A fly, Sir, may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but, one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the insignificance of minor irritations in the face of greater strength or stature.
In this quote, Samuel Johnson emphasizes that small annoyances or challenges, represented by the fly, may provoke a reaction from those who are much more significant or powerful, symbolized by the stately horse. Despite the momentary discomfort caused by the fly, it does not change the essential nature or status of the horse, illustrating that true strength remains untainted by trivial adversities.
In practice
In a speech about handling criticism, one might use this quote to illustrate that minor criticisms don't define a person's worth.
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.
What the public wants is the image of passion, not passion itself.
And of course these days I feel like there is a nation of us - displaced southerners and children of the working class. We listen to Steve Earle, Mary J. Blige, and k.d. lang. We devour paperback novels and tell evil mean stories, value stubbornness above patience and a sense of humor more than a college education. We claim our heritage with a full appreciation of how often it has been disdained. And let me promise you, you do not want to make us angry.
Talk to me about sadness. I talk about it too much in my own head but I never mind others talking about it either; I occasionally feel like I tremendously need others to talk about it as well.
No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. Don't set your heart on anything that is your neighbor's.
Metaphysics is almost always an attempt to prove the incredible by an appeal to the unintelligible.
The truth is that, though we were justified by faith alone, the faith that justifies is never alone (it always produces fruit, 'good works,'...a transformed life).
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