No More Learning

'94 Parnassus' top:'

the Muses were supposed to dwell on the top of Parnassus, a mountain in
Greece. Great poets are here thought of as having climbed the mountain
to dwell with the Muses.


'96'

What is (cf. text) "the immortal prize"?


'99 She',

i. e. learned Greece, especially Greek criticism, which obtained the
rules of poetry from the practice of great poets, and, as it were,
systematized their inspiration.


'104 following wits':

later scholars.


'105'

What is meant by "the mistress" and "the maid" in this line?


'109 Doctor's bills:'

prescriptions.


'112'

These are the prosy commentators on great poets, whose dreary notes
often disgust readers with the original.


'120 fable:'

plot.


'123'

What is the difference between "cavil" and "criticise"?


'129 the Mantuan Muse:'

the poetry of Virgil, which Pope thinks the best commentary on Homer. In
what sense is this to be understood?
'130 Maro:'

Virgil, whose full name was Publius Vergilius Maro, Pope here praises
Virgil's well-known imitation of Homer. Since "nature and Homer were the
same," a young poet like Virgil could do nothing better than copy Homer.


'138 the Stagirite:'

Aristotle, a native of Stagyra, was the first and one of the greatest of
literary critics. His "rules" were drawn from the practice of great
poets, and so, according to Pope, to imitate Homer was to obey the
"ancient rules. "


'141'

There are some beauties in poetry which cannot be explained by criticism.


'142 happiness:'

used here to express the peculiar charm of spontaneous poetic expression
as contrasted with "care," 'i. e. ' the art of revising and improving,
which can be taught.


'152 vulgar bounds:'

the limitations imposed upon ordinary writers.


'157 out of . . . rise:'

surpass the ordinary scenes of nature.


'159 Great wits:'

poets of real genius.


'160 faults:'

here used in the sense of irregularities, exceptions to the rules of
poetry. When these are justified by the poet's genius, true critics do
not presume to correct them.