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Affliction is the good man's shining scene;
Prosperity conceals his brightest ray;
As night to stars, woe lustre gives to man.
Topic: Affliction
Source: Night Thoughts (night IX, l. 415)
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Be wise with speed; a fool at forty is a fool indeed
Topic: Age
Source: None
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How his eyes languish! how his thoughts adore
That painted coat, which Joseph never wore!
He shows, on holidays, a sacred pin,
That touch'd the ruff, that touched Queen Bess' chin.
Topic: Apparel
Source: Love of Fame (satire IV, l. 119)
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Their feet through faithless leather met the dirt,
And oftener chang'd their principles than shirt.
Topic: Apparel
Source: To Mr. Pope (epistle I, l. 283)
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O how loud
It calls devotion! genuine growth of night!
Devotion! daughter of Astronomy!
As undevout Astronomer is mad.
Topic: Astronomy
Source: Night Thoughts (night IX, l. 774)
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Our birth is nothing but our death begun, As tapers waste the moment they take fire.
Topic: Birth
Source: None
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Like birds, whose beauties languish half concealed,
Till, mounted on the wing, their glossy plumes
Expanded, shine with azure, green and gold;
How blessings brighten as they take their flight.
Topic: Blessings
Source: Night Thoughts (night II, l. 589)
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Amid my list of blessings infinite,
Stands this the foremost, "That my heart has bled."
Topic: Blessings
Source: Night Thoughts (night IX, l. 497)
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Who does the best that circumstance allows,
Does well, acts nobly, angels could no more.
Topic: Circumstance
Source: Night Thoughts (night II, l. 90)
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A dearth of words a woman need not fear;
But 'tis a task indeed to learn to hear:
In that the skill of conversation lies;
That shows and makes you both polite and wise.
Topic: Conversation
Source: Love of Fame (satire V, l. 57)
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Inhumanity is caught from man,
From smiling man.
Topic: Cruelty
Source: Night Thoughts (night V, l. 158)
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The melancholy ghosts of dead renown,
Whispering faint echoes of the world's applause.
Topic: Echo
Source: Night Thoughts (night IX)
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Thou art so witty, profligate and thin,
At once we think thee Satan, Death and Sin.
Topic: Epigrams
Source: Epigram on Voltaire, who had criticized the characters of the same name in "Paradise Lost"
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The qualities all in a bee that we meet,
In an epigram never should fail;
The body should always be little and sweet,
And a sting should be felt in its tail.
Topic: Epigrams
Source: Epigram on Voltaire, who had criticized the characters of the same name in "Paradise Lost"
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And can eternity belong to me,
Poor pensioner on the bounties of an hour?
Topic: Eternity
Source: Night Thoughts (night I, l. 66)
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The purpose firm is equal to the deed.
Topic: Firmness
Source: None
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Has death his fopperies?
Topic: Foppery
Source: Night Thoughts (night II, l. 231)
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Narcissus is the glory of his race:
For who does nothing with a better grace?
Topic: Grace
Source: Love of Fame (satire IV, l. 85)
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An angel's arm can't snatch me from the grave; legions of angels can't confine me there.
Topic: Grave
Source: None
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A land of levity is a land of guilt.
Topic: Guilt
Source: Night Thoughts (night VII, preface)
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A man I knew who lived upon a smile,
And well it fed him; he look'd plump and fair,
While rankest venom foam'd through every vein.
Topic: Hypocrisy
Source: Night Thoughts (night VIII, l. 336)
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All men think all men mortal, but themselves.
Topic: Immortality
Source: None
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He that's ungrateful has no guilt but one;
All other crimes may pass for virtues in him.
Topic: Ingratitude
Source: Busiris
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Much learning shows how little mortals know; much wealth, how little wordings enjoy.
Topic: Learning
Source: None
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On the soft bed of luxury most kingdoms have expired.
Topic: Luxury
Source: None
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On the soft bed of luxury most kingdoms have expired.
Topic: Luxury
Source: None
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The man that blushes is not quite a brute.
