“Promise, large promise, is the soul of an advertisement.”

— Samuel Johnson , The Idler

No. 40 (January 20, 1759)
The Idler (1758–1760)
Context: Advertisements are now so numerous that they are very negligently perused, and it is, therefore, become necessary to gain attention by magnificence of promises, and by eloquence sometimes sublime and sometimes pathetick. Promise, large promise, is the soul of an advertisement.

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Samuel Johnson 362

English writer 1709–1784

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