.

No money is better spent than what is laid out for domestic satisfaction. A man is pleased that his wife is dressed as well as other people, and the wife is pleased that she is dressed.

A good wife is like the ivy which beautifies the building to which it clings, twining its tendrils more lovingly as time converts the ancient edifice into a ruin.

All knowledge is of itself of some value. There is nothing so minute or inconsiderable, that I would not rather know it than not. In the same manner, all power, of whatever sort, is of itself desirable. A man would not submit to learn to hem a ruffle, of his wife, or his wife's maid; but if a mere wish could attain it, he would rather wish to be able to hem a ruffle.

Most vices may be committed very genteelly: a man may debauch his friend's wife genteelly: he may cheat at cards genteelly

It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.

A gentleman who had been very unhappy in marriage, married immediately after his wife died; it was the triumph of hope over experience.

A man of sense and education should meet a suitable companion in a wife. It is a miserable thing when the conversation can only be such as whether the mutton should be boiled or roasted, and probably a dispute about that.

A man is in general better pleased when he has a good dinner upon his table, than when his wife talks Greek.

Bachelors have consciences, married men have wives.