Alexander Pope's Quotes

Praise undeserved, is satire in disguise.

Tis but a part we see, and not a whole.

All nature is but art unknown to thee.

Man never thinks himself happy, but when he enjoys those things which others want or desire.

The bookful blockhead, ignorantly read With loads of learned lumber in his head.

The world forgetting, by the world forgot.

Woman's at best a contradiction still.

An honest man's the noblest work of God.

For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight, His can't be wrong whose life is in the right.

They dream in courtship, but in wedlock wake.

A wit with dunces, and a dunce with wits.

A work of art that contains theories is like an object on which the price tag has been left.

How shall I lose the sin, yet keep the sense, and love the offender, yet detest the offence?

Is pride, the never-failing vice of fools.

Not always actions show the man; we find who does a kindness is not therefore kind.

Satan is wiser now than before, and tempts by making rich instead of poor.

True politeness consists in being easy one's self, and in making every one about one as easy as one can.

At ev'ry word a reputation dies.

Extremes in nature equal ends produce; In man they join to some mysterious use.

Lo! The poor Indian, whose untutored mind sees God in clouds, or hears him in the wind.

Men would be angels, angels would be gods.

Never find fault with the absent.

Not to go back is somewhat to advance, and men must walk, at least, before they dance.

Of Manners gentle, of Affections mild; In Wit a man; Simplicity, a child.

Order is heaven's first law.

Our passions are like convulsion fits, which, though they make us stronger for a time, leave us the weaker ever after.

Passions are the gales of life.

Remembrance and reflection how allied. What thin partitions divides sense from thought.

The hungry judges soon the sentence sign, and wretches hang that jurymen may dine.

There is a certain majesty in simplicity which is far above all the quaintness of wit.

'Tis education forms the common mind; just as the twig is bent the tree's inclined.

'Tis not enough your counsel still be true; Blunt truths more mischief than nice falsehoods do.

Some old men, continually praise the time of their youth. In fact, you would almost think that there were no fools in their days, but unluckily they themselves are left as an example.

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

And, after all, what is a lie? 'Tis but the truth in a masquerade.

Behold the child, by Nature's kindly law pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw.

But blind to former as to future fate, what mortal knows his pre-existent state?

Fondly we think we honor merit then, When we but praise ourselves in other men.

For fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

Gentle dullness ever loves a joke.

Get place and wealth, if possible with grace; if not, by any means get wealth and place.

Know then this truth, enough for man to know virtue alone is happiness below.

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

Like Cato, give his little senate laws, and sit attentive to his own applause.

Lo, what huge heaps of littleness around!

Never was it given to mortal man - To lie so boldly as we women can.

On life's vast ocean diversely we sail. Reasons the card, but passion the gale.

One science only will one genius fit; so vast is art, so narrow human wit.

Party-spirit at best is but the madness of many for the gain of a few.

Slave to no sect, who takes no private road, But looks through Nature up to Nature's God.

The same ambition can destroy or save, and make a patriot as it makes a knave.

The vulgar boil, the learned roast, an egg.

The worst of madmen is a saint run mad.

To observations which ourselves we make, we grow more partial for th' observer's sake.

Virtue she finds too painful an endeavour, content to dwell in decencies for ever.

Whoever thinks a faultless piece to see, Thinks what ne'er was, nor is, nor e'er shall be.

The way of the Creative works through change and transformation, so that each thing receives its true nature and destiny and comes into permanent accord with the Great Harmony: this is what furthers and what perseveres.

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.

In words, as fashions, the same rule will hold; Alike fantastic, if too new, or old: Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.

To err is human; to forgive, divine.

Teach me to feel another's woe, to hide the fault I see, that mercy I to others show, that mercy show to me.

No one should be ashamed to admit they are wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that they are wiser today than they were yesterday.

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

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.

To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves.

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.

Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll; charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

Blessed is the man who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed was the ninth beatitude.

Some people will never learn anything, for this reason, because they understand everything too soon.

A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring.

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

Lulled in the countless chambers of the brain, our thoughts are linked by many a hidden chain; awake but one, and in, what myriads rise!

Many men have been capable of doing a wise thing, more a cunning thing, but very few a generous thing.