Depend upon it that if a man talks of his misfortunes there is something in them that is not disagreeable to him; for where there is nothing but pure misery there never is any recourse to the mention of it.

Summary

This quote by Samuel Johnson suggests that when a person constantly discusses their misfortunes, there is likely some underlying comfort or satisfaction they derive from it. It implies that individuals often find solace in sharing their difficulties because misery alone seldom prompts one to talk about it. Johnson implies that recounting misfortunes can serve as a form of validation, sympathy-seeking, or even an attempt to gain attention or pity from others.

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