Read the most famous Joseph Addison quotes that offer his timeless wisdom and profound insights into human behavior and the pursuit of a virtuous life.
Joseph Addison was a prominent English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician, best known for his contributions to English literature and periodical writing in the early 18th century.
Born in Milston, Wiltshire, Addison was a key figure in the Enlightenment Era who co-founded the influential periodicals The Tatler and The Spectator with his friend Richard Steele.
Through these publications, he popularized the essay as a literary form and explored topics like literature, morality, and society. His elegant prose, wit, and moral insights defined the style of polite conversation, marking the end of the ornate style of the 17th century.
Some of his famous works include, ‘Dialogue on Medals,’ ‘Cato, a Tragedy,’ and ‘Account of the Greatest English Poets,’ besides many others.
His poem “The Campaign,” celebrating the Battle of Blenheim, brought him widespread recognition and paved the way for his political career.
In addition to his literary achievements, Addison held several important government positions, including Secretary of State for the Southern Department.
Joseph Addison’s legacy continues through his books, essays, letters, and poems, making him a timeless figure in English literature and journalism.
Here are the best Joseph Addison quotes on life, love, virtue, justice, education, and more to help you live a more meaningful life.
Top 10 Joseph Addison Quotes
- “The love of a family is life’s greatest blessing.” — Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison Quotes - “The greatest sweetener of human life is friendship.” — Joseph Addison
Quotes By Joseph Addison - “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” — Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison Sayings - “Arguments out of a pretty mouth are unanswerable.” — Joseph Addison
Famous Quotes From Joseph Addison - “Better to die ten thousand deaths than wound my honor.” — Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison Quote - “Some virtues are only seen in affliction and others only in prosperity.” — Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison Quotations - “A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world.” — Joseph Addison
Best Joseph Addison Quotes - “Cheerfulness is the best promoter of health and is as friendly to the mind as to the body.” — Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison Famous Quotes - “Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.” — Joseph Addison
- “What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.” — Joseph Addison
Inspirational Quotes From Joseph Addison
- “He who hesitates is lost.” — Joseph Addison
- “Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.” — Joseph Addison
- “Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week.” — Joseph Addison
- “There is no virtue so truly great and godlike as justice.” — Joseph Addison
- “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” — Joseph Addison
- “What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul.” — Joseph Addison
- “Love is a second life; it grows into the soul, warms every vein, and beats in every pulse.” — Joseph Addison
- “Knowledge is, indeed, that which, next to virtue, truly and essentially raises one man above another.” — Joseph Addison
- “Admiration is a very short-lived passion, that immediately decays upon growing familiar with its object.” — Joseph Addison
- “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
Best Joseph Addison Quotes
- “Their is no defense against criticism except obscurity.” — Joseph Addison
- “There is nothing which we receive with so much reluctance as advice.” — Joseph Addison
- “A man should always consider how much he has more than he wants.” — Joseph Addison
- “Nothing is more gratifying to the mind of man than power or dominion.” — Joseph Addison
- “Music, the greatest good that mortals know and all of heaven we have hear below.” — Joseph Addison
- “It is only imperfection that complains of what is imperfect. The more perfect we are the more gentle and quiet we become towards the defects of others.” — Joseph Addison
- “True happiness arises, in the first place, from the enjoyment of one’s self, and in the next, from the friendship and conversation of a few select companions.” — Joseph Addison
- “If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius.” — Joseph Addison
- “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.” — Joseph Addison
- “Books are the legacies that a great genius leaves to mankind, which are delivered down from generation to generation as presents to the posterity of those who are yet unborn.” — Joseph Addison
Famous Quotes By Joseph Addison
- “The woman that deliberates is lost.” — Joseph Addison
- “A good face is a letter of recommendation.” — Joseph Addison
- “Conspiracies no sooner should be formed Than executed.” — Joseph Addison
- “The utmost extent of man’s knowledge, is to know that he knows nothing.” — Joseph Addison
- “There is nothing in which men more deceive themselves than in what they call zeal.” — Joseph Addison
- “Content thyself to be obscurely good. When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway, The post of honor is a private station.” — Joseph Addison
- “Men may change their climate, but they cannot change their nature. A man that goes out a fool cannot ride or sail himself into common sense.” — Joseph Addison
- “O ye powers that search The heart of man, and weigh his inmost thoughts, If I have done amiss, impute it not! The best may err, but you are good.” — Joseph Addison
- “Justice is an unassailable fortress, built on the brow of a mountain which cannot be overthrown by the violence of torrents, nor demolished by the force of armies.” — Joseph Addison
- “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
Conclusion
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