ARGUMENT OF

EPISTLE II.

Of the Nature and State of Man with respect to Himself, as an Individual.

1.THE bufinefs of Man not to pry into God, but to Study himself. His Middle Nature; his Powers and Frailties, 1 to 19. The Limits of his Capapicy, 19, &c. II. The two Principles of Man, Self-love and Reason, both necessary, 53, &c. Selflove the stronger, and why, y 67, &c. Their end the fame, 81, &c. III. The PASSIONS, and their ufe, 93 to 130. The Predominant Paffion, and its force, 132 to 160. Its Neceffity, in directing Men to different purposes, ¥ 165, &c. Its providential Ufe, in fixing our Principle, and afcertaining our Virtue, 177. IV. Virtue and Vice joined in our mixed Nature; the limits near, yet the things separate and evident: What is the Office of Reason,

202 to 216. V. How odious Vice in itself, and how we deceive ourselves into it, y 217. VI. That, however, the Ends of Providence and general Good are answered in our Paffions and Imperfections, 238, &c. How usefully these are diftributed to all Orders of Men, 241. How useful they are to Society, 251. And to Individuals, 263. In every state, and every age of life, 273, &c.

EPISTLE II.

'K

Now then thyfelf, prefume not to God to scan,
The proper ftudy of Mankind is Man.

Plac'd on this ifthmus of a middle ftate,

A Being darkly wife, and rudely great:

VA

ARIATIONS.

VER. 2. Ed. ift.

The only science of Mankind is Man.

COMMENTARY.

VER. 2. The proper ftudy, &c.] The Poet having fhewn, in the firft epiftle, that the ways of God are too high for our comprehenfion, rightly draws this conclufion and methodically makes it the fubject of his Introduction to the fecond, which treats of the Nature of Man.

But here presently the accufers of Providence would be apt to object, and fay, Admit that we had run into an excefs, while we pretended to cenfure or penetrate the defigns of Providence, a matter indeed too high for us; yet have not you gone as far into the oppofite extreme, while you

NOTES.

VER. 3. Plac'd on this ifthmus, &c.] As the Poet hath given us this defcription of man for the very contrary purpofe to what Sceptics are wont to employ fuch kind of paintings, namely, not to deter men from the fearch, but to excite them to the difcovery of truth; he hath, with great judgment, reprefented Men as doubting and wavering between the right and wrong object; from which ftate there are great hopes he may be relieved by a careful and

Plate IX.

Vol. III facing p.44 ·

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.
Say on Man Ep. II.

With too much knowledge for the Sceptic fide,
With too much weakness for the Stoic's pride,

COMMENTARY.

5

only fend us to the knowledge of our own Nature: You muft mock us when you talk of this as a ftudy; for who can doubt but we are intimately acquainted with OURSELVES? The proper conclufion therefore from your proof of our inability to comprehend the ways of God, is, that we should turn ourselves to the ftudy of the frame of NATURE. Thus, I fay, would they be apt to object; for, of all Men, those who call themfelves Freethinkers are most given up to Pride; efpecially that kind of pride, which confifts in a boafted knowledge of their own nature, the effects of which are fo well expofed in the first Epiftle. The Poet, therefore, to convince them that this fludy is lefs eafy than they imagine, replies (from 2 to 19.) to the firft

NOTES.

circumfpect ufe of Reafon. On the contrary, had he fuppofed Man fo blind as to be bufied in chufing, or doubtful in his choice, between two objects equally wrong, the cafe had appeared defperate, and all ftudy of Man had been effectually difcouraged. But M. Du Refnel, not feeing the reafon and beauty of this conduct, hath run into the very abfurdity, which I have here fhewn, Mr. Pope so artfully avoided. Of which, the learned Reader may take the following proofs. The Poet fays

"Man acts between; in doubt to act, or reft.

Now he tells us 'tis Man's duty to act, not rest, as the Stoics thought; and, to this their principle, the latter word alludes, whofe Virtue, as he says afterwards, is

"Fix'd as in a Froft,

"Contracted all, retiring to the breast:

"But ftrength of mind is EXERCISE not REST. Now hear the Tranflator, who is not for mincing matters,

Seroit-il en naiffant au travail condamné ?

Aux douceurs, du répos feroit-il destiné ?

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