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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.

Alexander Pope

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Alexander Pope
Age: 56 †
Born: 1688
Born: May 21
Died: 1744
Died: May 30
Literary Historian
Poet
Translator
the City
Pope the Poet
Alexander I Pope
Alexander
I Pope
State
Sceptic
States
Presume
Great
Proper
Men
God
Mankind
Isthmus
Wise
Rudely
Study
Darkly
Middle
Scan

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The season when to come, and when to go, to sing, or cease to sing, we never know.
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The hog that ploughs not, not obeys thy call, Lives on the labours of this lord of all.
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Where beams of imagination play, the memory's soft figures melt away.
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Wise wretch! with pleasures too refined to please, With too much spirit to be e'er at ease, With too much quickness ever to be taught, With too much thinking to have common thought: You purchase pain with all that joy can give, And die of nothing but a rage to live.
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Learning is like mercury, one of the most powerful and excellent things in the world in skillful hands in unskillful, the most mischievous.
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Pleasures are ever in our hands or eyes And when in act they cease, in prospect rise.
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Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, Yet cry, if man's unhappy, God's unjust.
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In pride, in reas'ning pride, our error lies All quit their sphere and rush into the skies. Pride still is aiming at the bless'd abodes, Men would be angels, angels would be gods.
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Who finds not Providence all good and wise, Alike in what it gives, and what denies.
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How Instinct varies in the grov'ling swine.
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Our proper bliss depends on what we blame.
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Death, only death, can break the lasting chain And here, ev'n then, shall my cold dust remain
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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.
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Content if hence th' unlearn'd their wants may view, The learn'd reflect on what before they knew.
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Satire's my weapon, but I'm too discreet To run amuck, and tilt at all I meet.
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Be thou the first true merit to befriend, his praise is lost who stays till all commend.
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The most positive men are the most credulous, since they most believe themselves, and advise most with their falsest flatterer and worst enemy--their own self-love.
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Reason, however able, cool at best, Cares not for service, or but serves when prest, Stays till we call, and then not often near.
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Every woman is at heart a rake.
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Be niggards of advice on no pretense For the worst avarice is that of sense.
Alexander Pope