Quotes by Pope, Alexander

"Let me tell you I am better acquainted with you for a long absence, as men are with themselves for a long affliction: absence does but hold off a friend, to make one see him the truer."

Pope, Alexander on absence
3 fans of this quote   

"Some old men, continually praise the time of their youth. In fact, you would almost think that there were no fools in their days, but unluckily they themselves are left as an example."

Pope, Alexander on age and aging   

"Good God! how often are we to die before we go quite off this stage? In every friend we lose a part of ourselves, and the best part."

Pope, Alexander on death
8 fans of this quote   

"Satan is wiser now than before, and tempts by making rich instead of poor."

Pope, Alexander on evil
4 fans of this quote   

"Blessed is the man who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed was the ninth beatitude."

Pope, Alexander on disappointments
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"Education forms the common mind. Just as the twig is bent, the tree's inclined."

Pope, Alexander on education   

"Who breaks a butterfly on a wheel?"

Pope, Alexander on exaggeration   

"An excuse is worse than a lie, for an excuse is a lie, guarded."

Pope, Alexander on excuses
5 fans of this quote   

"Why has not man a microscopic eye? For the plain reason man is not a fly."

Pope, Alexander on eyes   

"I was not born for courts and great affairs, but I pay my debts, believe and say my prayers."

Pope, Alexander on faith   

"What's fame? a fancy'd life in other's breath. A thing beyond us, even before our death."

Pope, Alexander on fame   

"The worst of madmen is a saint run mad."

Pope, Alexander on fanatics and fanaticism   

"We think our fathers fools, so wise we grow. Our wiser sons, no doubt will think us so."

Pope, Alexander on fathers and sons   

"Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread."

Pope, Alexander on fools and foolishness   

"To err is human, to forgive is divine."

Pope, Alexander on forgiveness
9 fans of this quote   

"How shall I lose the sin, yet keep the sense, and love the offender, yet detest the offence?"

Pope, Alexander on forgiveness   

"Many people are capable of doing a wise thing, more a cunning thing, but very few a generous thing."

Pope, Alexander on generosity
3 fans of this quote   

"Men would be angels, angels would be gods."

Pope, Alexander on ambition   

"We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people."

Pope, Alexander on america   

"At every word a reputation dies."

Pope, Alexander on gossip   

"And all who told it added something new, and all who heard it, made enlargements too."

Pope, Alexander on gossip   

"For Forms of Government let fools contest; whatever is best administered is best."

Pope, Alexander on government   

"Happy the man whose wish and care a few paternal acres bound, content to breathe his native air in his own ground."

Pope, Alexander on happiness   

"Know then this truth, enough for man to know virtue alone is happiness below."

Pope, Alexander on happiness   

"To be angry is to revenge the faults of others on ourselves."

Pope, Alexander on hatred
3 fans of this quote   

"Health consists with temperance alone."

Pope, Alexander on health   

"An honest man's the noblest work of God."

Pope, Alexander on honesty
3 fans of this quote   

"Act well your part; there all honor lies."

Pope, Alexander on honor
3 fans of this quote   

"If, presume not to God to scan; The proper study of Mankind is Man. Plac'd on this isthmus of a middle state, a being darkly wise, and rudely great."

Pope, Alexander on humankind   

"No one should be ashamed to admit they are wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that they are wiser today than they were yesterday."

Pope, Alexander on humility
6 fans of this quote   

"Fix'd like a plan on his peculiar spot, to draw nutrition, propagate, and rot."

Pope, Alexander on inertia   

"Die and endow a college or a cat."

Pope, Alexander on inheritance   

"But thousands die without or this or that, die, and endow a college, or a cat: To some, indeed, Heaven grants the happier fate, Tenrich a bastard, or a son they hate."

Pope, Alexander on inheritance   

"For virtue's self may too much zeal be had; the worst of madmen is a saint run mad."

Pope, Alexander on insanity   

"You beat your Pate, and fancy Wit will come: Knock as you please, there's no body at home."

Pope, Alexander on inspiration   

"It is with our judgments as with our watches: no two go just alike, yet each believes his own."

Pope, Alexander on judgment and judges   

"Curse on all laws, but those that love has made."

Pope, Alexander on law and lawyers   

"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."

Pope, Alexander on learning   

"True disputants are like true sportsman: their whole delight is in the pursuit."

Pope, Alexander on argument   

"When much dispute has past, we find our tenets just the same as last."

Pope, Alexander on argument