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Quotes by S. Addison
81 quotations from The Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations (1896), with the subject each one is filed under.
Content thyself to be obscurely good.— filed under Obscurity
Great Pompey's shade complains that we are slow, And Scipio's ghost walks unavenged amongst us!— filed under Apparitions
Much might be said on both sides.— filed under Argument
Beauty soon grows familiar to the lover, Fades in his eye, and palls upon the sense.— filed under Beauty
Raven. The raven once in snowy plumes was drest, White as the whitest dove's unsullied breast, Fair as the guardian of the Capitol, Soft as the swan; a large and lovely fowl; His tongue, his prating tongue had changed him quite To sooty blackness from the purest white.— filed under Birds-Raven
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,— filed under Books
Young men soon give, and soon forget affronts; Old age is slow in both.— filed under Character
A. Bronson. July 30, 1838. Charity is a virtue of the heart, and not of the hands.— filed under Charity
Gifts and alms are the expressions, not the essence, of this virtue. C.— filed under Charity
A cheerful temper joined with innocence will make beauty attractive, knowledge delightful, and wit good-natured.— filed under Cheerfulness
Oh! think what anxious moments pass between The birth of plots, and their last fatal periods, Oh! 'tis a dreadful interval of time, Filled up with horror all, and big with death!— filed under Conscience
Conspiracies no sooner should be formed Than executed.— filed under Conspiracy
Content thyself to be obscurely good. When vice prevails and impious men bear sway, The post of honor is a private station.— filed under Content
Method is not less requisite in ordinary conversation than in writing, provided a man would talk to make himself understood.— filed under Conversation
The soul, secured in her existence, smiles At the drawn dagger, and defies its point.— filed under Courage
When I read rules of criticism, I immediately inquire after the works of the author who has written them, and by that means discover what it is he likes in a composition.— filed under Criticism
. I will indulge my sorrows, and give way To all the pangs and fury of despair— filed under Despair
My death and life, My bane and antidote, are both before me.— filed under Destiny
Thanks to the gods! my boy has done his duty.— filed under Duty
Let echo, too, perform her part, Prolonging every note with art; And in a low expiring strain, Play all the comfort o'er again.— filed under Echo
Eternity! thou pleasing dreadful thought! Through what variety of untried being, Through what new scenes and changes must we pass! aa.— filed under Eternity
'Tis the divinity that stirs within us; 'Tis heaven itself, that points out an hereafter, And indicates eternity to man.— filed under Eternity
Were not this desire of fame very strong, the difficulty of obtaining it, and the danger of losing it when obtained, would be sufficient to deter a man from so vain a pursuit.— filed under Fame
The dawn is overcast, the morning lowers, And heavily in clouds brings on the day, The great, the important day, big with the fate Of Cato, and of Rome.— filed under Fate
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, That there's no living with thee, nor without thee.— filed under Friends
Great souls by instinct to each other turn, Demand alliance, and in friendship burn.— filed under Friendship
The friendships of the world are oft Confederacies in vice, or leagues of pleasure; Ours has severest virtue for its basis, And such a friendship ends not but with life.— filed under Friendship
Why wilt thou add to all the griefs I suffer Imaginary ills, and fancy'd tortures?— filed under Grief
Health and cheerfulness mutually beget each other.— filed under Health
A man's first care should be to avoid the reproaches of his own heart.— filed under Heart
Better to die ten thousand deaths, Than wound my honour.— filed under Honor
The sense of honour is of so fine and delicate a nature, that it is only to be met with in minds which are naturally noble, or in such as have been cultivated by good examples, or a refined education. S.— filed under Honor
It must be so-Plato, thou reasonest well!- Else whence this pleasing hope, this fond desire, This longing after immortality? Or whence this secret dread, and inward horror, Of falling into nought? 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.— filed under Immortality
The stars shall fade away, the sun himself Grow dim with age, and nature sink in years, But thou shall flourish in immortal youth, Unhurt amidst the wars of elements, The wrecks of matter, and the crush of worlds.— filed under Immortality
On you, my lord, with anxious fear I wait, And from your judgment must expect my fate.— filed under Judgment
Justice discards party, friendship, kindred, and is therefore always represented as blind.— filed under Justice
There is no virtue so truly great and godlike as justice.— filed under Justice
Knowledge is, indeed, that which, next to virtue, truly and essentially raises one man above another.— filed under Knowledge
A day, an hour, of virtuous liberty Is worth a whole eternity in bondage.— filed under Liberty
Mysterious love, uncertain treasure, Hast thou more of pain or pleasure! Endless torments dwell about thee: Yet who would live, and live without thee!— filed under Love
When love once pleads admission to our hearts, (In spite of all the virtue we can boast), The woman that deliberates is lost.— filed under Love
When love's well-timed 'tis not a fault to love; The strong, the brave, the virtuous, and the wise, Sink in the soft captivity together.— filed under Love
