Hope Springs Eternal

Hope springs eternal in the human breast. Man never Is, but always To be blest.
[1732 Pope Essay on Man i. 95]

Night after night his disappointment is acute, but hope springs eternal in the scholastic breast.
[1865 Dickens Our Mutual Friend II. iii. x.]

‘It was understood, wasn't it, that we could not dine together?’ ‘Oh yes—but you know how it is. Hope springs eternal and so forth.’
[1935 H. Spring Rachel Rosing viii.]

But hope springs eternal in the Labour pessimist's breast. Perhaps this time Mr Blair and his American friends will get it all wrong.
[2002 Spectator 16 Mar. 11]

Related to: hope and despair

Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.

People will keep on hoping, no matter what the odds. For example, I keep buying lottery tickets--hope springs eternal. This expression was coined by Alexander Pope (An Essay on Man, 1732) and quickly became proverbial.

The phrase Hope Springs Eternal originates from a line in Alexander Pope's poem, An Essay on Man, written in 1733:

Hope springs eternal in the human breast

It has since been used as follows:

TV and film

• Hope Springs (TV series), BBC One comedy-drama series set in Scotland
• Hope Springs (film), 2003 romantic-comedy starring Colin Firth and Minnie Driver
• Project Runway Canada (season 2)#Episode 6: Hope Springs Eternal, 2009 episode of Project Runway Canada
• Hope Springs Eternal, first episode of Pilot Season (TV series)

Books

• Hope Springs Eternal, novel by Edward O. Phillips
• Hope Springs Eternal, subtitle of Stephen King 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
• Prairie River: Hope Springs Eternal, 2005 book by Kristiana Gregory

Music

• Hope Springs Eternal (The Echoing Green album), 1997 album by The Echoing Green
• Hope Springs Eternal, track from Embraced by the Absolute by Autumn Leaves (band)
• Hope Springs Eternal, song from The Returning Sun by Cy Curnin
• Hope Springs Eternal, track from Power of Eternity by Wishbone Ash
• Hope Springs Eternal, track from Nàdurra by Capercaillie (band)
• Hope Springs Eternal, single by The Sandkings (band)
• Hope Springs Eternal, piano piece by Bruce Barth
• Hope Springs Eternal, track from Hearts in Motion by Air Supply

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