It is advantageous to an author that his book should be attacked as well as praised. Fame is a shuttlecock. If it be struck at one end of the room, it will soon fall to the ground. To keep it up, it must be struck at both ends.
Interpretation
A good book attracts both criticism and praise, which is essential for maintaining its prominence.
Samuel Johnson emphasizes the importance of both praise and criticism for an author's work. He likens fame to a shuttlecock, suggesting that it requires continuous engagement and attention from both supporters and detractors to remain relevant and elevated in the literary world. Without challenge or support, a book's recognition is likely to decline.
In practice
In a discussion about literary criticism, one might reference this quote to highlight the necessity of diverse opinions in literature.
To be of no church is dangerous. Religion, of which the rewards are distant, and which is animated only by faith and hope, will glide by degrees out of the mind unless it be invigorated and reimpressed by external ordinances, by stated calls to worship, and the salutary influence of example.
He that reads and grows no wiser seldom suspects his own deficiency, but complains of hard words and obscure sentences, and asks why books are written which cannot be understood.
To let friendship die away by negligence and silence is certainly not wise. It is voluntarily to throw away one of the greatest comforts of the weary pilgrimage.
Fly-fishing may be a very pleasant amusement; but angling or float fishing I can only compare to a stick and a string, with a worm at one end and a fool at the other.
When any anxiety or gloom of the mind takes hold of you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaining; but exert yourselves to hide it, and by endeavoring to hide it you drive it away.
A fishing rod is a stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other.
Sheep are stupid, and have to be driven. But goats are intelligent, and need to be led.
The day obedience becomes a quest and not an irritation is the day you gain power.
A tree with strong roots can withstand the most violent storm, but the tree can't grow roots just as the storm appears on the horizon.
If you simply take up the attitude of defending a mistake, there will no hope of improvement.
No one can shed light on vices he does not have or afflictions he has ever experienced.
When you blame yourself, you learn from it. If you blame someone else, you don't learn nothing, cause hey, it's not your fault, it's his fault, over there.
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