Topic: Men and Women
Source: None
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What is a miracle?--'Tis a reproach,
'Tis an implicit satire on mankind;
And while it satisfies, it censures too.
Topic: Miracles
Source: Night Thoughts (night IX, l. 1,245)
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At thirty, man suspects himself a fool,
Knows it at forty, and reforms his plan;
At fifty, chides his infamous delay,
Pushes his prudent purpose to resolve,
In all the magnanimity of thought;
Resolves, and re-resolves, then dies the same.
And why? because he thinks himself immortal,
All men think all men mortal but themselves.
Topic: Mortality
Source: Night Thoughts (night I, l. 417)
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One to destroy is murder by the law,
And gibbets keep the lifted hand in awe;
To murder thousands takes a specious name,
War's glorious art, and gives immortal fame.
Topic: Murder
Source: Love of Fame (satire VII, l. 55)
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Titles are marks of honest men, and wise:
The fool or knave that wears a title lies.
Topic: Nobility
Source: Love of Fame (satire I, l. 145)
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Then lady Cynthia, mistress of the shade,
Goes, with the fashionable owls, to bed.
Topic: Owls
Source: Love of Fame (satire V, l. 209)
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When pain can't bless, heaven quits us in despair.
Topic: Pain
Source: Night Thoughts (night IX, l. 500)
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A man of pleasure is a man of pains.
Topic: Pain
Source: Night Thoughts (night VIII, l. 793)
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Oh, how portentous is prosperity!
How comet-like, it threatens while it shines.
Topic: Prosperity
Source: Night Thoughts (night V, l. 915)
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Think nought a trifle, though it small appear;
Small sands the mountain, moments make the year,
And trifles life.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Love of Fame (satire VI, l. 205)
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One to destroy is murder by the law,
And gibbets keep the lifted hand in awe;
To murder thousands takes a specious name,
War's glorious art, and gives immortal fame.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Love of Fame (satire VII, l. 55)
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Woes cluster; rare are solitary woes;
They love a train, they tread each other's heel.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Night Thoughts (night III, l. 63)
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Wishing, of all employments is the worst.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Night Thoughts (night IV, l. 71)
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Early, bright, transient, chaste, as morning dew
She sparkled, was exhal'd, and went to heaven.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Night Thoughts (night V, l. 600)
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The man of wisdom is the man of years.
Topic: Proverbs
Source: Night Thoughts (night V, l. 775)
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A soul without reflection, like a pile
Without inhabitant, to ruin runs.
Topic: Reflection
Source: Night Thoughts (night V, l. 596)
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A partial world will list to my lays,
While Anna reigns, and sets a female name
Unrival'd in the glorious lists of fame.
Topic: Royalty
Source: Force of Religion (bk. I, l. 6)
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Final Ruin fiercely drives
Her ploughshare o'er creation.
Topic: Ruin
Source: Night Thoughts (night IX, l. 167)
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'Tis impious in a good man to be sad.
Topic: Sadness
Source: Night Thoughts (night IV, l. 676)
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To "leave a sting within a brother's heart.".
Topic: Sarcasm
Source: None
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Give me, indulgent gods! with mind serene,
And guiltless heart, to range the sylvan scene;
No splendid poverty, no smiling care,
No well-bred hate, or servile grandeur, there.
Topic: Satisfaction
Source: Love of Fame (satire I, l. 235)
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He rams his quill with scandal and with scoff,
But 'tis so very foul, it won't go off.
Topic: Scandal
Source: Epistles to Pope (ep. I, l. 199)
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'Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours;
And ask them what report they bore to heaven:
And how they might have borne more welcome news.
Topic: Self-examination
Source: Night Thoughts (night II, l. 376)
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Sense is our helmet, wit is but the plume;
The plume exposes, 'tis our helmet saves.
Sense is the diamond, weighty, solid, sound;
When cut by wit, it casts a brighter beam;
Yet, wit apart, it is a diamond still.
Topic: Sense
Source: Night Thoughts (night VIII, l. 1,254)
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