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Yet not to Earth's contracted Span,
Thy Goodness let me bound,
Or think Thee Lord alone of Man,

When thousand Worlds are round:

Let not this weak, unknowing hand
Prefume thy bolts to throw,
And deal damnation round the land,
On each I judge thy Foe.

If I am right, thy grace impart,
Still in the right to stay ;

If am wrong, oh teach my heart
To find that better way.

NOTES.

If I am right, thy grace impart,
If I am wrong, O teach my heart]

As the imparting grace on
the chriftian fyftem is a
ftronger exertion of the di-
vine power, than the na-
tural illumination of the
heart, one would expect that
the request should have been
expreffed reversely; more
aid being required to re

ftore men to the right than to keep them in it. But as it was the poet's purpose to infinuate that Revelation was the right, nothing could better exprefs his purpose than the making the right fecured by the guards of grace.

Save me alike from foolish Pride,
Or impious Discontent,

At ought thy Wisdom has deny❜d.
Or ought thy Goodness lent.

Teach me to feel another's Woe,
To hide the Fault I fee;
That Mercy I to others show,
That Mercy show to me.

Mean tho' I am, not wholly fo

Since quick'ned by thy Breath;

Oh lead me wherefoe'er I go,

Thro' this day's Life or Death.

This day, be Bread and Peace my Lot:
All elfe beneath the Sun,

Thou know'ft if beft beftow'd or not,
And let Thy Will be done.

To thee, whose Temple is all Space,
Whofe Altar, Earth, Sea, Skies!

One Chorus let all Being raise!

All Nature's Incense rife!

C

MORAL ESSAYS,

IN

FOUR EPISTLES

то

Several Perfons.

Eft brevitate opus, ut currat fententia, neu se
Impediat verbis laffis onerantibus aures :
Et fermone opus eft modo trifti, fæpe jocofo,
Defendente vicem modo Rhetoris atque Poetæ,
Interdum urbani, parcentis viribus, atque
Extenuantis eas confultò.

HOR.

MORAL ESSAYS.

EPISTLE I.

то

Sir Richard Temple, Lord Cobham.

ARGUMEN T.

Of the Knowledge and Characters of MEN. THAT it is not fufficient for this knowledge to confider Man in the Abstract: Books will not ferve the purpose, nor yet our own Experience fingly, I. General maxims, unless they be formed upon both, will be but notional, 10. Some Peculiarity in every man, characteristic to himself, yet varying from himfelf, 15. Difficulties arifing from our own Paffions, Fancies, Faculties, &c. 31. The shortnefs of Life, to obferve in, and the uncertainty of the Principles of action in men, to obferve by, 37, &c. Our own Principle of action often hid from ourselves, 41. Some few Characters plain, but in general confounded, dissembled, or inconfiftent, 51. The fame man utterly different in different places and seasons, 71. Unimaginable weaknesses

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