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ARGUMENT OF

EPISTLE II.

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

THE business of Man not to pry into God, but to study himself. His Middle Nature: his Powers and Frailties, ver. 1. to 19. The Limits of his Capacity, ver. 19, etc. II. The two principles of Man, Self love and Reason, both neceffary, ver. 53, etc. Self-love the ftronger, and why, ver. 67, etc. Their end the fame, ver. 81, etc. III. The PASSIONS, and their ufe, ver. 93 to 130. The Predominant Passion, and its force, ver. 132 to 160. Its Neceffity, in directing Men to different Purpofes, ver. 165, etc. Its providential Ufe, in fixing our Principle, and ascertaining our Virtue, ver. 177. IV. Virtue and Vice joined in our mixed Nature; the Limits near, yet the Things separate and evident: What is the Office of Reafon, ver. 202 to 216. V. How odious Vice in itself, and how we deceive ourselves into it, ver. 217. VI. That, however, the Ends of Providence and general Good are answered in our Paffions and Imperfections, ver. 238, etc. How ufefully these are diftributed to all Orders of Men, ver. 241. How ufeful they are to Society, ver. 251. And to the Individuals, ver. 263. In every State, and every Age of Life, ver. 273, etc.

I.

K

EPISTLE II.

NOW then thyself, prefume not God to scan,.
The proper ftudy of Mankind is Man.

Plac'd on this ifthmus of a middle state,
A Being darkly wife, and rudely great:
With too much knowledge for the Sceptic fide,
With too much weakness for the Stoick's pride,
He hangs between; in doubt to act or reft;
In doubt to deem himself a God, or Beaft;
In doubt his Mind or Body to prefer;
Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err;
Alike in ignorance, his reafon fuch,
Whether he thinks too little or too much :-
Chaos of Thought and Paffion, all confufed;
Still by himself abus'd or difabus'd ;
Created half to rife, and half to fall;
Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all;
Sole judge of truth in endless Error hurl'd :
The glory, jeft and riddle of the world!

VER. 2. Ed. ift.

The only fcience of Mankind is Man.
After ver. 18. In the MS.

For more perfection than this state can bear
In vain we figh, Heav'n made us as we are.
As wifely fure a modest Ape might aim
To be like Man, whofe faculties and frame
He fees, he feels, as you or I to be

An Angel thing we neither know nor fee..

5

10

1.5

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 old 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 fenfe call imitating God;
As Eaftern priefts in giddy circles run,
And turn their heads to imitate the Sun.
Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule-
Then drop into thyfelf, 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 risible 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 so 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.

25

30

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 rise, and climb from art to art:
But when his own great work is but begun,
What Reafon weaves, by Pallion 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 ftretch of human brain,
Mere curious pleafure, or ingenious pain;

Expunge the whole, or lop th' excrescent 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 Reafon, to restrain;
Nor this a good, nor that a bad we call,
Each works its end, to move or govern all;

VER. 35. Ed. first.

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 ?

35

40

45

50

55

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 fpot,
To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot :
Or, meteor-like, flame lawless thro' the void,
Destroying others, by himself destroyed.

Moft ftrength the moving principle requires;
Active its task, it prompts, impells, inspires:
Sedate and quiet the comparing lies,
Form'd but to check, delib'rate and advise.
Self-love, ftill ftronger, as its objects nigh;
Reason's at distance, and in profpect 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 strong.
The Action of the ftronger to fufpend

Reason still use, to Reafon fill attend.

60

65

70

75

Attention, habit and experience gains ;

Each strengthens Reafon, and Self-love reftrains.

80

Let fubtle schoolmen teach these friends to fight,
More ftudious to divide than to unite;

And Grace and Virtue, Sense and Reason split.
With all the rash dexterity of wit.

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