72 Quotes & Sayings By Joseph Addison

Joseph Addison was an English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician. He is remembered for his writings in support of the Stuart Monarchy and opposition to the Whig party. In 1712, when Addison was twenty-one, he lost his mother. Two years later he married Anne Moreton, a woman twice his age. He published Poems on Several Occasions in 1720 and the collection became a bestseller. In 1723 Addison's second tragedy, Cato (1713), was a hit Read more

It secured him a place as one of London's leading dramatists, and in 1724 he became president of the Scriblerus Club along with John Gay and Alexander Pope. In 1727 he published his most popular poem, "The Campaign," which commented favorably on the Duke of Marlborough's war victories. In 1728 he became embroiled in a dispute with fellow playwright Richard Steele over their competing anti-Whig satires "The Guardian" and "The Freeholder." Addison later wrote a long poem The Spectator (1711-1712) which brought him great success.

The Spectator is an epistolary essay in which Addison essays a fictional character who passes on his views on life and literature to his friend "Spectator." The Spectator tells other characters how to live their lives and what should be done about such things as religion, politics, literature, and manners. It is not important whether or not all these characters actually exist; rather it is the view that Addison hoped to convey through this piece which is important: "That we ought to be what we appear," and "That we should live in such a manner as may make us generally agreeable." .

