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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

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
Among all kinds of Writing, there is none in which Authors are more apt to miscarry than in Works of Humour, as there is none in which they are more ambitious to excel.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Ambitious Kind Literature None Writing
A day, an hour, of virtuous liberty Is worth a whole eternity in bondage.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Bondage Day Eternity Hour Liberty Virtue
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
The voice of reason is more to be regarded than the bent of any present inclination; since inclination will at length come over to reason, though we can never force reason to comply with inclination.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Bent Come Inclination Length Present Reason Regard Since Voice
There is something very sublime, though very fanciful, in Plato’s description of the Supreme Being,–that truth is His body and light His shadow.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Being Error Fanciful Plato Something Supreme Truth Very
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
A man’s first care should be to avoid the reproaches of his own heart.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Care First Heart Man Reproach
What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the human soul.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Education Inspiring Marble Motivational Scripture
Animals, in their generation, are wiser than the sons of men; but their wisdom is confined to a few particulars, and lies in a very narrow compass.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Confirm Generation Lie Lying Narrow Particular Son Wisdom
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

Act Create Dream Hope Life Possess Really Shadow
Antidotes are what you take to prevent dotes.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Antidote Dotes People Stupid Take
Love is a second life; it grows into the soul, warms every vein, and beats in every pulse.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Every Life Love Pulse Soul Vein
Women were formed to temper Mankind, and sooth them into Tenderness and Compassion; not to set an Edge upon their Minds, and blowup in them those Passions which are too apt to rise of their own Accord.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Blow Compassion Edge Form Mind Passion Temper Tenderness Women
I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for their songs.
JOSEPH ADDISON

Animal Blackbird Frankly Fruit Garden Song Value
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

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.

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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

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