An Essay on Criticism
An Essay on Criticism, written when Alexander Pope was about twenty-one and published in 1711, is a poem in heroic couplets on the art of judging poetry. Drawing on Horace, Quintilian and Boileau, it argues in three parts that the critic must follow nature and the ancients, avoid pride, pedantry and the love of parts over the whole, and show candor and good breeding; and it coined phrases that have passed into the language, among them "a little learning is a dangerous thing," "to err is human, to forgive divine" and "fools rush in where angels fear to tread." This edition is prefaced by a short life of Pope and furnished with notes on the lines. It is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, with the opening pages free.
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Frequently asked questions about An Essay on Criticism
An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
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Yes. An Essay on Criticism opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is An Essay on Criticism free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of An Essay on Criticism is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is An Essay on Criticism in the public domain?
Yes. An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read An Essay on Criticism?
About 37 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is An Essay on Criticism?
An Essay on Criticism by Alexander Pope is filed under "Poetry" in the Vinteuil library.
