“Discretion is a perfection of reason, and a guide to us in all the duties of life.”

— Joseph Addison, The Spectator, No. 225 (17 November 1711)

About Joseph Addison

1672 – 1719

English essayist, poet and politician, co-founder of 'The Spectator' and author of the tragedy 'Cato' (1713).

“And such a friendship ends not but with life.”

“'Tis not in mortals to command success, but we'll do more, Sempronius; we'll deserve it.”

“True happiness is of a retired nature, and an enemy to pomp and noise.”

“The wise man will live as long as he ought, not as long as he can.”

“The universe is flux, life is opinion.”

“The young have exalted notions, because they have not been humbled by life or learned its necessary limitations.”

“I want to know whether I can live with what I know and with that alone.”

“When Life does not find a singer to sing her heart she produces a philosopher to speak her mind.”

“You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you.”