In a man's letters, you know, madam, his soul lies naked. His letters are only the mirror of his heart. Whatever passes within him is there shown undisguised in its natural progress; nothing is invented, nothing distorted; you see systems in their elements, you discover action in their motives. Samuel Johnson to Mrs. Thrale (1777)Michael Kelahan
About This Quote
In his letter, Johnson is saying that what we see in others is what we see in ourselves. We cannot separate our actions from the true motives behind them. As we gain insight into another person’s character, we can gain insight into our own.
Source: The Worlds Greatest Love Letters
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