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Alexander Pope on Pride

1688–1744 England

← All quotes by Alexander Pope

7 quotes

What the weak head with strongest bias rules,
Is pride, the never-failing vice of fools.

An Essay on Criticism (1709)

Here files of pins extend their shining rows,
Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux.

The Rape of the Lock (1712)

Pride, where Wit fails, steps in to our defence,
And fills up all the mighty void of sense.

An Essay on Criticism (1709)

Whatever Nature has in worth denied,
She gives in large recruits of needful Pride.

An Essay on Criticism (1709)

Thus unlamented pass the proud away,
The gaze of fools and pageant of a day;
So perish all, whose breast ne'er learn'd to glow
For others' good, or melt at others' woe.

Memory of an Unfortunate Lady (1717)

And not a vanity is given in vain.

In pride, in reas'ning pride, our error lies;
All quit their spere, and rush into the skies!
Pride still is aiming at the blessed abodes,
Men would be Angels, Angels would be Gods.
Aspiring to be Gods if Angels fell,
Aspiring to be Angels men rebel.

Attribution

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