JOSEPH ADDISON QUOTES II

English essayist, poet & playwright (1672-1719)

Justice is that which is practiced by God himself, and to be practiced in its perfection by none but him. Omniscience and omnipotence are requisite for the full exertion of it.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Guardian, Jul. 4, 1713

Tags: justice, God


The friendships of the world are oft confederacies in vice, or leagues of pleasure.

JOSEPH ADDISON

Cato

Tags: friendship, vice


Men who profess a state of neutrality in times of public danger, desert the common interest of their fellow subjects; and act with independence to that constitution into which they are incorporated. The safety of the whole requires our joint endeavours. When this is at stake, the indifferent are not properly a part of the community; or rather are like dead limbs, which are an encumbrance to the body, instead of being of use to it.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Freeholder, Feb. 3, 1716

Tags: neutrality


There is no character more frequently given to a writer than that of being a genius. I have heard many a little sonneteer called a fine genius. There is not a heroic scribbler in the nation that has not his admirers who think him a great genius; and as for your smatterers in tragedy, there is scarce a man among them who is not cried up by one or other for a prodigious genius.

JOSEPH ADDISON

"Genius", Essays and Tales

Tags: genius


Ladies are always of great use to the party they espouse, and never fail to win over numbers to it. Lovers, according to Sir William Petty's computation, make at least the third part of sensible men of the British nation; and it has been an uncontroverted maxim in all ages, that though a husband is sometimes a stubborn sort of a creature, a lover is always at the devotion of his mistress. By this means, it lies in the power of every fine woman, to secure at least half a dozen able-bodied men to his Majesty's service.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Freeholder, Jan. 2, 1716

Tags: women, political parties


When all thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view I'm lost,
In wonder, love and praise.

JOSEPH ADDISON

Hymn

Tags: mercy


When time itself shall be no more / And all things in confusion hurl'd / Music shall then exert it's power / And sound survive the ruins of the world / Then saints and angels shall agree / In one eternal jubilee / All Heaven shall echo with their hymns divine / And God himself with pleasure see / The whole creation in a chorus join.

JOSEPH ADDISON

Song for St. Cecilia's Day

Tags: music, Heaven


A common civility to an impertinent fellow, often draws upon one a great many unforeseen troubles; and if one doth not take particular care, will be interpreted by him as an overture of friendship and intimacy.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Tatler, Apr. 18, 1710


Of all the diversions of life, there is none so proper to fill up its empty spaces as the reading of useful and entertaining authors.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Spectator, Jun. 18, 1711

Tags: reading


The greatest reformation should be among those who have been the greatest sinners.

JOSEPH ADDISON

attributed, Day's Collacon

Tags: reform


There are a sort of knight-errants in the world, who, quite contrary to those in romance, are perpetually seeking adventures to bring virgins into distress, and to ruin innocence. When men of rank and figure pass away their lives in these criminal pursuits and practices, they ought to consider that they render themselves more vile and despicable than any innocent man can be, whatever low station his fortune or birth have placed him in.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Guardian, Aug. 1, 1713


There is no virtue so truly great and godlike as justice.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Guardian, Jul. 4, 1713

Tags: justice


Though there is a benevolence due to all mankind, none can question but a superior degree of it is to be paid to a father, a wife, or child. In the same manner, though our love should reach to the whole species, a greater proportion of it should exert itself towards that community in which Providence has placed us. This is our proper sphere of action, the province allotted us for the exercise of our civil virtues, and in which alone we have opportunities of expressing our goodwill to mankind.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Freeholder, Jan. 6, 1716


Exercise ferments the humors, casts them into their proper channels, throws off redundancies, and helps nature in those secret distributions, without which the body cannot subsist in its vigor, nor the soul act with cheerfulness.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Spectator, Jul. 12, 1711

Tags: exercise


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.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Freeholder, Jan. 9, 1716


It is the duty of all who make philosophy the entertainment of their lives, to turn their thoughts to practical schemes for the good of society, and not pass away their time in fruitless searches, which tend rather to the ostentation of knowledge than the service of life.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Tatler, Dec. 9, 1710

Tags: philosophy


Rais'd of themselves, their genuine charms they boast
And those who paint 'em truest praise 'em most.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Campaign

Tags: painting


There is no virtue so truly great and godlike as justice.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Guardian, Jul. 4, 1713

Tags: justice


A man who takes delight in hearing the faults of others, shows sufficiently that he has a true relish of scandal, and consequently the seeds of this vice within him. If his mind is gratified with hearing the reproaches which are cast on others, he will find the same pleasure in relating them, and be the more apt to do it, as he will naturally imagine every one he converses with is delighted in the same manner with himself.

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Spectator, September 15, 1714

Tags: scandal


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

JOSEPH ADDISON

The Spectator, Feb. 2, 1712

Tags: criticism