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
criticize himself man ridiculous works
It is ridiculous for any man to criticize the works of another if he has not distinguished himself by his own performances
ill-will vanity secret
It generally takes its rise either from an ill-will to mankind, a private inclination to make ourselves esteemed, an ostentation of wit, and vanity of being thought in the secrets of the world; or from a desire of gratifying any of these dispositions of mind in those persons with whom we converse.
generous-spirit despair cows
Poverty palls the most generous spirits; it cows industry, and casts resolution itself into despair.
thyself
Content thyself to be obscurely good.
affliction prosperity virtue
Some virtues are only seen in affliction and others only in prosperity.
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.
force gives great ideas lively sight themselves
Words, when well chosen, have so great a force in them that a description often gives us more lively ideas than the sight of things themselves