Alexander Pope Quotes

For he lives twice who can at once employ The present well, and e'en the past enjoy.

Надеждата, която ни съпровожда цял живот, не ни напуска даже в часа на смъртта.

The Iliad took me up six years, and during that time, and particularly the first part of it, I was often under great pain and apprehensions. Though I conquered the thoughts of it in the day, they would frighten me in the night. I dreamed often of being engaged in a long journey, and that I should never get to the end of it. This made so strong an impression upon me, that I sometimes dream of it still; of being engaged in that translation, of having got about half way through it, and being embarrassed, and under dread of never completing it.

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

Trust not yourself; but your defects to know,
Make use of ev'ry friend — and ev'ry foe.

A little learning is a dangerous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.
Fired at first sight with what the Muse imparts,
In fearless youth we tempt the heights of Arts;
While from the bounded level of our mind
Short views we take, nor see the lengths behind,
But, more advanced, behold with strange surprise
New distant scenes of endless science rise!
So pleased at first the towering Alps we try,
Mount o’er the vales, and seem to tread the sky;
The eternal snows appear already past,
And the first clouds and mountains seem the last;
But those attained, we tremble to survey
The growing labours of the lengthened way;
The increasing prospect tires our wandering eyes,
Hills peep o’er hills, and Alps on Alps arise!

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

Teach me to feel another’s woe,
To hide the fault I see;
That mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me.

(from The Universal Prayer)

Authors are partial to their wit, 'tis true,
But are not critics to their judgment, too?

When men grow virtuous in their old age, they only make a sacrifice to God of the devil's leavings.

To shoot is human, to make your own bullets is divine. Let’s be honest, we were all beginners at one point or another.

While, from the bounded level of our mind, Short views we take, nor see the lengths behind; But more advanced, behold, with strange surprise, New distant scenes of endless science rise!

He is the English Horace,

"One all-extending soul connects each being, greatest with the least; made beast in aid of man, and man in aid of beast; All served, all serving; nothing stands alone; the chain holds on, and where it ends, unknown".

Yet graceful ease, and sweetness void of pride,
Might hide her faults, if belles had faults to hide:
If to her share some female errors fall,
Look on her face, and you'll forget 'em all.