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
Praise undeserved is scandal in disguise.
—Alexander Pope
It is impossible that an ill-natured man can have a public spirit; for how should he love ten thousand men who has never loved one?
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Spirit
Men must be taught as if you taught them not, And things unknown propos’d as things forgot.
—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
Trust not yourself, but your defects to know. Make use of every friend and every foe.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Identity, Self-Knowledge, Trust
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
Act well your part; there all honor lies.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Honor
Music resembles poetry; in each are numerous graces which no methods teach, and which a master hand alone can reach.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Music
Order in variety we see; though all things differ, all agree.
—Alexander Pope
I as little fear that God will damn a man that has charity as I hope that the priests can save one who has not.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Service, Kindness, Giving, Charity
Blest paper-credit! last and best supply! That lends corruption lighter wings to fly!
—Alexander Pope
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
Truth shines the brighter clad in verse.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Poetry
There Affectation, with a sickly mien, Shows in her cheek the roses of eighteen.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Worry, Goals, Affectation
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
One science only will one genius fit; so vast is art, so narrow human wit.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Science
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
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
But Satan now is wiser than of yore, and tempts by making rich, not making poor.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Wealth, Evil
Talk what you will of taste, you will find two of a face as soon as two of a mind.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Taste
Sure of their qualities and demanding praise, more go to ruined fortunes than are raised.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Pride
From pride, from pride, our very reas’ning springs.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Morals
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
Some people are commended for a giddy kind of good humor, which is no more a virtue than drunkenness.
—Alexander Pope
The flying rumors gathered as they rolled, and all who told it added something new, and all who heard it made enlargement too; in every ear it spreads, on every tongue it grew.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Gossip
Every man has just as much vanity as he wants understanding.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Vanity
Learn to live well, or fairly make your will;
you played, and loved, and ate, and drunk your fill:
walk sober off; before a sprightlier age comes tittering on,
and shoves you from the stage:
leave such to trifle with more grace and ease,
whom Folly pleases, and whose Follies please.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Age, Aging, Retirement
It is with our judgments as with our watches: no two go just alike, yet each believes his own.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Judgment, Judging, Judges
Good sense, which only is the gift of Heaven, and though no science, fairly worth the seven.
—Alexander Pope
Thee too, my Paridel! she mark’d thee there,
Stretch’d on the rack of a too easy chair,
And heard thy everlasting yarn confess
The Pains and Penalties of Idleness.
—Alexander Pope
Topics: Idleness
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