Very often attributed to Addison, this is apparently a paraphrase of a statement by Hugh Blair, published in Blair's Sermons (1815), Vol. 1, p. 219, where he mentions "men of pleasure and the men of business", and that "To the former every moment appears to be lost, which partakes not of the vivacity of amusement".
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To a man of pleasure every moment appears to be lost, which partakes not of the vivacity of amusement.
— Joseph Addison
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "To a man of pleasure every moment appears to be lost, which partakes not of the vivacity of amusement." in the context of "Very often attributed to Addison, this is apparently a paraphrase of a statement by Hugh Blair, published in Blair's Sermons (1815), Vol. 1, p. 219, where he mentions "men of pleasure and the men of business", and that "To the former every moment appears to be lost, which partakes not of the vivacity of amusement"." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Joseph Addison" (Misattributed: Alphabetized by author)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison (May 1 1672 – June 17 1719) was an English politician and writer. His name is often remembered in tandem with that of his friend, Richard Steele, with whom he founded The Spectator magazine.
About Joseph Addison
Joseph Addison (May 1 1672 – June 17 1719) was an English politician and writer. His name is often remembered in tandem with that of his friend, Richard Steele, with whom he founded The Spectator magazine.
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