Moral Essays

Moral Essays (also known as Epistles to Several Persons) is a series of four poems on ethical subjects by Alexander Pope, published between 1731 and 1735.

Epistle I, To Lord Cobham (1734)
Men may read, as well as books, too much. To observations which ourselves we make, We grow more partial for th' observer's sake.
 * The fate of all extremes is such,
 * Line 9.

Next, that he varies from himself no less.
 * That each from other differs, first confess;
 * Line 19.

You lose it in the moment you detect.
 * Like following life through creatures you dissect,
 * Line 29.

When half our knowledge we must snatch, not take.
 * In vain sedate reflections we would make
 * Line 39.

Who does a kindness is not therefore kind.
 * Not always actions show the man: we find
 * Line 109.

He dreads a death-bed like the meanest slave: Who reasons wisely is not therefore wise,— His pride in reasoning, not in acting lies.
 * Who combats bravely is not therefore brave,
 * Line 115.

A saint in crape is twice a saint in lawn.
 * 'Tis from high life high characters are drawn;
 * Line 135.

Just as the twig is bent, the tree's inclined.
 * 'Tis education forms the common mind:
 * Line 149.

Tenets with books, and principles with times.
 * Manners with fortunes, humours turn with climes,
 * Line 172. Compare: "Omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis" (translated: "All things change, and we change with them"), Matthias Borbonius, Deliciæ Poetarum Germanorum, i, 685.

Were the last words that poor Narcissa spoke.
 * "Odious! in woollen! 't would a saint provoke",
 * Line 246.

Shall feel your ruling passion strong in death.
 * And you, brave Cobham! to the latest breath
 * Line 262.

Epistle II, To Mrs. M. Blount (1735)
"Most women have no characters at all".
 * Nothing so true as what you once let fall,
 * Line 1.

If folly grow romantic, I must paint it.
 * Whether the charmer sinner it or saint it,
 * Line 15.

Catch, ere she change, the Cynthia of this minute.
 * Choose a firm cloud before it fall, and in it
 * Line 19.


 * Fine by defect, and delicately weak.
 * Line 43. Compare: "That air and harmony of shape express, Fine by degrees, and beautifully less", Matthew Prior, Henry and Emma.

A teeming mistress, but a barren bride.
 * Chaste to her husband, frank to all beside,
 * Line 71.

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.
 * Wise wretch! with pleasures too refined to please;
 * Line 95.

Childless with all her children, wants an heir; To heirs unknown descends the unguarded store, Or wanders heaven-directed to the poor.
 * Atossa, cursed with every granted prayer,
 * Line 147.

Say, what can Chloe want?" &mdash; She wants a heart.
 * "With ev'ry pleasing, ev'ry prudent part,
 * Line 159.

Content to dwell in decencies forever.
 * Virtue she finds too painful an endeavour,
 * Line 163.

In women, two almost divide the kind; Those, only fixed, they first or last obey, The love of pleasure, and the love of sway.
 * In men, we various ruling passions find;
 * Line 207.

But every woman is at heart a rake.
 * Men, some to business, some to pleasure take;
 * Line 215.

A youth of frolics, an old age of cards.
 * See how the world its veterans rewards!
 * Line 243.

Can make to-morrow cheerful as to-day!
 * Oh, blest with temper whose unclouded ray
 * Line 257.

Or, if she rules him, never shows she rules; Charms by accepting, by submitting, sways, Yet has her humor most, when she obeys.
 * She who ne'er answers till a husband cools,
 * Line 261.


 * And mistress of herself though china fall.
 * Line 268.

Woman's at best a contradiction still.
 * And yet, believe me, good as well as ill,
 * Line 269.

Epistle III, To Lord Bathurst (1732)
And soundest casuists doubt, like you and me?
 * Who shall decide when doctors disagree,
 * Line 1.

That lends corruption lighter wings to fly.
 * Blest paper-credit! last and best supply!
 * Line 39.

Meat, fire, and clothes. B. What more? P. Meat, fine clothes, and fire.
 * P. What riches give us let us then inquire:
 * Line 79.

Die, and endow a college, or a cat.
 * But thousands die, without this or that,
 * Line 95.

The ruling passion conquers reason still.
 * The ruling passion, be it what it will,
 * Line 153.

Extremes in man concur to general use.
 * Extremes in Nature equal good produce;
 * Line 161.


 * Rise, honest muse! and sing The Man of Ross.
 * Line 250.


 * Ye little stars! hide your diminish'd rays.
 * Line 282. Compare: "At whose sight all the stars / Hide their diminish’d heads", John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book iv, Line 34.

Will never mark the marble with his name.
 * Who builds a church to God and not to fame,
 * Line 285.


 * In the worst inn's worst room, with mat half hung.
 * Line 299.

Like a tall bully, lifts the head and lies.
 * Where London's column, pointing at the skies,
 * Line 339.

And tempts by making rich, not making poor.
 * But Satan now is wiser than of yore,
 * Line 351.

Epistle IV, To Lord Burlington (1731)
And though no science, fairly worth the seven.
 * Good sense, which only is the gift of Heaven,
 * Line 43.

And splendor borrows all her rays from sense.
 * Tis use alone that sanctifies expense,
 * Ver. 180.

Who never mentions hell to ears polite.
 * To rest, the cushion and soft dean invite,
 * Line 149. Compare: "In the reign of Charles II, a certain worthy divine at Whitehall thus addressed himself to the auditory at the conclusion of his sermon: 'In short, if you don't live up to the precepts of the Gospel, but abandon yourselves to your irregular appetites, you must expect to receive your reward in a certain place which 'tis not good manners to mention here'", Tom Brown, Laconics.

Epistle VII, To Mr. Addison (1720)
In action faithful, and in honor clear; Who broke no promise, served no private end, Who gained no title, and who lost no friend.
 * Statesman, yet friend to truth! of soul sincere,
 * Line 67.