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

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

  Joseph Addison

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

  Joseph Addison

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• See in what peace a Christian can die.

  Joseph Addison

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

  Joseph Addison

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• 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

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

  Joseph Addison

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

  Joseph Addison

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• 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

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

  Joseph Addison

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

  Joseph Addison

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

  Joseph Addison

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

  Joseph Addison

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

  Joseph Addison

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

  Joseph Addison

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• 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

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• 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

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• 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

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

  Joseph Addison

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

  Joseph Addison

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Joseph Addison (127)

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

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• 1997 - Eugenie Anderson
• 1950 - Leon Blum
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• 1994 - William Arthur Ward
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