Quote

Expression is the dress of thought, and still Appears more decent as more suitable A vile conceit in pompous words express'd, Is like a clown in regal purple dress'd.

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
Thought
Appears
Stills
Decent
Regal
Still
Dress
Pompous
Like
Dresses
Vile
Express
Conceit
Expression
Suitable
Style
Clown
Words
Purple

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Consult the genius of the place, that paints as you plant, and as you work.
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Men would be angels, angels would be gods.
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The good must merit God's peculiar care But who but God can tell us who they are?
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See the wild Waste of all-devouring years! How Rome her own sad Sepulchre appears, With nodding arches, broken temples spread! The very Tombs now vanish'd like their dead!
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Behold the child, by Nature's kindly law pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw.
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A little learning is a dangerous thing Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring.
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Here hills and vales, the woodland and the plain Here earth and water seem to strive again, Not chaos-like together crushed and bruised, But, as the world, harmoniously confused: Where order in variety we see, And where, though all things differ, all agree.
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Sleep and death, two twins of winged race, Of matchless swiftness, but of silent pace.
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Men, some to business, some to pleasure take But every woman is at heart a rake.
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No writing is good that does not tend to better mankind in some way or other.
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Every man has just as much vanity as he wants understanding.
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Women use lovers as they do cards they play with them a while, and when they have got all they can by them, throw them away, call for new ones, and then perhaps lose by the new all they got by the old ones.
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The ruling passion, be it what it will. The ruling passion conquers reason still.
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See skulking Truth to her old cavern fled, Mountains of Casuistry heap'd o'er her head! Philosophy, that lean'd on Heav'n before, Shrinks to her second cause, and is no more. Physic of Metaphysic begs defence, And Metaphysic calls for aid on Sense! See Mystery to Mathematics fly!
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And make each day a critic on the last.
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Vices and virtues are of a strange nature, for the more we have, the fewer we think we have.
Alexander Pope
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True politeness consists in being easy one's self, and in making every one about one as easy as one can.
Alexander Pope
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What so pure, which envious tongues will spare? Some wicked wits have libell'd all the fair, With matchless impudence they style a wife, The dear-bought curse, and lawful plague of life A bosom serpent, a domestic evil, A night invasion, and a mid-day devil Let not the wise these sland'rous words regard, But curse the bones of ev'ry living bard.
Alexander Pope
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Love, free as air, at sight of human ties, Spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies.
Alexander Pope
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The Muse but serv'd to ease some friend, not wife, / To help me through this long disease, my life.
Alexander Pope