Alexander Pope (1688–1744) was one of the most vivid poets and extraordinary satirists to have ever written in the English language. In his remarkable career, Pope set the standard for poetry and the moral and philosophical thinking that defined his age.
Born in London to Catholic parents in Protestant England, Pope faced virulent anti-Catholic sentiment and laws. Catholics were forbidden to attend university, hold public office, own property, and even live within 10 miles of London. Pope was denied access to the best schools and a university. His aunt taught him to read, and a priest taught him Greek and Latin. At age eight, Pope was captivated by the works of Homer. Later, in his thirties, he published English translations of Homer’s Illiad (1720) and Odyssey (1726)—these works are now considered Pope’s most significant literary accomplishments.
Pope’s first literary success came just before his 23rd birthday when he published a 744-line poem called An Essay on Criticism (1711) about the history of literature. Not only did this poem make Pope famous for his attack of contemporaneous literary critics, but it also became one of the most quoted verses in the English language.
Pope was the first English poet who financially supported himself through only his writing. He was also the first English writer to have translations of his poems into other languages and become famous all over Europe—all during his lifetime. He is the second most frequently quoted writer in the English language after Shakespeare.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Alexander Pope
‘Tis education forms the common mind: just as the twig is bent the tree’s inclined.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Children, Education
It is very natural for a young friend and a young lover to think the persons they love have nothing to do but to please them.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Selfishness
It is with our judgments as with our watches: no two go just alike, yet each believes his own.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Judgment
At every word a reputation dies.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Gossip, Words
Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Loyalty, Dogs
Some old men, by continually praising the time of their youth, would almost persuade us that there were no fools in those days; but unluckily they are left themselves for examples.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Youth, Age
Absent or dead, still let a friend be dear.
—Alexander Pope
He serves me most, who serves his country best.
—Alexander Pope
True politeness consists in being easy one’s self, and in making every one about one as easy as one can.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Manners
Ten censure wrong, for one that writes amiss.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Writers, Authors & Writing, Criticism
Men must be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown propos’d as things forgot.
—Alexander Pope
Fondly we think we honor merit then, When we but praise ourselves in other men.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Praise
Be silent always when you doubt your sense.
—Alexander Pope
Some people will never learn anything, for this reason, because they understand everything too soon.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Learning
Amusement is the happiness of those who cannot think.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Pleasure, Happiness
An honest man is the noblest work of God.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Honesty, Man
The most positive men are the most credulous, since they most believe themselves, and advise most with their falsest flatterer and worst enemy,—their own self-love.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Belief
Two purposes in human nature rule. Self-love to urge, and reason to restrain.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Motivation
False happiness is like false money; it passes for a time as well as the true, and serves some ordinary occasions; but when it is brought to the touch, we find the lightness and alloy, and feel the loss.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Happiness
When we are young, we are slavishly employed in procuring something whereby we may live comfortably when we grow old; and when we are old, we I perceive it is too late to live as we proposed.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Aging, Age
Scarce any Tale was sooner heard than told;
And all who told it, added something new,
And all who heard it, made Enlargements too,
In every Ear it spread, on every Tongue it grew.
—Alexander Pope
He who tells a lie, is not sensible how great a task he undertakes; for he must be forced to invent twenty more to maintain that one.
—Alexander Pope
Remembrance and reflection how allied. What thin partitions divides sense from thought.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Memory
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Attitude, Expectation, Blessings, Belief
To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Anger, Revenge, Hatred
In faith and hope the world will disagree, but all mankind’s concern is charity.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Service, Faith, Giving, Charity, Kindness
Learning is like mercury, one of the most powerful and excellent things in the world in skillful hands; in unskillful, the most mischievous.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Learning
Party is the madness of many, for the gain of a few.
—Alexander Pope
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
The hidden harmony is better than the obvious.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Art
At every trifle, scorn to take offence; that always shows great pride, or little sense.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Pride
Talk what you will of taste, you will find two of a face as soon as two of a mind.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Taste
Many men have been capable of doing a wise thing, more a cunning thing, but very few a generous thing.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Sacrifice, Behavior
From pride, from pride, our very reas’ning springs.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Morals
They dream in courtship, but in wedlock wake.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Men, Marriage
To err is human, to forgive divine.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Forgiveness, Kindness
There is nothing meritorious but virtue and friendship.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Friendship
I believe no one qualification is so likely to make a good writer, as the power of rejecting his own thoughts.
—Alexander Pope
To err is human; to forgive, divine.
—Alexander Pope
It is with narrow-souled people as with narrow necked bottles: the less they have in them, the more noise they make in pouring it out.
—Alexander Pope
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