Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison
Joseph Addisonwas an English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician. He was the eldest son of The Reverend Lancelot Addison. His name is usually remembered alongside that of his long-standing friend, Richard Steele, with whom he founded The Spectator magazine...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionWriter
Date of Birth1 May 1672
real men honor
Honor's a fine imaginary notion, that draws in raw and unexperienced men to real mischiefs.
important helping tradition
Tradition is an important help to history, but its statements should be carefully scrutinized before we rely on them.
real eye men
Nothing that isn't a real crime makes a man appear so contemptible and little in the eyes of the world as inconsistency.
real grief loss
In the loss of an object we do not proportion our grief to the real value it bears, but to the value our fancies set upon it.
mean criticism likes
When I read the rules of criticism, I immediately inquire after the works of the author who has written them, and by that means discover what it is he likes in a composition.
mean soldier world
Thus I live in the world rather as a Spectator of mankind, than as one of the species, by which means I have made myself a speculative statesman, soldier, merchant, and artisan, without ever meddling with any practical part of life.
war voice stills
My voice is still for war.
art judgement ignorant
There is sometimes a greater judgement shewn in deviating from the rules of art, than in adhering to them; and?there ismore beauty inthe works of a great genius who is ignorant of all the rules of art, than in the works of a little genius, who not only knows but scrupulously observes them.
pain hypocrite mean
Hypocrisy itself does great honor, or rather justice, to religion, and tacitly acknowledges it to be an ornament to human nature. The hypocrite would not be at so much pains to put on the appearance of virtue, if he did not know it was the most proper and effectual means to gain the love and esteem of mankind.
men purpose pennies
Our Grub-street biographers watch for the death of a great man like so many undertakers on purpose to make a penny of him.
song garden animal
I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs.
eye heart may
The intelligence of affection is carried on by the eye only; good-breeding has made the tongue falsify the heart, and act a part of continued restraint, while nature has preserved the eyes to herself, that she may not be disguised or misrepresented.
war stupid believe
A man must be both stupid and uncharitable who believes there is no virtue or truth but on his own side.
love grief eye
It is easier for an artful Man, who is not in Love, to persuade his Mistress he has a Passion for her, and to succeed in his Pursuits, than for one who loves with the greatest Violence. True Love hath ten thousand Griefs, Impatiencies and Resentments, that render a Man unamiable in the Eyes of the Person whose Affection he sollicits.