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
Joseph Addison quotes about
witty men giving
The discreet man finds out the talents of those he converses with, and knows how to apply them to proper uses. Accordingly, if we look into particular communities and divisions of men, we may observe that it is the discreet man, not the witty, nor the learned, nor the brave, who guides the conversation, and gives measures to the society.
passion heart pride
There is no passion that steals into the heart more imperceptibly and covers itself under more disguises than pride.
conspiracy should
Conspiracies no sooner should be formed Than executed.
modesty virtue betray
Nothing is more amiable than true modesty, and nothing more contemptible than the false. The one guards virtue, the other betrays it.
passing-away together dozen
It is wonderful to see persons of sense passing away a dozen hours together in shuffling and dividing a pack of cards.
criminals modesty false-modesty
True modesty avoids everything that is criminal; false modesty everything that is unfashionable.
luxury vices ancient
We see the pernicious effects of luxury in the ancient Romans, who immediately found themselves poor as soon as this vice got footing among them.
kindness men dull
Authors have established it as a kind of rule, that a man ought to be dull sometimes; as the most severe reader makes allowances for many rests and nodding-places in a voluminous writer.
flattery persons listeners
The most skillful flattery is to let a person talk on, and be a listener.
jealousy pain men
Jealousy is that pain which a man feels from the apprehension that he is not equally beloved by the person whom he entirely loves.
courage soul daggers
The soul, secured in her existence, smiles At the drawn dagger, and defies its point.
lust firsts literature
The most violent appetites in all creatures are lust and hunger; the first is a perpetual call upon them to propagate their kind, the latter to preserve themselves.
call rank romans tis
Tis pride, rank pride, and haughtiness of soul; I think the Romans call it stoicism
eternity joyful short song thy utter
Through all eternity to thee, a joyful song I'll raise; for oh! Eternity's too short to utter all thy praise.