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Alexander Pope quotes (86) True politeness consists in being easy ones self and in making every one about one as easy as one can. Alexander Pope Category: Courtesy Like bubbles on the sea of matter borne They rise they break and to that sea return. Alexander Pope Category: Death Not always actions show the man; we find Who does a kindness is not therefore kind. Alexander Pope Category: Kindness The bookful blockhead ignorantly read With loads of learned lumber in his head. Alexander Pope Category: If Trust not yourself but your defects to know make use of every friend and every foe. Alexander Pope Category: Self When much dispute has past we find our tenets just the same at last. Alexander Pope Category: Argument A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong which is but saying in other words that he is wiser today than he was yesterday. Alexander Pope Category: Error The fate of all extremes is such Men may be read as well as books too much. To observations which ourselves we make We grow more partial for th observers sake. Alexander Pope Category: Character Honor and shame from no condition rise; Act well your part there all the honor lies. Alexander Pope Category: Acquaintance To pardon those absurdities in ourselves which we condemn in others is neither better nor worse than to be more willing to be fools ourselves than to have others so. Alexander Pope Category: Absurd What can ennoble sots or slaves or cowards? Alas! not all the blood of all the Howards. Alexander Pope Category: Unsorted In words as fashions the same rule will hold Alike fantastic if too new or old: Be not the first by whom the new are tried Nor yet the last to lay the old aside. Alexander Pope Category: Fashion To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves. Alexander Pope Category: Anger Careless of censure nor too fond of fame Still pleased to praise yet not afraid to blame Averse alike to flatter or offend Not free from faults nor yet too vain to mend. Alexander Pope Category: Criticism Tis education forms the common mind: Just as the twig is bent the trees inclined. Alexander Pope Category: Common Why has not man a microscopic eye? For this plain reason: man is not a fly. Alexander Pope Category: Eyes One who is too wise an observer of the business of others like one who is too curious in observing the labor of bees will often be stung for his curiosity. Alexander Pope Category: Bee True wit is Nature to advantage dressd What oft was thought but neer so well expressd. Alexander Pope Category: Wit Some people will never learn anything for this reason because they understand everything too soon. Alexander Pope Category: Learn Of manners gentle of affections mild In wit a man simplicity a child. Alexander Pope Category: Manners Hope travels through nor quits us when we die. Alexander Pope Category: Hope Soft is the strain when zephyr gently blows And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows; But when loud surges lash the sounding shore The hoarse rough verse should like the torrent roar. When Ajax strives some rocks vast weight to throw The line too labours and the words move slow: Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain Flies oer th unbending corn and skims along the main. Alexander Pope Category: Poetry Who combats bravely is not therefore brave He dreads a death-bed like the meanest slave: Who reasons wisely is not therefore wise His pride in reasoning not in acting lies. Alexander Pope Category: Reason An atheist is but a mad ridiculous derider of piety but a hypocrite makes a sober jest of God and religion; he finds it easier to be upon his knees than to rise to a good action. Alexander Pope Category: Atheism Fixd like a plant on his peculiar spot To draw nutrition propagate and rot. Alexander Pope Category: Man Just as the twig is bent the tree is inclined. Alexander Pope Category: Children Chaos of thought and passion all confused; Still by himself abused or disabused; Created half to rise and half to fall; Great lord of all things yet a prey to all; Sole judge of truth in endless error hurled The glory jest and riddle of the world. Alexander Pope Category: Housework When men grow virtuous in their old age they only make a sacrifice to God of the devil's leavings. Alexander Pope Category: Virtue One science only will one genius fit: So vast is art so narrow human wit. Alexander Pope Category: Genius All gardening is landscape painting. Alexander Pope Category: Flower At every word a reputation dies. Alexander Pope Category: Word If to her share some female errors fall Look on her face and youll forget them all. Alexander Pope Category: Beauty To err is human to forgive divine. Alexander Pope Category: Diversity A little learning is a dang'rous thing; Drink deep or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain And drinking largely sobers us again. Alexander Pope Category: Alcohol To observations which ourselves we make We grow more partial for th observers sake. Alexander Pope Category: Neutral Whoever thinks a faultless piece to see Thinks what neer was nor is nor eer shall be. Alexander Pope Category: Imperfection Tis with our judgments as our watchesnone Go just alike yet each believes his own. Alexander Pope Category: Alike All nature is but art unknown to thee; All chance direction which thou canst not see; All discord harmony not understood; All partial evil universal good; And spite of pride in erring reasons spite One truth is clear Whatever is is right. Alexander Pope Category: Right Vice is a monster of so frightful mien As to be hated needs but to be seen; Yet seen to oft familiar with her face We first endure then pity then embrace. Alexander Pope Category: Vice It is with narrow-souled people as with narrow-necked bottles; the less they have in them the more noise they make in pouring out. Alexander Pope Category: Less She who ne'er answers till