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Alexander Pope Quotes

1688–1744 England

Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 – 30 May 1744) was a poet and satirist of the Augustan period and one of its greatest artistic exponents. Considered the foremost English poet of the early 18th century and a master of the heroic couplet, he is best known for satirical and discursive poetry.

England
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Poets
Satirists

Also known as: Pope, Alexander

Random Alexander Pope quote

535 quotes

Constant at Church and 'Change; his gains were sure;
His givings rare, save farthings to the poor.

Manners with Fortunes, Humours turn with Climes,
Tenets with Books, and Principles with Times.

See my lips tremble and my eyeballs roll,
Suck my last breath, and catch my flying soul!

Eloisa to Abelard (1717)

Then from the Mint walks forth the man of rhyme,
Happy to catch me, just at dinner-time.

Speed the soft intercourse from soul to soul,
And waft a sigh from Indus to the Pole.

Eloise to Abelard (1717)

Till Peter's keys some christen'd Jove adorn,
And Pan to Moses lends his Pagan horn.

All seems Infected that th' Infected spy,
As all looks yellow to the Jaundic'd Eye.

An Essay on Criticism (1711)

And each blasphemer quite escape the rod,
Because the insult's not on man, but God?

Not grace, or zeal, love only was my call,
And if I lose thy love, I lose my all.

Eloisa to Abelard (1717)

Know then, unnumber'd Spirits round thee fly,
The light Militia of the lower sky.

A vile Conceit in pompous words express’d
Is like a clown in regal purple dress’d

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

Thoughts on Various Subjects (1727)

To hide the fault I see:
That mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me.

To balance Fortune by a just expense,
Join with Economy, Magnificence.

Then sing by turns, by turns the Muses sing;
Now hawthorns blossom.

And truths divine came mended from that tongue.

Eloisa to Abelard (1717)

Lull'd by soft zephyrs thro' the broken pane.

Each word-catcher, that lives on syllables.

Divert her eyes with pictures in the fire.

And you, my Critics! in the chequer'd shade,
Admire new light thro' holes yourselves have made.

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Alexander Pope (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.