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The spectator

Book by Joseph Addison · 9 quotes · Men, Persons, Kind

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The spectator Quotes

“Hypocrisy itself does great honor, or rather justice, to religion, and tacitly acknowledges it to be an ornament to human nature. The hypocrite would not be at so much pains to put on the appearance of virtue, if he did not know it was the most proper and effectual means to gain the love and esteem of mankind.”

IfsKnowsHumansMeanDoePainJusticeVirtueMankindHuman NatureHonorGainsAppearanceEsteemAcknowledgeHypocrisyHypocriteOrnaments
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“There is a kind of grandeur and respect which the meanest and most insignificant part of mankind endeavor to procure in the little circle of their friends and acquaintance. The poorest mechanic, nay, the man who lives upon common alms, gets him his set of admirers, and delights in that superiority which he enjoys over those who are in some respects beneath him. This ambition, which is natural to the soul of man, might, methinks, receive a very happy turn; and, if it were rightly directed, contribute as much to a person's advantage, as it generally does to his uneasiness and disquiet.”

IfsMenKindLittlesPersonsDoeSoulMightTurnsEnjoyNaturalCommonMankindHe ManAmbitionAdvantageDelightCirclesEndeavorSuperiorityVery HappyMechanicInsignificantAcquaintanceGrandeurPoorestAdmirerAlmsUneasiness
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“Compassion does not only refine and civilize human nature, but has something in it more pleasing and agreeable, than what can be met with in such an indolent happiness, such an indifference to mankind, as that in which the stoics placed their wisdom. As love is the most delightful passion, pity is nothing else but love softened by a degree of sorrow: In short, it is a kind of pleasing anguish, anguish as well as generous sympathy, that knits mankind together, and blends them in the same common lot.”

HumansWellsKindDoeTogetherPassionLove IsCommonCompassionMankindHuman NatureSorrowMetsDegreesPityIndifferenceGenerousAnguishDelightful
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“It is impossible for us, who live in the latter ages of the world, to make observations in criticism, morality, or in any art or science, which have not been touched upon by others. We have little else left us but to represent the common sense of mankind in more strong, more beautiful, or more uncommon lights.”

WorldLittlesArtLightAgeBeautifulScienceLeftStrongCommonImpossibleMankindMoralityCriticismCommon SenseObservationTouchedLatterUncommon
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“It is a celebrated thought of Socrates, that if all the misfortunes of mankind were cast into a public stock, in order to be equally distributed among the whole species, those who now think themselves the most unhappy would prefer the share they are already possessed of, before that which would fall to them by such a division. [as they realise their problems could be worse!]”

IfsThinkingWholeProblemOrderFallShareMankindGratitudeSpeciesCastsUnhappyDivisionMisfortunesRealisingPossessed
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