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
Get place and wealth, if possible with grace; if not, by any means get wealth and place.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Wealth
Some praise at morning what they blame at night, But always think the last opinion right.
—Alexander Pope
Some people will never learn anything, for this reason, because they understand everything too soon.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Learning
Remembrance and reflection how allied. What thin partitions divides sense from thought.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Memory
There is a majesty in simplicity which is far above the quaintness of wit.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Simplicity
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
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
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
Amusement is the happiness of those who cannot think.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Pleasure, Happiness
An excuse is worse and more terrible than a lie; or an excuse is a lie guarded.
—Alexander Pope
He serves me most, who serves his country best.
—Alexander Pope
Talk what you will of taste, you will find two of a face as soon as two of a mind.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Taste
To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Hatred, Anger, Revenge
I believe no one qualification is so likely to make a good writer, as the power of rejecting his own thoughts.
—Alexander Pope
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
Be silent always when you doubt your sense.
—Alexander Pope
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Expectation, Blessings, Attitude, Belief
To be angry, is to revenge the fault of others upon ourselves.
—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
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
From pride, from pride, our very reas’ning springs.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Morals
Men must be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown propos’d as things forgot.
—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: Sacrifice, Behavior
It is with our judgments as with our watches: no two go just alike, yet each believes his own.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Judgment
Be thou the first true merit to befriend, his praise is lost who stays till all commend.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Praise
An honest man is the noblest work of God.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Honesty, Man
To err is human; to forgive, divine.
—Alexander Pope
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
Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Dogs, Loyalty
Ten censure wrong, for one that writes amiss.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Writers, Criticism, Authors & Writing
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
‘Tis education forms the common mind: just as the twig is bent the tree’s inclined.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Children, Education
In faith and hope the world will disagree, but all mankind’s concern is charity.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Faith, Service, Giving, Charity, Kindness
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
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
Fondly we think we honor merit then, When we but praise ourselves in other men.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Praise
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: Age, Aging
Virtuous and vicious everyone must be; few in extremes, but all in degree.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Virtues, Virtue
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
At every word a reputation dies.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Gossip, Words
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