Copyright
William HutchingsPublished On
2023-12-19Page Range
pp. 239–244Language
- English
Print Length
6 pages
23. The Sixth Epistle of the First Book of Horace Imitated. To Mr Murray
- William Hutchings (author)
Chapter of: ‘Wit’s Wild Dancing Light’: Reading the Poems of Alexander Pope(pp. 239–244)
Chapter 23 tracks The Sixth Epistle of the First Book of Horace Imitated. To Mr Murray through its sceptical review of the misplaced pursuits of wealth, fame and power. Dominating each in turn is the key phrase that opens the poem, quoting Thomas Creech’s standard 1684 translation: ‘Not to admire, is all the art I know, / To make men happy, and to keep them so’. ‘Not to admire’ translates literally Horace’s ‘Nil admirari’. ‘Admire’ carries the connotation of foolish wonderment. The best guide to happiness is not to be taken to extremes, but to maintain a position of moderation and detachment.
Contributors
William Hutchings
(author)Honorary Research Fellow at University of Manchester
William Hutchings was formerly Senior Lecturer in English Literature and Director of the Centre for Excellence in Enquiry-Based Learning at the University of Manchester, UK and he is presently Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures at that university. He now lectures regularly to public groups locally and nationally. He has a wealth of teaching experience on English Literature courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and is the editor of Andrew Marvell: Selected Poems, the author of The Poetry of William Cowper, and Literary Criticism: A Practical Guide for Students.