Which of the following is not an epigram from Pope’s The Essay on Criticism?

Correct option is D

Explanation:

The correct answer is "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

This famous epigram is from Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Man (1733-34). This line is often quoted to highlight the recklessness of foolish people acting without caution, while the wise hesitate.

On the other hand, the other three epigrams are indeed from The Essay on Criticism, one of Pope’s most influential works in literary criticism, written in heroic couplets.
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Information Booster:

An Essay on Criticism, didactic poem in heroic couplets by Alexander Pope, first published anonymously when the author was 22 years old. Although inspired by Horace’s Ars poetica, this work of literary criticism borrowed from the writers of the Augustan Age. In it Pope set out poetic rules, a Neoclassical compendium of maxims, with a combination of ambitious argument and great stylistic assurance. The poem received much attention and brought Pope a wider circle of friends, notably Joseph Addison and Richard Steele, who were then collaborating on The Spectator. The first of the poem’s three sections opens with the argument that good taste derives from Nature and that critics should imitate the ancient rules established by classical writers. The second section lists the many ways in which critics have deviated from these rules. In this part Pope stressed the importance of onomatopoeia in prosody, suggesting that the movement of sound and metre should represent the actions they carry. The final section, which discusses the characteristics of a good critic, concludes with a short history of literary criticism and a catalog of famous critics. The work’s brilliantly polished epigrams while not original, have become part of the proverbial heritage of the English language.

Famous Epigrams from The Essay on Criticism:

                     "To err is human, to forgive divine."
                     "A little learning is a dangerous thing."
                     "For fools rush in where angels fear to tread." (not from this work but often mistakenly attributed).

Meaning of "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread"

Suggests that ignorant or reckless people take risks that wise people avoid.
Frequently used in literature, politics, and philosophy.

Pope’s Writing Style:

              Uses heroic couplets (rhymed iambic pentameter).
              Incorporates wit, satire, and moral philosophy.
              Advocates for balance, order, and reason in poetry and criticism.