“ As men of breeding, sometimes men of wit, To avoid great errors, must the less commit ”
Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism (1711). copy citation
| Author | Alexander Pope |
|---|---|
| Source | An Essay on Criticism |
| Topic | error wit |
| Date | 1711 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/7409/7409-h/7409-h.htm |
Context
“Thinks what ne'er was, nor is, nor e'er shall be.
In every work regard the writer's end,
Since none can compass more than they intend;
And if the means be just, the conduct true,
Applause, in spite of trivial faults, is due.
As men of breeding, sometimes men of wit,
To avoid great errors, must the less commit:
Neglect the rules each verbal critic lays,
For not to know some trifles is a praise.
Most critics, fond of some subservient art,
Still make the whole depend upon a part:
They talk of principles, but notions prize,”
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