Quotes By Joseph Addison

A man must be both stupid and uncharitable who believes there is no virtue or truth but on his own side.

There is nothing more requisite in business than despatch.

Books are the legacies that a great genius leaves to mankind, which are delivered down from generation to generation as presents to the posterity of those who are yet unborn.

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.

The utmost extent of man's knowledge, is to know that he knows nothing.

There is not a more unhappy being than a superannuated idol.

I have somewhere met with the epitaph on a charitable man which has pleased me very much. I cannot recollect the words, but here is the sense of it: "What I spent I lost; what I possessed is left to others; what I gave away remains with me."

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.

Mere bashfulness without merit is awkwardness.

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.

A just and reasonable modesty does not only recommend eloquence, but sets off every great talent which a man can be possessed of.

With regard to donations always expect the most from prudent people, who keep their own accounts.

A man should always consider how much he has more than he wants.

Justice is an unassailable fortress, built on the brow of a mountain which cannot be overthrown by the violence of torrents, nor demolished by the force of armies.

It is folly for an eminent man to think of escaping censure, and a weakness to be affected with it. All the illustrious persons of antiquity, and indeed of every age in the world, have passed through this fiery persecution.

A true critic ought to dwell upon excellencies rather than imperfections, to discover the concealed beauties of a writer, and communicate to the world such things as are worth their observation.

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.

The woman that deliberates is lost.

Music, the greatest good that mortals know and all of heaven we have hear below.

Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life.

The Mind that lies fallow but a single Day, sprouts up in Follies that are only to be killed by a constant and assiduous Culture.

The unjustifiable severity of a parent is loaded with this aggravation, that those whom he injures are always in his sight.

Cheerfulness is the best promoter of health and is as friendly to the mind as to the body.

Some virtues are only seen in affliction and others only in prosperity.

The fear of death often proves mortal, and sets people on methods to save their Lives, which infallibly destroy them.

If we may believe our logicians, man is distinguished from all other creatures by the faculty of laughter. He has a heart capable of mirth, and naturally disposed to it.

If we hope for what we are not likely to possess, we act and think in vain, and make life a greater dream and shadow than it really is.

The important question is not, what will yield to man a few scattered pleasures, but what will render his life happy on the whole amount.

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.

A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world.