1
We all of us complain of the shortness of time, saith Seneca, and yet have much more than we know what to do with. Our lives, says he, are spent either in doing nothing at all, or in doing nothing to the purpose, or in doing nothing that we ought to do: we are always complaining our days are few, and acting as though there would no end of them."- On the Right Use of Time Joseph Addison
What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These...
2
What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable. Joseph Addison
If you wish success in life, make perseverance you bosom...
3
If you wish success in life, make perseverance you bosom friend, experience your wise councellor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius. Joseph Addison
4
Jealousy is that pain which a man feels from the apprehension that he is not equally beloved by the person whom he entirely loves. Joseph Addison
5
There is nothing that makes its way more directly into the soul than beauty. Joseph Addison
6
The ways of heaven are dark and intricate; Puzzled in mazes, and perplext with errors. Joseph Addison
7
There is nothing which we receive with so much reluctance as advice. Joseph Addison
8
What an absurd thing it is to pass over all the valuable parts of a man, and fix our attention on his infirmities. Joseph Addison
9
... when I see kings lying by those who deposed them, ... or holy men that divided the world with their contests and disputes, I reflect with sorrow and astonishment on the little competitions, factions, and debates of mankind. Joseph Addison
10
Certain is it that there is no kind of affection so purely angelic as of a father to a daughter. In love to our wives there is desire; to our sons, ambition, but to our daughters there is something which there are no words to express. Joseph Addison
11
Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in proper figures. Joseph Addison
12
A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world. Joseph Addison
13
A misery is not to be measured from the nature of the evil, but from the temper of the sufferer. Joseph Addison
14
Admiration is a very short-lived passion that immediately decays upon growing familiar with its object. Joseph Addison
15
Arguments out of a petty mouth are unanswerable. Joseph Addison
16
Charity is the perfection and ornament of religion. Joseph Addison
17
Colors speak all languages. Joseph Addison
18
Nothing that is not a real crime makes a man appear so contemptible and little in the eyes of the world as inconsistency. Joseph Addison
19
Courage that grows from constitution often forsakes a man ... courage which arises from a sense of duty acts in a uniform manner. Joseph Addison
20
The person who has a firm trust in the Supreme Being is powerful in his power wise by his wisdom happy by his happiness. Joseph Addison
21
The greatest sweetener of human life is Friendship. Joseph Addison
22
Friendship improves happiness and abates misery by doubling our joy and dividing our grief. Joseph Addison
23
Looking for Silver Linings Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains losses and disappointments. Joseph Addison
24
A man should always consider ... how much more unhappy he might be than he is. Joseph Addison
25
True happiness ... arises in the first place from the enjoyment of one's self and in the next from the friendship and conversation of a few select companions. Joseph Addison
26
If I can in any way contribute to the Diversion or Improvement of the Country in which I live I shall leave it when I am summoned out of it with the secret Satisfaction of thinking that I have not lived in vain. Joseph Addison
27
A man should always consider how much he has more than he wants and how much more unhappy he might be than he really is. Joseph Addison
28
True happiness is of a retired nature and an enemy to pomp and noise it arises in the first place from the enjoyment of one's self and in the next from the friendship and conversations of a few select companions. Joseph Addison
29
The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do something to love and something to hope for. Joseph Addison
30
True happiness... arises in the first place from the enjoyment of one's self and in the next from the friendship and conversation of a few select companions. Joseph Addison
31
There is no society or conversation to be kept up in the world without good nature or something which must bear its appearance and supply its place. For this reason mankind have been forced to invent a kind of artificial humanity which is what we express by the word Good Breeding. Joseph Addison
32
Young men soon give and soon forget affronts Old age is slow in both. Joseph Addison
33
There is no virtue so truly great and godlike as justice. Joseph Addison
34
Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind filling it with a steady and perpetual serenity. Joseph Addison
35
The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do something to love and something to hope for. Joseph Addison
36
What sunshine is to flowers smiles are to humanity. They are but trifles to be sure but scattered along life's pathway the good they do is inconceivable. Joseph Addison
37
As vivacity is the gift of women gravity is that of men. Joseph Addison
38
Music the greatest good that mortals know and all of heaven we have below. Joseph Addison
39
All of heaven we have below. Joseph Addison
40
If you wish success in life make perseverance your bosom friend. Joseph Addison
41
A day an hour of virtuous liberty is worth a whole eternity in bondage. Joseph Addison
42
And pleas'd th' Almighty's orders to perform. Rides in the whirlwind and directs the storm. Joseph Addison
43
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. Joseph Addison
44
Rides in the whirlwind and directs the storm. Joseph Addison
45
We are growing serious and let me tell you that's a very next step to being dull. Joseph Addison
46
Irresolution on the schemes of life I which offer themselves to our choice and inconstancy in pursuing them are the greatest causes of all unhappiness. Joseph Addison
47
Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains losses and disappointments but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures. Joseph Addison
48
Should the whole frame of nature round him break, In ruin and confusion hurled, He, unconcerned, would hear the mighty crack, And stand secure amidst a falling world. Joseph Addison
49
Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. Joseph Addison
50
If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius. Joseph Addison
51
The stars shall fade away, the sun himself Grow dim with age, and nature sink in years, But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth, Unhurt amidst the wars of elements, The wrecks of matter, and the crush of worlds. Joseph Addison
52
To be perfectly just is an attribute of the divine nature; to be so to the utmost of our abilities, is the glory of man. Joseph Addison
53
Man is subject to innumerable pains and sorrows by the very condition of humanity, and yet, as if nature had not sown evils enough in life, we are continually adding grief to grief and aggravating the common calamity by our cruel treatment of one another. Joseph Addison
54
Mutability of temper and inconsistency with ourselves is the greatest weakness of human nature. Joseph Addison
55
Men may change their climate, but they cannot change their nature. A man that goes out a fool cannot ride or sail himself into common sense. Joseph Addison
56
Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures. Joseph Addison
57
True happiness arises, in the first place, from the enjoyment of one's self, and in the next, from the friendship and conversation of a few select companions. Joseph Addison
58
The utmost extent of man's knowledge, is to know that he knows nothing. Joseph Addison
59
Courage that grows from constitution often forsakes a man when he has occasion for it courage which arises from a sense of duty acts in a uniform manner. Joseph Addison
60
A cloudy day or a little sunshine have as great an influence on many constitutions as the most recent blessings or misfortunes. Joseph Addison
61
Cheerfulness is the best promoter of health and is as friendly to the mind as to the body. Joseph Addison
62
I will indulge my sorrows, and give way to all the pangs and fury of despair. Joseph Addison
63
To be an atheist requires an indefinitely greater measure of faith than to recieve all the great truths which atheism would deny. Joseph Addison
64
I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs. Joseph Addison
65
Everything that is new or uncommon raises a pleasure in the imagination, because it fills the soul with an agreeable surprise, gratifies its curiosity, and gives it an idea of which it was not before possessed. Joseph Addison
66
The greatest sweetener of human life is Friendship. To raise this to the highest pitch of enjoyment, is a secret which but few discover. Joseph Addison
67
What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul. Joseph Addison
68
A man should always consider how much he has more than he wants. Joseph Addison
69
Animals, in their generation, are wiser than the sons of men; but their wisdom is confined to a few particulars, and lies in a very narrow compass. Joseph Addison
70
No oppression is so heavy or lasting as that which is inflicted by the perversion and exorbitance of legal authority. Joseph Addison
71
A woman seldom asks advice before she has bought her wedding clothes. Joseph Addison