Fame. Alexander Pope (1688-1744). Poems of Sentiment: II. Life. Bliss Carman, et al., eds. 1904. The World's Best Poetry. VI. Fancy

Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume VI. Fancy. 1904.

Poems of Sentiment: II. Life

Fame

Alexander Pope (1688–1744)


From “An Essay on Man,” Epistle IV. WHAT ’s fame?—a fancied life in others’ breath,
A thing beyond us, e’en before our death.
Just what you hear, you have; and what ’s unknown
The same (my lord) if Tully’s, or your own.
All that we feel of it begins and ends	5
In the small circle of our foes or friends;
To all beside, as much an empty shade
A Eugene living as a Cæsar dead;
Alike or when or where they shone or shine,
Or on the Rubicon, or on the Rhine.	10
A wit ’s a feather, and a chief a rod;
An honest man ’s the noblest work of God.
Fame but from death a villain’s name can save,
As justice tears his body from the grave;
When what to oblivion better were resigned	15
Is hung on high, to poison half mankind.
All fame is foreign, but of true desert;
Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart:
One self-approving hour whole years outweighs
Of stupid starers and of loud huzzas;	20
And more true joy Marcellus exiled feels
Than Cæsar with a senate at his heels.