Quotes from Joseph Addison

Nature in her whole drama never drew such a part; she has sometimes made a fool, but a coxcomb is always of a man's own making.

The jealous man's disease is of so malignant a nature, that it converts all it takes into its own nourishment.

Guard thy heart on this weak side, where most our nature fails.

A good disposition is more valuable than gold, for the latter is the gift of fortune, but the former is the dower of nature.

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.

What pity is it That we can die, but once to serve our country.

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

See in what peace a Christian can die.

A man who is furnished with arguments from the mint will convince his antagonist much sooner than one who draws them from reason and philosophy.

Thy steady temper, Portius, Can look on guilt, rebellion, fraud, and Cæsar, In the calm lights of mild philosophy.

One should take good care not to grow too wise for so great a pleasure of life as laughter.

Nothing is more gratifying to the mind of man than power or dominion.

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.

It must be a prospect pleasing to God Himself to see His creation forever beautifying in His eyes, and drawing nearer Him by greater degrees of resemblance.

God discovers the martyr and confessor without the trial of flames and tortures, and will hereafter entitle many to the reward of actions which they had never the opportunity of performing.

The moral perfections of the Deity, the more attentively, we consider, the more perfectly still shall we know them.

It is folly to seek the approbation of any being besides the Supreme.

The unassuming youth seeking instruction with humility gains good fortune.

Good nature will always supply the absence of beauty; but beauty cannot supply the absence of good nature.

But in all despotic governments, though a particular prince may favour arts and letter, there is a natural degeneracy of mankind.

The great art in writing advertisements is the finding out of a proper method to catch the reader's eye; without which, a good thing may pass over unobserved, or lost among commissions of bankrupt.

Many actions calculated to procure fame are not conducive to ultimate happiness.

Suspicion is not less an enemy to virtue than to happiness; he that is already corrupt is naturally suspicious, and he that becomes suspicious will quickly be corrupt.

Marriage enlarges the Scene of our Happiness and Miseries.