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Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 – 30 May 1744 / London / England)
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Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson. Pope's use of the heroic couplet is famous.
Life
Early Life
Pope was born in London to Alexander Pope (senior, a linen merchant) and Edith Pope (née Turner), who were both Catholics. Pope's education was affected by the penal law in force at the time upholding the status of the established Church of England, which banned Catholics from teaching on pain of perpetual imprisonment. Pope was taught to read by his aunt, then ... more »
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Popular Poems
- An Essay on Criticism
- An Essay on Man in Four Epistles: Epistl...
- An Essay on Man: Epistle II
- Argus
- Celia
- Chorus of Athenians
- Chorus of Youths and Virgins
- Couplets on Wit
- Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate La...
- Eloisa to Abelard
- Epigram Engraved on the Collar of a Dog ...
- EPISTLE II: TO A LADY (Of the Characters...
- Epistle To Mrs Teresa Blount.[On Her Lea...
- Epistles to Several Persons: Epistle IV,...
Quotations
more quotations »-
''Some judge of authors' names, not works, and then
Alexander Pope (1688-1744), British poet. Essay on Criticism (Fr. II). . . Poetical Works [Alexander Pope]. Herbert Davis, ed. (1978; repr. 1990) ...
Nor praise nor blame the writings, but the men.''
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''We think our fathers fools, so wise we grow;
Alexander Pope (1688-1744), British satirical poet. Essay on Criticism.
Our wiser sons, no doubt will think us so.''
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''Be thou the first true merit to befriend;
Alexander Pope (1688-1744), British poet. Essay on Criticism (Fr. II). . . Poetical Works [Alexander Pope]. Herbert Davis, ed. (1978; repr. 1990) ...
His praise is lost who stays till all commend.''
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''Is pride, the never-failing vice of fools.''
Alexander Pope (1688-1744), British poet. Essay on Criticism (Fr. II). . . Poetical Works [Alexander Pope]. Herbert Davis, ed. (1978; repr. 1990) ...
He was a leading poet. Reading his poetry suites my head for his ryhmes are mind blowing and his lines just a summary of the world in an all knowing enscrypted scroll.
Pope's publisher, James Roberts, died ten years after Pope but his epitaph has been suggested as a work by Pope:
Let some by heralds blazon'd shine,
And backwards trace their ancient line;
From heaps of geld let others raise
A monument of flatt'ring praise;
Let others boast their pomp and state,
Of merit void, ignobly great: ,
One truth, o'er these remains below
Inscrib'd, more honour will bestow,
Than lineage, wealth, or grandeur can;
' Here lies interr'd an honest man.'
The biography is 98% wikipedia. Amusing...
I can't believe you haven't include Alexander Pope's 'Vital Spark of Heavenly Flame' into your compilation.