8/8/2019 Alexander Pope (18th) an Essay on Criticism

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Alexander Pope (18th) An essay on criticism

Alexander Pope adresses the critics.

But you who seek to give and merit fame You who would like to give and

merit fameAnd justly bear a critics noble name And who would like to get some fame for

yourself (this is what the critic does : he gives good points and bad points The

critic is able to give fame or break ones reputation and by doing that the critic

will try to strenghten his own position)

Be sure yourself and your own reach to know Be sure that you know yourselfand that you know how far you can reach (dont overestimate yourself, know

your own limits, know how far your genius goes)

Launch not beyond your depth, but be discreet Launch not beyond your

depth (when youre going out on a voyage, be careful not too sail into waters that

are too deeps or too dangerous) but be cautious

And mark that point where sense and dullness meet And keep in mind of thatpoint where sense and dullness meet (avoid risks, avoid adventure, dont take

any risks, follow your common sense, reason and judgement even if that means

that you may become a bit dull)

Nature to all things fixed the limits fit Nature fixed the appropriate limits to all

things

And wisely curbed proud mans pretending witAnd nature wisely curbed the

pretendent wit of proud man

As on the lands where here the ocean gains

In other parts it leaves wide sandy plains (his idea is that when you have high

tide on this side, the tide on the other side is below even the ocean has its

limits, he says : be aware of your own limits, the emphasis is on moderation and

caution or otherwise you will be exposed to satire)

First follow Nature, and your judgement frame First follow Nature (the truth

is out there in Nature, he is referring to the general truths in reality) and form

your judgement

By her just standard, which is still the same By her standard (which is always

just, right and justified) and which is almost the same (important sentence : the

view of reality in the 18th century was profoundly non-historical : the laws of

nature are universal and they were first understood and described by the

classics of Classical Antiquity and thats why we should imitate them ; what

changes, though, is the surface but the reality at the deeper level is eternal >