Samuel Johnson's Famous Quote on London: "When a Man Is Tired of London..."

The full quote by Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709–1784), recorded by his biographer James Boswell, is:

"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."

Context

• Date: September 20, 1777 (said to Boswell during a conversation).
• Meaning: Johnson celebrated London's inexhaustible variety—theater, literature, science, commerce, society, parks, and people. To weary of it was to weary of human experience itself.
• Johnson's London: He lived there most of his adult life (Gough Square, Bolt Court), compiling his Dictionary, writing essays, and frequenting coffeehouses and clubs.

The line remains the most famous literary tribute to London, capturing the city's enduring capacity for novelty and engagement across centuries.