His Principle of action once explore, That inftant 'tis his Principle no more. Like following life thro' creatures you diffect, Yet more'; the diff'rence is as great between It hurries all too fast to mark their way: In vain fedate reflections we wou'd make, 30 35 When half our knowledge we must snatch, not take. Oft, in the Paffions' wild rotation toft, Our spring of action to ourselves is loft: Tir'd, not determin'd, to the last we yield, 4I As the last image of that troubled heap, 45 Is thus, perhaps, the cause of moft we do. True, fome are open, and to all men known; Others fo very close, they're hid from none; 50 (So Darkness strikes the sense no less than Light) All fee 'tis Vice, and itch of vulgar praife. 55 60 While one there is who charms us with his Spleen. Or Affectations quite reverse the foul. 65 ༡༠ See the fame man, in vigour, in the gout; Alone, in company; in place, or out; Early at Bus'nefs, and at Hazard late; 75 Friendly at Hackney, faithless at Whitehall. Catius is ever moral, ever grave, Thinks who endures a knave, is next a knave, Save just at dinner-then prefers, no doubt, 80 85 What made (fayMontagne, or more fage Charron!) Otho a warrior, Cromwell a buffoon? VARIATIONS. After 86. in the former Editions, Triumphant leaders, at an army's head, nite number of his thoughts VER.87-fay Montagne, or more fage Charren!] Charron was an admirer of Montagne; had contracted a ftrict friendship with him; and has transferred an infi- | Charron. H A perjur'd Prince a leaden Saint revere, NOTES. his death. P 90 96 VER. 93. Europe a Woman, Child, or Dotard rule, -And just her wifeft monarch made a fool?] The Czarina, the King of France, the Pope, and the abovementioned King of Sardinia. VER. 89. A perjur'd | fume it, was imprisoned till Prince] Louis XI. of France, wore in his Hat a leaden image of the Virgin Mary, which when he swore by, he feared to break his oath. P. VER 90. A godless Re gent tremble at a Star?] Philip Duke of Orleans, Regent of France in the minority of Louis XV. fuperftitious in judicial aftrology, tho' an unbeliever in all religion. P: VER 91. The throne a Bigot keep, a Genius quit,] Philip V. of Spain, who, after renouncing the throne for Religion, refumed it to gratify his Queen; and Victor Amadeus II. King of Sardinia, who refigned the crown, and trying to reaf VER. 95. Know, God and Nature, &c.] By Nature is not here meant any imaginary fubftitute of God, call'd a Plaftic nature; but his moral laws: And this obfervation was inferted with great propriety and difcretion, in the conclufion of a long detail of the various characters of men: For, from this circumftance, Montagne and others have been bold enough to infinuate, that A bird of paffage! gone as soon as found, Now in the Moon perhaps, now under ground. In vain the Sage, with retrospective eye, Would from th'apparent What conclude the Why, Infer the Motive from the Deed, and fhew, ΙΟΙ That what we chanc'd was what we meant to do. NOTES. morality is founded more in cuftom and fashion than in the nature of things. The fpeaking therefore of a moral law of God, as having all the conftancy and durability of his Effence, had an high expediency in this place. 105 derived it from his father Charles V. whofe health the hiftorians of his life tell us, was frequently diforder'd by bilious fevers. But what the author meant principally to obferve here was, that this humour made both these princes act contrary to their VER. 107. The fame aduft Character; Charles, who complexion has impell'd was an active man, when Charles to the Convent, he retired into a Convent ; Philip to the Field.] The Philip, who was a man atrabilaire complexion of of the Clofet, when he Philip II. is well known, gave the battle of St Quinbut not fo well that he | tin. |