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How did Alexander Pope receive most of his education?
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Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope, portrait by Thomas Hudson, c. 1739; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Alexander Pope was primarily self-educated. Because he was a Roman Catholic, he was barred from attending universities, which precluded him from a formal course of education.1
While he received some early training from Catholic priests and attended Catholic schools at Twyford and Hyde Park Corner, his learning was largely independent. A precocious student, Pope taught himself Latin, Greek, French, and Italian by reading extensively and imitating the poets he admired.1