93 Notable Quotes By Alexander Pope, The Author Of The Dunciad
Alexander Pope was a poet and translator from England who lived from 1688 to 1744 and is often regarded as one of the greatest literary figures in the history of English literature. Pope had to endure several health scares throughout his childhood but he continued to write and in 1709, his work Pastorals was published that made him a household name in literary circles shortly after. Two years later, he wrote An Essay on Criticism that was also a hit among the audiences. Some of his most noted works include ‘An Essay on Man’, ‘An Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady’, ‘The Temple of Fame: A Vision’, ‘Windsor Forest’, ‘Messiah’, ‘The Duncaid’ and ‘An Essay on Criticism’ among others. On the other hand, he was an accomplished linguist, who translated two of the greatest epics in Greek literature, ‘Iliad’ and ‘Oddysey’, into English. Pope was also responsible for having made extensive use of the heroic couplet in his works and that had made him one of the most quotable authors in the history of the English language. According to The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, he stands second only to William Shakespeare in terms of frequency. Here are some of his notable quotes.
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
To err is human, to forgive, divine.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.
How happy is the blameless vestal’s lot! The world forgetting, by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! Each pray’r accepted, and each wish resign’d
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. So is a lot.
A man should never be ashamed to own that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying in other words that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.
What Reason weaves, by Passion is undone.
A little learning is a dangerous thing. Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring; There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again.
Act well your part; there all the honour lies.
If you want to know what God thinks about money just look at the people He gives it to.
Hope springs eternal in the human breast; Man never Is, but always To be blest. The soul, uneasy, and confin'd from home, Rests and expatiates in a life to come.
Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll; Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.
You purchase pain with all that joy can give and die of nothing but a rage to live.
Vice is a monster of so frightful mien As to be hated needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace.
Words are like Leaves; and where they most abound, Much Fruit of Sense beneath is rarely found.
Some people will never learn anything, for this reason, because they understand everything too soon.
True ease in writing comes from art, not chance, As those move easiest who have learn'd to dance.
Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.
Our judgments, like our watches, none go just alike, yet each believes his own
To wake the soul by tender strokes of art, To raise the genius, and to mend the heart
Death, only death, can break the lasting chain; And here, ev'n then, shall my cold dust remain
If I am right, Thy grace impart Still in the right to stay; If I am wrong, O, teach my heart To find that better way!
No woman ever hates a man for being in love with her; but mainly a woman hates a man for being her friend.
The world forgetting, by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night: God said, Let Newton be! and all was light.
And die of nothing but a rage to live
Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.
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.
Of all the causes which conspire to blind Man's erring judgement, and misguide the mind, What the weak head with strongest bias rules, Is PRIDE, the never-failing vice of fools.
