Self Love still stronger, as its Objects nigh, Reasons at distance, and in Prospect lie; That sees immediate Good, by present Sense Reason the future, and the Consequence... Essay on Man, Ep. II.
Go, wond'rous creature! mount where Science guides, Go, measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides; 20 Inftruct the planets in what orbs to run,
Correct bld Time, and regulate the Sun;
Go foar with Plato to th' empyreal sphere,
To the first good, first perfect and first fair;
Or tread the mazy round his follow'rs trod,
And quitting sense call imitating God;
As Eaftern pricfts in giddy circles run,
And turn their heads to imitate the Sun.
Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule-
Then drop into thyself, and be a fool!
Superior beings, when of late they faw
A mortal Man unfold all Nature's Law,
Obferve how near he edges on our race;
What human tricks! how rifible of face!
It must be fo- why elfe have I the sense
Of more than monkey charms and excellence?
Why elfe to walk on two fo oft effay'd;
And why this ardent longing for a maid?
So Pug might plead, and call his Gods unkind
'Till fet on end, and married to his mind.
Go, reas'ning Thing! affume the Doctor's chair,
As Plato deep, as Seneca fevere:
Fix moral fitness, and to God give rule,
Then drop into thyself, etc.
VER. 21. Ed. 4th and 5th.
Shew by what rules the wand'ring planets ftray,
Correct old Time, and teach the Sun his way.
Admir'd fuch wisdom in an earthly shape,
And fhew'd a NEWTON as we fhew an Ape.
Could he, whofe rules the rapid Comet bind,
Defcribe or fix one movement of his Mind?
Who faw its fires here rife, and there defcend,
Explain his own beginning, or his end?
Alas what, wonder! Man's fuperior part
Uncheck'd may rife, and climb from art to art:
But when his own great work is but begun,
What Reafon weaves, by Paffion is undone.
Trace Science then, with Modefty thy guide;
First strip off all her equipage of Pride;,
Deduct but what is Vanity or Dress,
Or Learning's Luxury, or Idleness;
Or tricks to fhew the stretch of human brain,
Mere curious pleasure, or ingenious pain;
Expunge the whole, or lop th' excrefcent parts
Of all our Vices have created Arts;
Then fee how little the remaining fum,
Which ferv'd the past, and must the times to come!
II. Two Principles in human nature reign;
Self-love, to urge, and Reason, to restrain;
Nor this a good, nor that a bad we call,
Each works its end, to move or govern all;
Could he who taught each planet where to roll,
Defcribe or fix one movement of the Soul?
Who mark'd their points to rife or to defcend,
Explain his own beginning or his end ?
And to their proper operation ftill,
Afcribe all Good, to their improper, Ill.
Self-love, the fpring of motion, acts the foul;
Reafon's comparing balance rules the whole.
Man, but for that, no action could attend,
And, but for this, were active to no end:
Fix'd like a plant on his peculiar spot,
To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot :
Or, meteor-like, Hame lawless thro' the void,
Deftroying others, by himself deftroyed.
Most strength the moving principle requires;
Active its task, it prompts, impells, infpires:
Sedate and quiet the comparing lies,
Form'd but to check, delib'rate and advise.
Self-love, ftill ftronger, as its objects nigh;
Redfon's at diftance, and in prospect lie:
That, fees immediate good by prefent fenfe;
Reason, the future and the confequence.
Thicker than arguments, temptations throng,
At best more watchful this, but that more ftrong.
The Action of the ftronger to fufpend
Reason still use, to Reafon fill attend.
Attention, habit and experience gains;
Each strengthens Reafon, and Self-love restrains.
Let fubtle schoolmen teach these friends to fight,
More ftudious to divide than to unite;
And Grace and Virtue, Senfe and Reafon flit.
With all the rafh dexterity of wit.
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