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
grave living mirth nor pleasant thee thy whether wit
In all thy humors, whether grave or mellow, Thou'rt such a touchy, testy, pleasant fellow, hast so much wit and mirth and spleen about thee, there is no living with thee, nor without thee
numbers clouds witness
The great number of the Jews furnishes us with a sufficient cloud of witnesses that attest the truth of the Bible.
wit incongruity
Wit is the fetching of congruity out of incongruity.
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.
witty men thinking
It is a melancholy consideration that there should be several among us so hardened and deluded as to think an oath a proper subject for a jest; and to make this, which is one of the most solemn acts of religion, an occasion of mirth. Yet such is the depravation of our manners at present, that nothing is more frequent than to hear profligate men ridiculing, to the best of their abilities, these sacred pledges of their duty and allegiance; and endeavouring to be witty upon themselves, for daring to prevaricate with God and man.
above knowledge next raises truly virtue
Knowledge is that which, next to virtue, truly raises one person above another.
conversation himself less man method provided requisite talk understood
Method is not less requisite in conversation than in writing, provided a man would talk to make himself understood
enemy happiness noise retired true
True happiness is of a retired nature, and an enemy to pomp and noise
call rank romans tis
Tis pride, rank pride, and haughtiness of soul; I think the Romans call it stoicism
command deserve mortals tis
Tis not in mortals to command success, But we'll do more, Sempronius; we'll deserve it
atheism atheist deny faith greater infinitely measure receive requires truths
To be an atheist requires an infinitely greater measure of faith than to receive all the great truths which atheism would deny
dull growing next step
We are growing serious, and let me tell you, that's the very next step to being dull
growing next step
We are growing serious, and let me tell you, that's the next step to being dull.
abound constancy english-writer generally love marriages
Those Marriages generally abound most with Love and Constancy that are preceded by a long Courtship.