Joseph Addison: Trending quotes (page 5)

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Joseph Addison: 452   quotes 40   likes

“The stars shall fade away, the sun himself
Grow dim with age, and nature sink in years,
But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth,
Unhurt amidst the wars of elements,
The wrecks of matter, and the crush of worlds.”

Joseph Addison book Cato

Act V, scene i.
Cato, A Tragedy (1713)

War , Youth , Age , World

“When men are easy in their circumstances, they are naturally enemies to innovations.”

Joseph Addison

The Freeholder, no. 42.

Men , Nature

“I would… earnestly advise them for their good to order this paper to be punctually served up, and to be looked upon as a part of the tea equipage.”

Joseph Addison

No. 10 (11 March 1711).
The Spectator (1711–1714)

Parting , Tea

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

Joseph Addison

No. 574 (30 July 1714).
The Spectator (1711–1714)

“Blessings may appear under the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let him have patience, and he will see them in their proper figures.”

Joseph Addison

No. 117.
The Guardian (1713)

Pain , Disappointment , Appearance , Loss

“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.”

Joseph Addison

No. 535 (13 November 1712).
The Spectator (1711–1714)

Life , Dreams , Hope , Thinking

“To a man of pleasure every moment appears to be lost, which partakes not of the vivacity of amusement.”

Joseph Addison

Very often attributed to Addison, this is apparently a paraphrase of a statement by Hugh Blair, published in Blair's Sermons (1815), Vol. 1, p. 219, where he mentions "men of pleasure and the men of business", and that "To the former every moment appears to be lost, which partakes not of the vivacity of amusement".
Misattributed

Pleasure , Appearance

“Were I to prescribe a rule for drinking, it should be formed upon a saying quoted by Sir William Temple: the first glass for myself, the second for my friends, the third for good humor, and the fourth for mine enemies.”

Joseph Addison

No. 195 (13 October 1711).
The Spectator (1711–1714)

Quotes , Drink

“Better to die ten thousand deaths,
Than wound my honour.”

Joseph Addison book Cato

Act I, scene iv.
Cato, A Tragedy (1713)

Death

“A misery is not to be measured from the nature of the evil, but from the temper of the sufferer.”

Joseph Addison

No. 146.
The Tatler (1711–1714)

Nature , Suffering , Evil

“Tradition is an important help to history, but its statements should be carefully scrutinized before we rely on them.”

Joseph Addison

Attributed to "Addison" in A Dictionary of Thoughts : Being a Cyclopedia of Laconic Quotations from the Best Authors of the World, both Ancient and Modern (1908) edited by Tryon Edwards, p. 580, but this might be the later "Mr. Addison" who was credited with publishing Interesting Anecdotes, Memoirs, Allegories, Essays, and Poetical Fragments (1794).
Disputed

History , Help

“See in what peace a Christian can die!”

Joseph Addison

Last words, to his stepson (1719), as quoted in Conjectures on Original Composition (1759) by Edward Young
Variants:
I have sent for you that you may see in what peace a Christian may die.
As quoted in The R. I. Schoolmaster, Vol. V (1859), edited by William A. Mowry and Henry Clark, p. 71
I have sent for you that you may see how a Christian may die.
As quoted in Famous Sayings and their Authors (1906) by Edward Latham

Peace

“We are growing serious, and,
Let me tell you, that's the very next step to being dull.”

Joseph Addison

Act IV, sc. vi.
The Drummer (1716)

“I Have often thought if the minds of men were laid open, we should see but little difference between that of the wise man and that of the fool. There are infinite reveries, numberless extravagances, and a perpetual train of vanities which pass through both. The great difference is, that the first knows how to pick and cull his thoughts for conversation, by suppressing some, and communicating others; whereas the other lets them all indifferently fly out in words.”

Joseph Addison

No. 225.
The Tatler (1711–1714)

Men , Fools , Communication , Flying

“A little nonsense now and then
Is relished by the wisest men.”

Joseph Addison

This appears to be an anonymous proverb of unknown authorship, only occasionally attributed to Addison.
Misattributed

Men

“In all thy humours, 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.”

Joseph Addison

Spectator, No. 68.
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)

“The ideal man bears the accidents of life
With dignity and grace, the best of circumstances.”

Joseph Addison book Cato

Act V, scene i.
Cato, A Tragedy (1713)

Courageous , Life

“Mere bashfulness without merit is awkward; and merit without modesty, insolent. But modest merit has a double claim to acceptance, and generally meets with as many patrons as beholders.”

Joseph Addison

No. 231 (24 November 1711).
The Spectator (1711–1714)

“To my confusion, and eternal grief,
I must approve the sentence that destroys me.”

Joseph Addison book Cato

Act III, scene ii.
Cato, A Tragedy (1713)

“Love is not to be reason'd down, or lost
In high ambition, and a thirst of greatness;
'Tis second life, it grows into the soul,
Warms every vein, and beats in every pulse.”

Joseph Addison book Cato

Act I, scene i.
Cato, A Tragedy (1713)

Love , Life , Soul