black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

The only way therefore to try a Piece of Wit, is to translate it into a different Language: If it bears the Test you may pronounceit true; but if it vanishes in the Experiment you may conclude it to have been a Punn.

Joseph Addison

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

Difference First Great Know Out Pick Suppress Word Thought
An evil intention perverts the best actions, and makes them sins.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Action Evil Intention Make Prevent Sin
In private conversation between intimate friends, the wisest men very often talk like the weakest : for indeed the talking with a friend is nothing else but thinking aloud.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Conversation Friend Men Often Private Talk Thinking Weakest Wise
I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings and strictly honest, who complained of hard luck.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Character Complaints Hard Honesty Luck Man Men Prudent Strictly Work
On you, my lord, with anxious fear I wait, and from your judgment must expect my fate.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Anxiety Fate Fear Judgment Lord Waiting
There are many more shining qualities in the mind of man, but there is none so useful as discretion.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Discretion Man Mind Quality Shining Useful
If men of eminence are exposed to censure on one hand, they are as much liable to flattery on the other. If they receive reproaches which are not due to them, they likewise receive praises which they do not deserve.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Ensure Expose Flatter Flattery Hand Liable Men Other
A man must be both stupid and uncharitable who believes there is no virtue or truth but on his own side.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Believe Own Side Stupid Uncharitable War
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

Drinking Enemy Form Glasses Prescribe Quote Say
Content thyself to be obscurely good.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Content Good Obscurely Thyself
No oppression is so heavy or lasting as that which is inflicted by the perversion and exorbitance of legal authority.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Authority Exorbitance Inflict Legal Oppression Political Politics Prevention
A man who has any relish for fine writing either discovers new beauties or receives stronger impressions from the masterly strokes of a great author every time he peruses him; besides that he naturally wears himself into the same manner of speaking and thinking.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Beauty Discover Impression Mastery Men Reading Stroke Stronger Writing
A solid and substantial greatness of soul looks down with neglect on the censures and applauses of the multitude.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Applause Down Greatness Look Multitude Neglect Soul
When a woman comes to her class, she does not employ her time in making herself look more advantageously what she really is, but endeavours to be as much another creature as she possibly can.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Advantageously Class Come Employ Long Maturity Really Women
According to this definition there is nothing so contradictory to his nature as error and falsehood.
JOSEPH ADDISON

According Contradictory Definition Error Falsehood Nature
The greatest sweetener of human life is Friendship. To raise this to the highest pitch of enjoyment, is a secret which but few discover.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Discover Enjoy Friend Friendship Highest Real Secret

The only way therefore to try a Piece of Wit, is to translate it into a different Language: If it bears the Test you may pronounceit true; but if it vanishes in the Experiment you may conclude it to have been a Punn.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

The only way therefore to try a Piece of Wit, is to translate it into a different Language: If it bears the Test you may pronounceit true; but if it vanishes in the Experiment you may conclude it to have been a Punn.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Joseph Addison Quotes