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Alexander Pope

Alexander Pope Quotes

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Famous Alexander Pope Quotes

“Learn of the little nautilus to sail, Spread the thin oar, and catch the driving gale.”

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Book:The Works of Alexander Pope, Esq: In Six Volumes Complete. With His Last Corrections, Additions, and Improvements; Together with All His Notes, as They Were Delivered to the Editor a Little Before His Death: Printed Verbatim from the Octavo Edition of Mr. Warburton
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“What riches give us let us then inquire: Meat, fire, and clothes. What more? Meat, clothes, and fire. Is this too little?”

GivingLittlesWealthFireClothesRichesMeat
Book:The works of Alexander Pope, with notes and illustrations, by himself and others. To which are added, a new life of the author [&c.] by W. Roscoe
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“Praise is like ambergrease: a little whiff of it, and by snatches, is very agreeable; but when a man holds a whole lump of it to your nose, it is a stink, and strikes you down.”

MenLittlesWholePraiseStrikesNosesStinkLumps
Book:A Supplementary Volume to the Works of Alexander Pope, Esq: Containing Pieces of Poetry, Not Inserted in Warburton's and Warton's Editions : and a Collection of Letters, Now First Published
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“The character of covetousness, is what a man generally acquires more through some niggardliness or ill grace in little and inconsiderable things, than in expenses of any consequence.”

MenLittlesCharacterGraceConsequenceIllAcquireExpensesAvariceCovetousness
Book:The Works of Alexander Pope: Esq. with Notes and Illustrations by Himself and Others. To which are Added, a New Life of the Author, an Estimate of His Poetical Character and Writings, and Occasional Remarks
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“The search of our future being is but a needless, anxious, and haste to be knowing, sooner than we can, what, without all this solicitude, we shall know a little later.”

KnowsLittlesKnowingFutureOur FutureAnxiousHasteSolicitude
Book:The Works of Alexander Pope, Esq: In Six Volumes Complete. With His Last Corrections, Additions, and Improvements; Together with All His Notes, as They Were Delivered to the Editor a Little Before His Death: Printed Verbatim from the Octavo Edition of Mr. Warburton
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“There should be, methinks, as little merit in loving a woman for her beauty as in loving a man for his prosperity; both being equally subject to change.”

MenShouldLittlesBeautySubjectsProsperityMeritHer BeautyBeing EqualLoving A Woman
Book:A Supplementary Volume to the Works of Alexander Pope, Esq: Containing Pieces of Poetry, Not Inserted in Warburton's and Warton's Editions : and a Collection of Letters, Now First Published
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“Of little use, the man you may suppose, Who says in verse what others say in prose; Yet let me show a poet's of some weight, And (though no soldier) useful to the state, What will a child learn sooner than a song? What better teach a foreigner the tongue? What's long or short, each accent where to place And speak in public with some sort of grace?”

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Book:An Essay on Man: And Other Poems
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“Presumptuous Man! the reason wouldst thou find,Why form'd so weak, so little, and so blind?First, if thou canst, the harder reason guess,Why form'd no weaker, blinder, and no less!Ask of thy mother earth, why oaks are madeTaller or stronger than the weeds they shade?Or ask of yonder argent fields above,Why Jove's Satellites are less than Jove?”

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Book:Delphi Complete Works of Alexander Pope (Illustrated)
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“There are certain times when most people are in a disposition of being informed, and 'tis incredible what a vast good a little truth might do, spoken in such seasons.”

PeopleLittlesMightTruthCertainSeasonsIncrediblesDisposition
Book:The Works of Alexander Pope: Esq., with His Last Corrections, Additions, and Improvements; as They Were Delivered to the Editor a Little Before His Death; Together with the Commentaries and Notes of Mr. Warburton
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“Our rural ancestors, with little blest, Patient of labor when the end was rest, Indulged the day that housed their annual grain, With feasts, and off'rings, and a thankful strain.”

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Author:Alexander Pope
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“I believe it is no wrong Observation, that Persons of Genius, and those who are most capable of Art, are always fond of Nature, as such are chiefly sensible, that all Art consists in the Imitation and Study of Nature. On the contrary, People of the common Level of Understanding are principally delighted with the Little Niceties and Fantastical Operations of Art, and constantly think that finest which is least Natural.”

PeopleThinkingBelieveLittlesPersonsArtBeliefI BelieveUnderstandingNaturalLevelsCommonStudyDesignGeniusCapableContraryObservationOperationsSensibleImitationFinestDelightedNiceties
Book:The Works of Alexander Pope, Esq: With Notes and Illustrations by Himself and Others. To which are Added, a New Life of the Author, an Estimate of His Poetical Character and Writings, and Occasional Remarks,
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“Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart. One self-approving hour whole years outweighs Of stupid starers and of loud huzzas; And more true joy Marcellus exil'd feels Than Cæsar with a senate at his heels. In parts superior what advantage lies? Tell (for you can) what is it to be wise? 'T is but to know how little can be known; To see all others' faults, and feel our own.”

KnowsFeelsYearsHeartLittlesSelfPlayWholeJoyLyingHoursKnownKnow HowWiseStupidAdvantageFaultsRoundsStupiditySuperiorsLoudSenateHeelsBeing WiseTrue JoyWhole YearApprovingSars
Book:Poetical works
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“Behold the child, by Nature's kindly law, Pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw; Some livelier plaything gives his youth delight, A little louder, but as empty quite; Scarfs, garters, gold, amuse his riper stage, And beads and prayer-books are the toys of age. Pleased with this bauble still, as that before, Till tired he sleeps, and life's poor play is o'er.”

LifeGivingChildrenLittlesStillsBookPlayAgeLawPrayerSleepPoorStageYouthEmptyGoldTiredDelightEmptinessToysStrawsBeadsGarters
Book:The Works: Including Several Hundred Unpublished Letters, and Other New Materials
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