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Quotation from The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell

“Ignorance, madam, pure ignorance.”

James Boswell (spoken by Samuel Johnson)

The Life of Samuel Johnson, 1755 (Aetat. 46) (Project Gutenberg #1564 (Osgood abridgment, 1917))

Portrait of James Boswell

His answer to a lady who asked why the Dictionary defined pastern as the knee of a horse.

Citation: "Ignorance, madam, pure ignorance." — James Boswell, The Life of Samuel Johnson, 1755 (Aetat. 46) (Project Gutenberg #1564 (Osgood abridgment, 1917)). (id boswell-life-of-johnson-q2)

Virtues: Humility

Portrait: James Boswell of Auchinleck, Joshua Reynolds, Public domain.

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Quote card: Ignorance, madam, pure ignorance.