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; like an impudent debtor, who goes every day to talk familiarly to his creditor, without ever paying what he owes.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Hypocrisy
Good sense, which only is the gift of Heaven, and though no science, fairly worth the seven.
—Alexander Pope
Thus let me live, unseen, unknown; thus unlamented let me die; steal from the world, and not a stone tell where I lie.
—Alexander Pope
To pardon those absurdities in ourselves which we cannot suffer in others, is neither better nor worse than to be more willing to be fools ourselves than to have others so.
—Alexander Pope
Whoever thinks a faultless piece to see, thinks what ne’er was, nor is, nor ever shall be.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Perfection
Pride is still aiming at the best houses: Men would be angels, angels would be gods. Aspiring to be gods, if angels fell; aspiring to be angels men rebel.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Ambition, Pride
As to the general design of providence, the two extremes of vice may serve to keep up the balance of things. When we speak against one capital vice, we ought to speak against its opposite; the middle betwixt both is the point for virtue.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Vice
True friendship’s laws are by this rule expressed: welcome the coming, speed the parting guest.
—Alexander Pope
See skulking Truth to her old cavern fled,
Mountains of Casuistry heap’d o’er her head!
Philosophy, that lean’d on Heav’n before,
Shrinks to her second cause, and is no more.
Physic of Metaphysic begs defence,
And Metaphysic calls for aid on Sense!
See Mystery to Mathematics fly!
—Alexander Pope
In pride, unreasoning pride, our error lies; all quit their sphere, and rush into the skies; pride still is aiming at the blest abodes; men would be angels; angels would be gods.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Reality, Opportunities, Pride
To endeavor to work upon the vulgar with fine sense is like attempting to hew blocks with a razor.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Profanity, Swearing, Vulgarity
It is with our judgments as with our watches: no two go just alike, yet each believes his own.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Judging, Judges, Judgment
A person who is too nice an observer of the business of the crowd, like one who is too curious in observing the labor of bees, will often be stung for his curiosity.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Observation, Curiosity
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
Behold the child, by nature’s kindly law, pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Children
Fix’d like a plan on his peculiar spot, to draw nutrition, propagate, and rot.
—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
But Satan now is wiser than of yore, and tempts by making rich, not making poor.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Evil, Wealth
The hidden harmony is better than the obvious.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Art
Fair tresses man’s imperial race ensnare, and beauty draws us with a single hair.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Hair
For forms of government, let fools contest; whatever is administered best is best.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Government
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
Atheists put on a false courage in the midst of their darkness and misapprehensions, like children who when they fear to go in the dark, will sing or whistle to keep up their courage.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Atheism
Nothing is more certain than that much of the force as well as grace of arguments, as well as of instructions, depends on their conciseness.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Argument
Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll; charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Beauty, Merit, Worth
A man of business may talk of philosophy; a man who has none may practise it.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Business
The best way to prove the clearness of our mind, is by showing its faults; as when a stream discovers the dirt at the bottom, it convinces us of the transparency and purity of the water.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Mind
Not to go back is somewhat to advance. And men must walk, at least, before they dance.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Progress, One Step at a Time
Conceit is to nature what paint is to beauty; it is not only needless, but it impairs what it would improve.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Conceit, Pride
Curse on all laws, but those that love has made.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Law, Lawyers
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
- John Dryden English Poet
- Francis Thompson English Poet
- Coventry Patmore English Writer
- John Milton English Poet
- John Webster English Dramatist
- Geoffrey Chaucer English Poet
- Abraham Cowley English Poet
- Elizabeth Barrett Browning English Poet
- Christopher Marlowe English Playwright
- G. K. Chesterton English Journalist
Leave a Reply