Or tricks to fhew the ftretch of human brain, Then fee how little the remaining fum, Which ferv'd the past, and must the times to come! Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the foul; NOTES. VER. 47. Or tricks to fhew the ftretch of human brain,] Such as the mathematical demonftrations concerning the mall quantity of matter; the endless divifibility of it, &c. VER. 48. Mere curious pleafure, or ingenious pain;] That is, when Admiration fets the mind on the rack. 50 55 60 VER. 49, 50. Expunge the whole, or lop th' excrefcent parts Of all our Vices have created Arts ;] i. e. Those parts of natural Philofophy, Logic, Rhetoric, Poetry, &c. that adminifter to luxury, deceit, ambition, effeminacy, &c. Fix'd like a plant on his peculiar spot, To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot; Or, meteor-like, flame lawless thro' the void, 65 Destroying others, by himself deftroy'd. Moft ftrength the moving principle requires ; Form'd but to check, delib'rate, and advise. 70 75 79 Reason still use, to Reason ftill attend. More ftudious to divide than to unite ;' And Grace and Virtue, Senfe and Reafon fplit, NOTES. VER. 74. Reason, the fu- | the future; and by argumenture and the confequence.]i. e. tation, the confequence. By experience Reafon collects C 85 Wits, just like Fools, at war about a name, Our greatest evil, or our greatest good. 95 III. Modes of Self-love the Paffions we may call: 'Tis real good, or feeming, moves them all : But fince not ev'ry good we can divide, And Reafon bids us for our own provide; Paffions, tho' felfish, if their means be fair, Lift under Reason, and deserve her care; Thofe, that imparted, court a nobler aim, Exalt their kind, and take some Virtue's name. 100 In lazy Apathy let Stoics boaft Their Virtue fix'd; 'tis fix'd as in a froft; Contracted all, retiring to the breast; But strength of mind is Exercise, not Rest: VARIATIONS. After 86. in the MS. Of good and evil Gods what frighted Fools, The rifing tempeft puts in act the foul, Parts it may ravage, but preferves the whole. Reason the card, but Paflion is the gale; 105 109 He mounts the ftorm, and walks upon the wind. Paffions, like Elements, tho' born to fight, Yet, mix'd and foften'd, in his work unite: VARIATIONS. After VER. 108. in the MS. A tedious Voyage! where how useless lies After VER. 112. in the MS. The foft reward the virtuous, or invite ; Thefe 'tis enough to temper and employ; 115 But what compofes Man, can Man destroy? Pleasures are ever in our hands or eyes; And when, in act, they ceafe, in profpect, rife: 120 125 All spread their charms, but charm not all alike; NOTES. only this, that they fhould | not be quite rooted up and deftroyed, as the Stoics, and their followers in all reli 130 gions, foolishly attempted. For the reft, he constantly repeats this advice, The action of the stronger to fufpend, |