Alexander Pope ( 10 of 261 )
Choose a firm cloud before it fall, and in it
Catch, ere she change, the Cynthia of this minute.
Choose a firm cloud before it fall, and in it
Catch, ere she change, the Cynthia of this minute.
Alas! the small discredit of a bribe
Scarce hurts the lawyer, but undoes the scribe.
Alas! the small discredit of a bribe
Scarce hurts the lawyer, but undoes the scribe.
Here files of pins extend their shining rows,
Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux.
Here files of pins extend their shining rows,
Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux.
Pretty! in amber to observe the forms
Of hairs, of straws, or dirt, or grubs, or worms!
read more
Pretty! in amber to observe the forms
Of hairs, of straws, or dirt, or grubs, or worms!
The things, we know, are neither rich nor rare,
But wonder how the devil they got there.
The heart resolves this matter in a trice,
"Men only feel the smart, but not the vice."
The heart resolves this matter in a trice,
"Men only feel the smart, but not the vice."
There are, to whom my satire seems too bold;
Scarce to wise Peter complaisant enough,
And something read more
There are, to whom my satire seems too bold;
Scarce to wise Peter complaisant enough,
And something said of Chartres much too rough.
Satire or sense, alas! Can Sporus feel?
Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?
Satire or sense, alas! Can Sporus feel?
Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel?
Thus let me live, unseen, unknown,
Thus unlamented let me die;
Steal from the world, and not read more
Thus let me live, unseen, unknown,
Thus unlamented let me die;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lie.
How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
How happy is the blameless vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
But honest instinct comes a volunteer;
Sure never to o'er-shoot, but just to hit,
While still too read more
But honest instinct comes a volunteer;
Sure never to o'er-shoot, but just to hit,
While still too wide or short in human wit.
