Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.
Alexander PopeRead
What woeful stuff this madrigal would be, In some starved hackney sonneteer, or me! But let a lord once own the happy lines, How the wit brightens! how the style refines!
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on how the value of poetry is heightened by its association with status and privilege.
In this quote, Alexander Pope critiques the perception of poetry and its worth depending on the reputation of the author rather than the quality of the work itself. He suggests that a piece of writing, regardless of its artistic merit, gains significance and appeal when it is affiliated with someone of high social standing, illustrating the disparity between genuine artistry and social elitism in the realm of literature.
Themes
PoetryArtStatusSocietyElitism
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the value of art, one could use this quote to highlight the influence of social status on artistic perception.
More from Alexander Pope
All quotes →What dire offence from am'rous causes springs, What mighty contests rise from trivial things.
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Fair tresses man's imperial race ensnare; And beauty draws us with a single hair.
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An honest man's the noblest work of God.
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One thought of thee puts all the pomp to flight;_x000D_ _x000D_ Priests, tapers, temples, swim before my sight.
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Who breaks a butterfly on a wheel?
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