Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism" seeks to lay down rules of good taste in poetry criticism, and in poetry itself. Structured as an essay in rhyming verse, it offers advice to the aspiring critic while satirizing amateurish criticism and poetry. The famous passage beginning "A little learning is a dangerous thing" advises would-be critics to learn their field in depth, warning that the arts demand much longer and more arduous study than beginners expect. The passage can also be read as a warning against shallow learning in general. Published in 1711, when Alexander Pope was just 23, the "Essay" brought its author fame and notoriety while he was still a young poet himself.
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1A little learning is a dangerous thing;
2Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
3There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
4And drinking largely sobers us again.
5Fired at first sight with what the Muse imparts,
6In fearless youth we tempt the heights of Arts,
7While from the bounded level of our mind,
8Short views we take, nor see the lengths behind,
9But, more advanced, behold with strange surprise
10New, distant scenes of endless science rise!
11So pleased at first, the towering Alps we try,
12Mount o'er the vales, and seem to tread the sky;
13The eternal snows appear already past,
14And the first clouds and mountains seem the last;
15But those attained, we tremble to survey
16The growing labours of the lengthened way,
17The increasing prospect tires our wandering eyes,
18Hills peep o'er hills, and Alps on Alps arise!
1A little learning is a dangerous thing;
2Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
3There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
4And drinking largely sobers us again.
5Fired at first sight with what the Muse imparts,
6In fearless youth we tempt the heights of Arts,
7While from the bounded level of our mind,
8Short views we take, nor see the lengths behind,
9But, more advanced, behold with strange surprise
10New, distant scenes of endless science rise!
11So pleased at first, the towering Alps we try,
12Mount o'er the vales, and seem to tread the sky;
13The eternal snows appear already past,
14And the first clouds and mountains seem the last;
15But those attained, we tremble to survey
16The growing labours of the lengthened way,
17The increasing prospect tires our wandering eyes,
18Hills peep o'er hills, and Alps on Alps arise!
A little learning is a dangerous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
And drinking largely sobers us again.
Fired at first sight with what the Muse imparts,
In fearless youth we tempt the heights of Arts,
While from the bounded level of our mind,
Short views we take, nor see the lengths behind,
But, more advanced, behold with strange surprise
New, distant scenes of endless science rise!
So pleased at first, the towering Alps we try,
Mount o'er the vales, and seem to tread the sky;
The eternal snows appear already past,
And the first clouds and mountains seem the last;
But those attained, we tremble to survey
The growing labours of the lengthened way,
The increasing prospect tires our wandering eyes,
Hills peep o'er hills, and Alps on Alps arise!
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
The Poem Aloud — Listen to an audiobook of Pope's "Essay on Criticism" (the "A little learning" passage starts at 12:57).
The Poet's Life — Read a biography of Alexander Pope at the Poetry Foundation.
"Alexander Pope: Rediscovering a Genius" — Watch a BBC documentary on Alexander Pope.
More on Pope's Life — A summary of Pope's life and work at Poets.org.
Pope at the British Library — More resources and articles on the poet.