“Nature to all things fixed the limits fitAnd wisely curbed proud man's pretending wit.As on the land while here the ocean gains.In other parts it leaves wide sandy plainsThus in the soul while memory prevails,The solid power of understanding failsWhere beams of warm imagination play,The memory's soft figures melt awayOne science only will one genius fit,So vast is art, so narrow human witNot only bounded to peculiar arts,But oft in those confined to single partsLike kings, we lose the conquests gained before,By vain ambition still to make them moreEach might his several province well command,Would all but stoop to what they understand.”

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Originally said in English.

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About Alexander Pope

English poet of the early 18th century, Alexander Pope is best known for his witty, satirical verse and masterful translations of classical works. His most celebrated works include *The Rape of the Lock*, *The Dunciad*, and *An Essay on Criticism*, which established his reputation as a leading voice in Augustan literature.

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"Nature to all things fixed the limits fitAnd wisely curbed proud man'…" — Alexander Pope | Daily Quotes