Alexander Pope Quotes

Heav'n from all creatures hides the book of Fate, All but the page prescrib'd, their present state; From brutes what men, from men what spirits know: Or who could suffer Being here below? The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy Reason, would he skip and play? Pleas'd to the last, he crops the flow'ry food, And licks the hand just rais'd to shed his blood. Oh blindness to the future! kindly giv'n, That each may fill the circle mark'd by Heav'n; Who sees with equal eye, as God of all, A hero perish, or a sparrow fall.

~ Alexander Pope

For forms of Government let fools contest. Whate'er is best administered is best.

~ Alexander Pope

Nature to all things fixed the limits fitAnd wisely curbed proud man's pretending wit.As on the land while here the ocean gains.In other parts it leaves wide sandy plainsThus in the soul while memory prevails,The solid power of understanding failsWhere beams of warm imagination play,The memory's soft figures melt awayOne science only will one genius fit,So vast is art, so narrow human witNot only bounded to peculiar arts,But oft in those confined to single partsLike kings, we lose the conquests gained before,By vain ambition still to make them moreEach might his several province well command,Would all but stoop to what they understand.

~ Alexander Pope

Philosophy, that leaned on Heaven before,Shrinks to her second cause, and is no more.

~ Alexander Pope

We may see the small Value God has for Riches, by the People he gives the

~ Alexander Pope

The pride of aiming at more knowledge, and pretending to more perfection, is the cause of Man's error and misery.

~ Alexander Pope

Ye sacred nine

~ Alexander Pope

There is no study that is not capable of delighting us, after a little application to it.

~ Alexander Pope

Poetic justice, with her lifted scale,Where, in nice balance, truth with gold she weighs,And solid pudding against empty praise. Here she beholds the chaos dark and deep,Where nameless somethings in their causes sleep,Till genial Jacob, or a warm third day,Call forth each mass, a poem, or a play:How hints, like spawn, scarce quick in embryo lie,How new-born nonsense first is taught to cry.

~ Alexander Pope

Make use of every friend— and every foe.

~ Alexander Pope

Inscriptions here of various Names I view'd,The greater part by hostile time subdu'd;Yet wide was spread their fame in ages past,And Poets once had promis'd they should last.

~ Alexander Pope

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?

~ Alexander Pope

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

~ Alexander Pope

For when success a lover's toil attends,Few ask, if fraud or force attain'd his ends

~ Alexander Pope

Most critics, fond of subservient artstill make the whole depend upon a part.They talk of principles, but notions prizeAnd all to one loved folly sacrifice.

~ Alexander Pope

Some judge of authors' names, not works, and then nor praise nor blame the writings, but the men.

~ Alexander Pope

I am his Highness' dog at Kew;Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?

~ Alexander Pope

The difference is too nice - Where ends the virtue or begins the vice.

~ Alexander Pope

Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.

~ Alexander Pope

What dire offence from am'rous causes springs,What mighty contests rise from trivial things,...

~ Alexander Pope

How happy is the blameless vestal’s lot!The world forgetting, by the world forgot.Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!Each pray’r accepted, and each wish resign’d

~ Alexander Pope

Death, only death, can break the lasting chain;And here, ev'n then, shall my cold dust remain

~ Alexander Pope

To err is human to forgive divine.

~ Alexander Pope

And all who told it added something new And all who heard it made enlargements too.

~ Alexander Pope

I have 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

In faith and hope the world will disagree but all mankind's concern is charity.

~ Alexander Pope

Know then thyself presume not God to scan: The proper study of mankind is man.

~ Alexander Pope

Alive ridiculous and dead forgot?

~ Alexander Pope

Sickness is a sort of early old age it teaches us a diffidence in our earthly state.

~ Alexander Pope

Eve left Adam to meet the Devil in private.

~ Alexander Pope

The ruling passion be it what it will the ruling passion conquers reason still.

~ Alexander Pope

Some praise at morning what they blame at night.

~ Alexander Pope

If a man's character is to be abused there's nobody like a relative to do the business.

~ Alexander Pope

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

Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest.

~ Alexander Pope

Wit is the lowest form of humor.

~ Alexander Pope

No woman ever hates a man for being in love with her, but many a woman hate a man for being a friend to her.

~ Alexander Pope

The learned is happy, nature to explore; The fool is happy, that he knows no more.

~ Alexander Pope

A God without dominion, providence, and final causes, is nothing else but fate and nature.

~ Alexander Pope

All nature is but art unknown to thee.

~ Alexander Pope