Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.
Alexander PopeRead
No louder shrieks to pitying heaven are cast, When husbands or lap-dogs breathe their last.
Interpretation
This quote humorously highlights how society often mourns pets as much as, or more than, human beings.
In this quote, Alexander Pope uses irony to critique societal values and the disproportionate reactions to death. He suggests that the grief expressed for a husband or a lap-dog when they pass away may not be significantly different, hinting at a world where the loss of a beloved pet gets equal if not more attention than that of a human partner, thereby questioning the nature of love and attachment in relationships.
In practice
During a eulogy, one might reference this quote to lighten the mood when discussing cherished pets.
Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.
What dire offence from am'rous causes springs, What mighty contests rise from trivial things.
Fair tresses man's imperial race ensnare; And beauty draws us with a single hair.
An honest man's the noblest work of God.
One thought of thee puts all the pomp to flight;_x000D_ _x000D_ Priests, tapers, temples, swim before my sight.
Who breaks a butterfly on a wheel?
It is a cliche that most cliches are true, but then like most cliches, that cliche is untrue.
Oh, Jeeves,' I said; 'about that check suit.' Yes, sir?' Is it really a frost?' A trifle too bizarre, sir, in my opinion.' But lots of fellows have asked me who my tailor is.' Doubtless in order to avoid him, sir.' He's supposed to be one of the best men in London.' I am saying nothing against his moral character, sir.
I enjoy darker sardonic wit more than knock-knock jokes. I spent the first healthy chunk of my career playing all-American, pleasant, average, nice people, so it's fun to have some complications there.
Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne.
You wonder sometimes how our government puts on its pants in the morning.
I don't believe in comedy as a TV genre - I think there's drama that is funny. Because beyond the laughs, there has to be cost, and there has to be heart.
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