Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
Alexander Popewas an 18th-century English poet. He is best known for his satirical verse, as well as for his translation of Homer. Famous for his use of the heroic couplet, he is the second-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth21 May 1688
art kings dancing
Others import yet nobler arts from France, Teach kings to fiddle, and make senates dance.
long sun corruption
At length corruption, like a general flood (So long by watchful ministers withstood), Shall deluge all; and avarice, creeping on, Spread like a low-born mist, and blot the sun.
dying saint silver
No silver saints, by dying misers giv'n, Here brib'd the rage of ill-requited heav'n; But such plain roofs as Piety could raise, And only vocal with the Maker's praise.
song snakes lasts
Then, at the last and only couplet fraught With some unmeaning thing they call a thought, A needless Alexandrine ends the song, That, like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along.
thinking too-much taught
With too much quickness ever to be taught; With too much thinking to have common thought.
change fall clouds
Choose a firm cloud before it fall, and in it Catch, ere she change, the Cynthia of this minute.
ajax light giving
The light of Heaven restore; Give me to see, and Ajax asks no more.
heaven seven good-sense
Good sense, which only is the gift of Heaven, And though no science, fairly worth the seven.
assessment mazes plans
A mighty maze! But not without a plan.
flow fairy daisies
The dances ended, all the fairy train For pinks and daisies search'd the flow'ry plain.
men perfect perfect-woman
A perfect woman's but a softer man.
men proud be-proud
Yes, I am proud; I must be proud to see Men not afraid of God, afraid of me.
flattery obliged flatterer
By flatterers besieged And so obliging that he ne'er obliged.
inspirational art yield
Learn from the birds what food the thickets yield; Learn from the beasts the physic of the field; The arts of building from the bee receive; Learn of the mole to plow, the worm to weave.