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“
The Riddle of the World
Alexander Pope 1688 (London) – 1744 (Twickenham)
Know then thyself, presume not God to scan(0.00 / 0 votes)
The proper study of Mankind is Man.
Placed on this isthmus of a middle state,
A Being darkly wise, and rudely great:
With too much knowledge for the Sceptic side,
With too much weakness for the Stoic's pride,
He hangs between; in doubt to act, or rest;
In doubt to deem himself a God, or Beast;
In doubt his mind and body to prefer;
Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err;
Whether he thinks to little, or too much;
Chaos of Thought and Passion, all confus'd;
Still by himself, abus'd or disabus'd;
Created half to rise and half to fall;
Great Lord of all things, yet a prey to all,
Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl'd;
The glory, jest and riddle of the world.
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Citation
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"The Riddle of the World" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2021. Web. 19 Apr. 2021. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/515/the-riddle-of-the-world>.
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