Joseph Addison Quotes

• One of the most important but one of the most difficult things for a powerful mind is to be its own master.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, and fills it with a steady and perpetual serenity.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Happiness

• Hunting is not a proper employment for a thinking man.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• See in what peace a Christian can die.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• I should think myself a very bad woman, if I had done what I do for a farthing less.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• There is sometimes a greater judgement shewn in deviating from the rules of art, than in adhering to them; and…there is more beauty in the works of a great genius who is ignorant of all the rules of art, than in the works of a little genius, who not only knows but scrupulously observes them.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• ‘We are always doing,’says he, ‘something for Posterity, but I would fain see Posterity do something for us.’

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• From hence, let fierce contending nations know What dire effects from civil discord flow.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• It must be so—Plato, thou reason’st well! – Else whence this pleasing hope, this fond desire, This longing after immortality? Or whence this secret dread, and inward horror, Of falling into naught ? Why shrinks the soul Back on herself, and startles at destruction ‘Tis the divinity that stirs within us; ‘Tis heaven itself, that points out an hereafter, And intimates eternity to man. Eternity! thou pleasing, dreadful thought !

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• Content thyself  to be obscurely good. When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway, The post of  honour  is a private station.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• What a pity is it That we can die but once to serve our country!

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• Curse on his virtues! they’ve undone his country.Such popular humanity is treason.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• Were you with these, my prince, you’d soon forget The pale, unripened beauties of the north.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• ’Tis pride, rank pride, and haughtiness of soul; I think the Romans call it stoicism.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• Tis not in mortals to command success, But we’ll do more, Sempronius ; we’ll deserve it.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• Our disputants put me in mind of the skuttle fish, that when he is unable to extricate himself, blackens all the water about him, till he becomes invisible.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• In Reason’s ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious voice, For ever singing, as they shine: ‘The hand that made us is divine.’

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• The spacious firmament on high, With all the blue ethereal sky, And spangled heavens, a shining frame, Their great Original proclaim. Th unwearied sun from day to day Does his Creator’s power display; And publishes to every land The work of an Almighty hand.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• We have in England a particular bashfulness in every thing that regards religion.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

• Through all Eternity to Thee A joyful Song I’ll raise, For oh! Eternity’s too short To utter all thy Praise.

  Joseph Addison

  Topics in Uncategorized

Joseph Addison (127)

Birth:	1st May, 1672
Death:	17th June, 1719
Nationality:	British
Profession:	Essayist, Poet, Politician, Playwriter

Related Authors

• Kurt Vonnegut
• Mary Shelley
• Amy Hempel
• Breyten Breytenbach
• Chuck Palahniuk
• Samuel Johnson
• Joseph Brodsky
• Wilfrid Sheed
• Richard Critchfield
• Agnes Repplier

Advertisement

Today's Anniversary - 21st May

Births

• 1917 - Raymond Burr
• 1904 - Robert Montgomery
• 1921 - Shrii Shrii Anandamurti
• 1972 - Notorious BIG
• 1973 - Noel Fielding

Deaths

• 1999 - Vanessa Brown
• 1991 - Rajiv Gandhi
• 1926 - Ronald Firbank
• 1973 - Vaughn Monroe
• 1944 - Rene Daumal