EPISTLE IV. H HAPPINESS! our being's end and aim! name: That fomething ftill which prompts th'eternal figh, VARIATIONS. VER. 1. Oh Happiness ! &c.] in the MS. thus, Wing'd with strong hope, and borne by full defire; 5 EP. IV.] THE two foregoing epiftles having confidered Man with regard to the Means (that is, in all his relations, whether as an Individual, or a Member of Society) this laft comes to confider him with regard to the End, that is, Happiness. NOTES, VER. 6. O'erlook'd, feen | double,] O'erlook'd by thofe who place Happiness in any thing exclufive of Virtue ; feen double by those who admit any thing else to have Plant of celeftial feed! if dropt below, ? Say, in what mortal soil thou deign'ft to grow ΙΟ Where grows?-where grows it not? If vain our toil, 'Tis no where to be found, or ev'ry where ; 15 And fled from monarchs, ST JOHN! dwells with thee. blind; This bids to ferve, and that to fhun mankind; 20 Some funk to Beasts, find pleasure end in pain; To trust in ev'ry thing, or doubt of all. . 25 30 Take Nature's path, and mad Opinion's leave; All states can reach it, and all heads conceive; Obvious her goods, in no extreme they dwell; There needs but thinking right, and meaning well And mourn our various portions as we please, Equal is Common Senfe, and Common Eafe. NOTES. makes the former conclude it is never to be found. The only difference is, that the laziness of the one is defponding, and the laziness of the other fanguine; yet both can give it a good name, and call it Happinefs. that Man was πάλων χρημάτων | it to be always at hand, Mirgov, the measure of all things; for that all things which appear to him are, and those things which appear not to any Man are not; fo that every imaginagination or opinion of every man was true. 6. The Sceptic: Whofe abfolute Doubt is with great judgment faid to be the effect of Indolence, as well as the abfolute Truft of the Protagorean: For the fame dread of labour attending the fearch of truth, which makes this latter prefume VER. 23. Some funk to Beafs, &c.] Thefe four lines added in the last Edition, as neceffary to complete the fummary of the falfe pursuits after happiness amongst the Greek philofophers. 35 Remember, Man, "the Universal Cause "Acts not by partial, but by gen'ral laws;" And makes what Happiness we justly call Subfift not in the good of one, but all. There's not a bleffing Individuals find, But fome way leans and hearkens to the kind: 40 45 Each has his fhare; and who would more obtain, Shall find, the pleasure pays not half the pain. ORDER is Heav'n's firft law; and this confeft, Some are, and muft be, greater than the reft, 50 More rich, more wife; but who infers from hence That fuch are happier, shocks all common sense. VARIATIONS. After VER. 52. in the MS. Say not, "Heav'n's here profufe, there poorly faves, "And for one Monarch makes a thousand slaves." You'll find, when Causes and their Ends are known, 'Twas for the thousand Heav'n has made that one. NOTES. VER. 49. Order is Heav'n's firft law; ] i. e. The first law made by God relates to Order; which is Heav'n to Mankind impartial we confefs, But mutual wants this Happiness increase ; Blifs is the fame in fubject or in king, 55 In him who is, or him who finds a friend: бо Heav'n breathes thro' ev'ry member of the whole After VER. 66. in the MS. 'Tis peace of mind alone is at a stay; And more is relifh'd as the more diftref. NOTES. 65 a beautiful allufion to the peafed the diforders of Scripture hiftory of the Crea- Chaos, and feparated the tion, when God first ap-light from the darkness. |