a husband cools Or if she rules him never shows she rules; Charms by accepting by submitting sways Yet has her humor most when she obeys. Alexander Pope Category: Humor Nor Fame I slight nor for her favors call; She comes unlooked for if she comes at all . Alexander Pope Category: False As some to church repair Not for the doctrine but the music there. These equal syllables alone require Though oft the ear the open vowels tire While expletives their feeble aid do join And ten low words oft creep in one dull line. Alexander Pope Category: Church On lifes vast ocean diversely we sail Reason the card but passion is the gale. Alexander Pope Category: Passion Who breaks a butterfly on a wheel? Alexander Pope Category: Butterfly Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends. Alexander Pope Category: Dog Coffee which makes the politician wise And see through all things with his half-shut eyes. Alexander Pope Category: Coffee The spiders touch how exquisitely fine! Feels at each thread and lives along the line. Alexander Pope Category: Live Teach me to feel another's woe To hide the fault I see; That mercy I to others show That mercy show to me. Alexander Pope Category: Mercy The ruling Passion be it what it will The ruling Passion conquers Reason still. Alexander Pope Category: Conquer Damn with faint praise assent with civil leer And without sneering teach the rest to sneer; Willing to wound and yet afraid to strike Just hint a fault and hesitate dislike. Alexander Pope Category: Fault Judge not of actions by their mere effect; Dive to the center and the cause detect. Great deeds from meanest springs may take their course And smallest virtues from a mighty source. Alexander Pope Category: Action In lazy apathy let stoics boast Their virtue fixd: t is fixd as in a frost; Contracted all retiring to the breast; But strength of mind is exercise not rest. Alexander Pope Category: Stoic Men would be angels angels would be gods. Alexander Pope Category: Control But when to mischief mortals bend their will How soon they find fit instruments of ill! Alexander Pope Category: Wickedness The people voice is odd It is and it is not the voice of God. Alexander Pope Category: People A wit s a feather and a chief a rod; An honest man s the noblest work of God. Alexander Pope Category: Honest True ease in writing comes from art not chance As those move easiest who have learnd to dance. T is not enough no harshness gives offence The sound must seem an echo to the sense. Alexander Pope Category: Art Some judge of authors names not works and then Nor praise nor blame the writings but the men. Alexander Pope Category: Author True friendships laws are by this rule expressed Welcome the coming speed the parting guest. Alexander Pope Category: Guest Order is nature's first law. Alexander Pope Category: Order Some praise at morning what they blame at night But always think the last opinion right. Alexander Pope Category: Opinion Not to go back is somewhat to advance and men must walk at least before they dance. Alexander Pope Category: Progress Fools admire but men of sense approve. Alexander Pope Category: Administration Many men have been capable of doing a wise thing More a cunning thing but very few a generous thing. Alexander Pope Category: Capable Genuine religion is not so much a matter of feeling as a matter of principle. Alexander Pope Category: War You eat in dreams the custard of the day. Alexander Pope Category: Dream Blessed is the man who expects nothing for he shall never be disappointed. Alexander Pope Category: Disappointment Here am I dying of a hundred good symptoms. Alexander Pope Category: Last Of all the causes which conspire to blind Mans erring judgment and misguide the mind; What the weak head with strongest bias rules Is pride the never-failing vice of fools. Alexander Pope Category: Pride Heaven from all creatures hides the book of Fate All but the page prescribd their present state. Alexander Pope Category: Heaven For fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Alexander Pope Category: Fool Satires my weapon but Im too discreet To run amuck and tilt at all I meet. Alexander Pope Category: Satire Most women have no characters at all. Alexander Pope Category: Woe Men must be taught as if you taught them not And things unknown proposd as things forgot. Alexander Pope Category: Teach The hungry judges soon the sentence sign And wretches hang that jurymen may dine. Alexander Pope Category: Justice Absent or dead still let a friend be dear. Alexander Pope Category: Absent Love free as air at sight of human ties Spreads his light wings and in a moment flies. Alexander Pope Category: Love Nature and Natures laws lay hid in Night God said Let Newton be! And all was Light. Alexander Pope Category: Epitaphs Statesman yet friend to truth! of soul sincere In action faithful and in honour clear; Who broke no promise servd no private end Who gaind no title and who lost no friend. Alexander Pope Category: Statesman Words are like leaves; and where they most abound Much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found. Alexander Pope Category: Sense Who sees with equal eye as God of all A hero perish or a sparrow fall Atoms or systems into ruin hurld And now a bubble burst and now a world. Alexander Pope 1688-1744 Essay on Man Category: Unsorted For forms of government let fools contest; Whateer is best administerd is best. For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight; His cant be wrong whose life is in the right. In faith and hope the world will disagree But all mankinds concern is charity. Alexander Pope Category: Government Say first of God above or man below What can we reason but from what we know? Alexander Pope Category: God Charms strike the sight but merit wins the soul. Alexander Pope Category: Charm Tis but a part we see and not a whole. Alexander Pope Category: All |
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