This is a volume of selected essays by "the great master of reason" Samuel Johnson. The most famous exerpts from The Rambler, The Adventurer and The Idler are included, covering a vast range of topics. - Summary by Carolin
Chapters
1
Bibliographical Introduction, part 1 Read by Barbara Baker 38:22
2
Biographical Introduction, part 2 Read by Barbara Baker 35:50
3
The Necessity and Danger of Looking into Futurity. Writers Naturally Sanguine. Their Hopes Liable to Disappointment Read by Barbara Baker 16:23
4
An Allegory on Criticism Read by Barbara Baker 12:14
5
The Modern Form of Romances Preferable to the Ancient. The Necessity of Characters Morally Good Read by Barbara Baker 15:06
6
The Folly of Anger. The Misery of a Peevish Old Age Read by Barbara Baker 15:05
7
The Difference Between an Author's Writings and his Conversation Read by Barbara Baker 14:46
8
The Dangers and Miseries of Literary Eminence Read by Barbara Baker 14:00
9
The Anxieties of Literature not Less than Those of Publick Stations. The Inequality of Authors' Writings Read by Barbara Baker 13:27
10
An Allegory on Wit and Learning Read by Barbara Baker 12:25
11
The Contrariety of Criticism. The Vanity of Objection. An Author Obliged to Depend upon his own Judgment Read by Bill Boerst 9:36
12
The Various Arts of Self-Delusion Read by Availle 14:11
13
The Difficulty of Giving Advice Without Offending Read by Availle 12:25
14
The Proper Means of Regulating Sorrow Read by Bill Boerst 11:55
15
A Virtuous Old Age Always Reverenced Read by Bill Boerst 10:10
16
The Desire of Wealth Moderated by Philosophy Read by Bill Boerst 9:28
17
The Dignity and Usefulness of Biography Read by Pamela Nagami 12:49
18
Inconstancy Always a Weakness Read by Pamela Nagami 11:49
19
The Requisites to True Friendship Read by Availle 11:48
20
The Garden of Hope - A Dream Read by Denise Nordell 8:50
21
Every Man Chiefly Happy or Miserable at Home. The Opinions of Servants not to be Despised Read by Jesse Zuba 9:37
22
The Necessity of Good Humor Read by Availle 10:56
23
The Learned Seldom Despised but when they Deserve Contempt Read by Pamela Nagami 13:05
24
The Reasons Why Advice is Generally Ineffectual Read by Availle 11:35
25
The Luxury of Vain Imagination Read by Roohi 11:21
26
The Voyage of Life Read by Roohi 12:00
27
Life Sufficient to All Purposes if well Employed Read by Barbara Baker 12:05
28
The Advantages of Living in a Garret Read by Barbara Baker 16:24
29
Diligence too Soon Relaxed. Necessity of Perseverance Read by Barbara Baker 11:50
30
The Necessity of Literary Courage Read by Barbara Baker 11:46
31
The Criterions of Plagiarism Read by Barbara Baker 16:01
32
The Usefulness of Advice. The Danger of Habits. The Necessity of Reviewing Life Read by Availle 13:28
33
The Revelations of a Garret Read by Bill Boerst 10:18
34
Labour Necessary to Excellence Read by Bill Boerst 10:11
35
Directions to Authors Attacked by Criticks. The Various Degrees of Critical Perspicacity Read by Jesse Zuba 8:27
36
Many Advantages not to be Enjoyed Together Read by Pamela Nagami 9:33
37
The Prohibition of Revenge Justifiable by Reason. The Meanness of Regulating our Conduct by the Opinions of Men Read by Pamela Nagami 12:48
38
Human Opinions Suitable. The Hopes of Youth Fallacious Read by Jesse Zuba 8:24
39
The Importance of Punctuality Read by Availle 10:33
40
The Art of Living at the Cost of Others Read by Jesse Zuba 9:24
41
The Folly of Continuing too Long upon the Stage Read by Jesse Zuba 10:11
42
The Character of a Liar Read by Jesse Zuba 11:14
43
The Faults of Books Sometimes Imputable to the Reader Read by Pamela Nagami 13:19
44
To Read, Write, and Conserve in Due Proportions the Business of a Man of Letters Read by Barbara Baker 15:14
45
Unjust Charges of Plagiarism Read by Pamela Nagami 11:43
46
Mercator Complains that he can Find no Happiness in Rural Life Read by Michele Fry 12:01
47
That kind of Life most Happy which Affords us most Opportunities of Gaining our own Esteem Read by Barbara Baker 13:41
48
Our Present State one of Danger and Infelicity Read by J. McDougall 10:59
49
On the Duty of Self-Examination Read by Pamela Nagami 13:27
50
The Happiness and Vexation of Authors Read by Jesse Zuba 10:12
51
The Idler's Character Read by Anders V Lankford 8:56
52
Invitation to Correspondents Read by Anders V Lankford 7:01
53
Robbery of Time Read by Anders V Lankford 6:10
54
Uncertainty of Friendship Read by Pamela Nagami 7:12
55
Corruptions of News-Writers Read by Pamela Nagami 7:25
56
Disguises of Idleness. Sober's Character Read by Pamela Nagami 8:32
57
The Terrifick Diction Read by Pamela Nagami 10:01
58
On the Death of a Friend Read by Pamela Nagami 8:33
59
Monitions on the Flight of Time Read by Philippa 5:56
60
Deborah Ginger's Account of City Wits Read by Philippa 7:37
61
Minim the Critick I. Read by Jesse Zuba 9:37
62
Minim the Critick II. Read by Jesse Zuba 6:56
63
Dick Shifter's Rural Excursion Read by Anders V Lankford 8:57
64
Steady, Snug, Startle, Solid, and Misty Read by Anders V Lankford 8:10
65
Biography, How Best Performed Read by Anders V Lankford 6:45
66
Books Multiplied by Useless Compilations Read by Roohi 5:30
67
What Have Ye Done? Read by Roohi 5:24
68
Omar's Plan of Life Read by Roohi 7:18
69
The Itch of Writing Universal Read by Barbara Baker 13:13
From LibriVox, read by volunteers and in the public domain. LibriVox page (opens librivox.org) , the text (opens archive.org) , all files on the Internet Archive (opens archive.org) .