Blesses his stars, and thinks it luxury.— filed under Luxury
When all thy mercies, O my God, My rising soul surveys, Transported with the view I'm lost, In wonder, love and praise.— filed under Mercy
Thy father's merit sets thee up to view, And shows thee in the fairest point of light, To make thy virtues, or thy faults, conspicuous.— filed under Merit
MOON (THE). Soon as the evening shades prevail, The moon takes up the wondrous tale, And nightly to the listening earth Repeats the story of her birth.— filed under Monuments
Music religious heat inspires, It wakes the soul, and lifts it high, And wings it with sublime desires, And fits it to bespeak the Deity.— filed under Music
If there's a power above us, (and that there is all nature cries aloud Through all her works) he must delight in virtue.— filed under Nature
Authorship. The circumstance which gives authors an advantage above all these great masters, is this, that they can multiply their originals; or rather, can make copies of their works, to what number they please, which shall be as valuable as the originals themselves.— filed under Occupations-Alchemy
Summer. L. 142. Journalism. Advertisements are of great use to the vulgar. First of all, as they are instruments of ambition. A man that is by no means big enough for the Gazette, may easily creep into the advertisements; by which means we often see an apothecary in the same paper of news with a plenipotentiary, or a running footman with an ambassador.— filed under Occupations-Jeweler
* * * earnestly advise them I would for their good to order this paper to be punctually served up, and to be looked upon as a part of the tea equipage.— filed under Occupations-Jeweler
The great art in writing advertisements is the finding out a proper method to catch the reader's eye; without which a good thing may pass over unobserved, or be lost among commissions of bankrupt.— filed under Occupations-Jeweler
They consume a considerable quantity of our paper manufacture, employ our artisans in printing, and find business for great numbers of indigent persons.— filed under Occupations-Jeweler
Painting. And those who paint 'em truest praise 'em most.— filed under Occupations-Navigation
Shoemaking. A cobbler, *** produced several new grins of his own invention, having been used to cut faces for many years together over his last.— filed under Occupations-Shoemaking
Who would not be that youth? What pity is it That we can die but once to save our country!— filed under Patriotism
God, to Thee! Yet then from all my grief, O Lord, Thy mercy set me free, Whilst in the confidence of pray'r My soul took hold on thee.— filed under Prayer
And pleas'd th' Almighty's orders to perform, Rides in the whirlwind and directs the storm. ee.— filed under Providence
See they suffer death, But in their deaths remember they are men, Strain not the laws to make their tortures grievous.— filed under Punishment
Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body. As by the one, health is preserved, strengthened, and invigorated by the other, virtue (which is the health of the mind) is kept alive, cherished, and confirmed.— filed under Reading
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.— filed under Repentance
From hence, let fierce contending nations know, What dire effects from civil discord flow.— filed under Results
Should the whole frame of nature round him break In ruin and confusion hurled, He, unconcerned, would hear the mighty crack, And stand secure amidst a falling world.— filed under Ruin
But silence never shows itself to so great an advantage, as when it is made the reply to calumny and defamation, provided that we give no just occasion for them.— filed under Silence
Forever singing, as they shine, The hand that made us is divine. bb.— filed under Singers
What means this heaviness that hangs upon me? This lethargy that creeps through all my senses? Nature, oppress'd and harrass'd out with care, Sinks down to rest.— filed under Sleep
SOUL (THE). But thou shalt flourish in immortal youth, Unhurt amidst the wars of elements, The wrecks of matter, and the crush of worlds.— filed under Sorrow
A thousand trills and quivering sounds In airy circles o'er us fly, Till, wafted by a gentle breeze, They faint and languish by degrees, And at a distance die.— filed under Sound
The spacious firmament on high, With all the blue ethereal sky, And spangled heavens, a shining frame, Their great Original proclaim.— filed under Stars
'Tis not in mortals to command success, But we'll do more, Sempronius, - We'll deserve it.— filed under Success
Is there not some chosen curse, Some hidden thunder in the stores of heaven, Red with uncommon wrath, to blast the man Who owes his greatness to his country's ruin?— filed under Treason
Amidst the soft variety I'm lost.— filed under Variety
Curse on his virtues! they've undone his country.— filed under Virtue
Sweet are the slumbers of the virtuous man!— filed under Virtue
A thousand glorious actions that might claim Triumphant laurels, and immortal fame, Confus'd in crowds of glorious actions lie, And troops of heroes undistinguished die.— filed under War
From hence, let fierce contending nations know What dire effects from civil discord flow.— filed under War
My voice is still for war.— filed under War
Loveliest of women! heaven is in thy soul, Beauty and virtue shine forever round thee, Bright'ning each other! thou art all divine!— filed under Woman
WORLD (THE). The wrecks of matter, and the crush of worlds.— filed under Work
Young men soon give and soon forget affronts; Old age is slow in both.— filed under Youth
There is no greater sign of a general decay of virtue in a nation, than a want of zeal in its inhabitants for the good of their country.— filed under Zeal