Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.
Alexander PopeRead
Such labour'd nothings, in so strange a style, Amaze th' unlearn'd and make the learned smile.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the paradox of art and intellect, where complex creations can bewilder those without knowledge while amusing those who understand.
In this quote, Alexander Pope reflects on the nature of artistic expression and how it can evoke different responses from people based on their knowledge and understanding. The 'labour'd nothings' refers to the painstaking work artists put into their creations, which can appear whimsical or nonsensical. While the unlearned may be amazed by the seemingly absurd, those who appreciate the deeper meaning or craftsmanship find joy in the cleverness and skill involved, thus creating a divide between different audiences.
Themes
ArtIntellectUnderstandingHumorCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about modern art and its impact, citing this quote can open up the conversation about differing interpretations.
More from Alexander Pope
All quotes βWhat dire offence from am'rous causes springs, What mighty contests rise from trivial things.
Alexander PopeRead
Fair tresses man's imperial race ensnare; And beauty draws us with a single hair.
Alexander PopeRead
An honest man's the noblest work of God.
Alexander PopeRead
One thought of thee puts all the pomp to flight;_x000D_ _x000D_ Priests, tapers, temples, swim before my sight.
Alexander PopeRead
Who breaks a butterfly on a wheel?
Alexander PopeRead
Similar quotes
When I was in college at UCLA, I took a playwriting course. I was all set to be a writer. But I had to take this acting class as a theater arts major. I had to do this scene in a one-act comedy. I just said this line, and then... this laugh happened. I thought, 'Whoa. This is a really good feeling. What have I been missing?'
Carol BurnettRead
I've always believed in writing without a collaborator, because where two people are writing the same book, each believes he gets all the worry and only half the royalties.
Agatha ChristieRead
Above all, I craved to seize the whole essence, in the confines of one single photograph, of some situation that was in the process of unrolling itself before my eyes.
Henri Cartier-BressonRead
Originality is the fine art of remembering what you hear but forgetting where you heard it.
Laurence J. PeterRead
A work-room should be like an old shoe; no matter how shabby, it's better than a new one.
Willa CatherRead
If you believe in Cinderella, and if you can suspend your disbelief at midnight, then you can believe in the interdisciplinary midnight, the 'in-betweens,' and become fortunately entangled, moving from art to science.
Neri OxmanRead