Inspirational Quotes by Alexander Pope (English Poet)

Inspirational Quotations by Alexander Pope (English Poet)

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

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

Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Attitude, Belief, Expectation, Blessings

There is nothing meritorious but virtue and friendship.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Friendship

See dying vegetables life sustain,
See life dissolving vegetate again;
All forms that perish other forms supply;
By turns we catch the vital breath and die.
—Alexander Pope

To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Revenge, Hatred, Anger

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

Virtuous and vicious everyone must be; few in extremes, but all in degree.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Virtue, Virtues

From pride, from pride, our very reas’ning springs.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Morals

Some people will never learn anything, for this reason, because they understand everything too soon.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Learning

Ten censure wrong, for one that writes amiss.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Criticism, Authors & Writing, Writers

At every trifle, scorn to take offence; that always shows great pride, or little sense.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Pride

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

I believe no one qualification is so likely to make a good writer, as the power of rejecting his own thoughts.
—Alexander Pope

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

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

Absent or dead, still let a friend be dear.
—Alexander Pope

To err is human, to forgive divine.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Kindness, Forgiveness

Get place and wealth, if possible with grace; if not, by any means get wealth and place.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Wealth

We think our fathers fools, so wise we grow. Our wiser sons, no doubt will think us so.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Family, Fathers

The bookful blockhead ignorantly read,
With loads of learned lumber in his head,
With his own tongue still edifies his ears,
And always list’ning to himself appears.
All books he reads, and all he reads assails.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Reading, Intelligence

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: Age, Youth

Remembrance and reflection how allied. What thin partitions divides sense from thought.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Memory

Men must be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown propos’d as things forgot.
—Alexander Pope

It is with our judgments as with our watches: no two go just alike, yet each believes his own.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Judgment

To be angry, is to revenge the fault of others upon ourselves.
—Alexander Pope

Some praise at morning what they blame at night, But always think the last opinion right.
—Alexander Pope

An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie; or an excuse is a lie guarded.
—Alexander Pope

I would tear out my own heart if it had no better disposition than to love only myself, and laugh at all my neighbors.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Selfishness

At every word a reputation dies.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Words, Gossip

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

Many men have been capable of doing a wise thing, more a cunning thing, but very few a generous thing.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Behavior, Sacrifice

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

There is a majesty in simplicity which is far above the quaintness of wit.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Simplicity

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

The hidden harmony is better than the obvious.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Art

Talk what you will of taste, you will find two of a face as soon as two of a mind.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Taste

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

Fondly we think we honor merit then, When we but praise ourselves in other men.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Praise

They dream in courtship, but in wedlock wake.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Marriage, Men

To err is human; to forgive, divine.
—Alexander Pope