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
creatures perverse
These widows, sir, are the most perverse creatures in the world.
blue firmament great original shining
The spacious firmament on high, / And all the blue ethereal sky, / And spangled heavens, a shining frame, / Their great Original proclaim.
cheerfulness daylight filling keeps perpetual serenity steady
Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, filling it with a steady and perpetual serenity
half
He thought he was a wit, and he was half right.
agreeable air amiable beauty certain conversation gives good nature
Good nature is more agreeable in conversation than wit, and gives a certain air to the countenance which is more amiable than beauty
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
angry consider far feeling less men
If men would consider not so much where they differ, as wherein they agree, there would be far less of uncharitableness and angry feeling in the world
bosom brother caution elder experience guardian hope perseverance success wise wish
If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother and hope your guardian genius.
desire fond longing pleasing thou
It must be so - Plato, thou reason'st well! -/ Else whence this pleasing hope, this fond desire, / This longing after immortality?
criticize himself man ridiculous works
It is ridiculous for any man to criticize the works of another if he has not distinguished himself by his own performances
gift gravity men-and-women vivacity
As vivacity is the gift of women, gravity is that of men.
blessings cloudy great influence
A cloudy day, or a little sunshine, have as great an influence on many constitutions as the most real blessings or misfortunes
consider man might unhappy
A man should always consider how much more unhappy he might be than he is
avoid care escape next
A man's first care should be to avoid the reproaches of his own heart, and his next to escape the censures of the world.