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
voice reason force
The voice of reason is more to be regarded than the bent of any present inclination; since inclination will at length come over to reason, though we can never force reason to comply with inclination.
eye ordinary breeding
Good-breeding shows itself most where to an ordinary eye it appears the least.
complacency equal acceptable
Complaisance renders a superior amiable, an equal agreeable, and an inferior acceptable.
office together magnificence
There are no more useful members in a commonwealth than merchants. They knit mankind together in a mutual intercourse of good offices, distribute the gifts of Nature, find work for the poor, and wealth to the rich, and magnificence to the great.
plato sacrifice men
Complaisance, though in itself it be scarce reckoned in the number of moral virtues, is that which gives a lustre to every talent a man can be possessed of. It was Plato's advice to an unpolished writer that he should sacrifice to the graces. In the same manner I would advise every man of learning, who would not appear in the world a mere scholar or philosopher, to make himself master of the social virtue which I have here mentioned.
ocean noble immense
I consider time as an in immense ocean, in which many noble authors are entirely swallowed up.
offending bravery uniforms
That courage which arises from the sense of our duty, and from the fear of offending Him that made us, acts always in a uniform manner, and according to the dictates of right reason.
authorship materials
Peaceable times are the best to live in, though not so proper to furnish materials for a writer.
bible ideas giving
What can be nobler than the idea it gives us of the Supreme Being?
christian art dark
It happened very providentially, to the honor of the Christian religion, that it did not take its rise in the dark illiterate ages of the world, but at a time when arts and sciences were at their height.
hands law giving
A well regulated commerce is not, like law, physic, or divinity, to be overstocked with hands; but, on the contrary, flourishes by multitudes, and gives employment to all its professors.
bible song passion
There is no passion that is not finely expressed in those parts of the inspired writings which are proper for divine songs and anthems.
hero battle troops
Troops of heroes undistinguished die.
government care riches
The care of our national commerce redounds more to the riches and prosperity of the public than any other act of government.