Alexander Pope Quotes on Sense & Perception (22 Quotes)

Some by Old Words to Fame have made Pretence;
Ancients in Phrase, meer Moderns in their Sense!

In search of Wit these lose their common Sense,
And then turn Criticks in their own Defence.

Love, free as air, at sight of human ties, Spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies.

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.

Steals my senses, shuts my sight,
Drowns my spirits, draws my breath?

Genius creates, and taste preserves. Taste is the good sense of genius; without taste, genius is only sublime folly.

How shall I lose the sin, yet keep the sense,
And love th' offender, yet detest th' offence?

Be silent always when you doubt your sense.

At every trifle take offense, that always shows great pride or little sense.

Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll; charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

Words are like Leaves; and where they most abound,
Much Fruit of Sense beneath is rarely found.

Good sense, which only is the gift of Heaven, And though no science, fairly worth the seven.

How far your Genius, Taste, and Learning go;
Launch not beyond your Depth, but be discreet,
And mark that Point where Sense and Dulness meet.

To endeavor to work upon the vulgar with fine sense is like attempting to hew blocks with a razor.

Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

Order is Heaven's first law and this confessed, Some are, and must be, greater than the rest, More rich, more wise but who infers from hence That such are happier, shocks all common sense.

One thought of thee puts all the pomp to flight, Priests, tapers, temples, swim before my sight.

Fools admire, but men of sense approve.

Reason's whole pleasure, all the joys of sense, Lie in three words,health, peace, and competence.

For fools admire, but men of sense approve.

Blest with a Taste exact, yet unconfin'd;
A Knowledge both of Books and Humankind;
Gen'rous Converse; a Sound exempt from Pride;
And Love to Praise, with Reason on his Side?

Some daemon stole my pen (forgive th' offence)And once betrayed me into common sense. Else all my prose and verse were much the same.