ARGUMENT OF

E P ISTLE IV.

Of the Nature and State of Man with respect to Happiness.

1. FALSE Notions of Happiness, Philofophical and Popular, answered from ver. 19 to 77. II. It is the End of all Men, and attainable by all, ver. 30. God intends Happiness to be equal; and to be so, it must be focial, fince all particular Happiness depends on general, and fince he governs by general, not particular Laws, ver. 37. As it is necessary for Order, and the peace and welfare of Society, that external goods Should be unequal, Happiness is not made to confift in thefe, ver. 51. But, notwithstanding that inequality, the balance of Happiness among mankind is kept even by providence, by the two Paffions of Hope and Fear, ver. 70. III. What the Happiness of Individuals is,

far as is confifient with the conflitution of this world; and that the good Man has here the advantage, ver. 77. The error of imputing to Virtue what are only the calamities of Nature, or of Fortune, ver. 94. IV. The folly of expecting that God should alter his general Laws in favour of particulars, ver. 121. V. That we are not judges who are good; but that whoever they are, they must be happiest, ver. 133. &c. VI. That external goods are not the VOL. II.

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proper rewards, but often inconfiftent with, or defructive of Virtue, ver. 167. That even thefe can make no Man happy without Virtue: Inflanced in Riches, ver. 185. Honours, ver. 193. Nobility, ver. 205. Greatness, ver. 217. Fame, ver. 237. Superior Talents, ver. 259, &c. With pictures of human infelicity in Men poffeffed of them all, ver. 269, &c. VII. That Virtue only conflitutes a Happiness, whofe object is univerfal, and whofe profpect eternal, ver. 309, &c. That the perfection of Virtue and Happiness confifts in a conformity to the ORDER of PROVIDENCE here, and a Refignation to it here and hereafter, ver. 326, &c.

See some fit Passion every Age supply Hope travels through, nor quits us when we die.

Essay

on Man Ep. III.

EPISTLE IV.

OF

H HAPPINESS! our being's end and aim !
Good, Pleasure, Ease, Content! whate'er thy

name :

That fomething ftill which prompts th' eternal figh,
For which we bear to live, or dare to die,
Which still fo near us, yet beyond us lies,
O'er-look'd, feen double, by the fool, and wife.
Plant of celeftial feed! if dropt below,
Say, in what mortal foil thou deign't to grow?
Fair op'ning to fome Court's propitious fhine,
Or deep with di'monds in the flaming mine?
Twin'd with the wreaths Parnaffian lawrels yield,
Or reap'd in iron harvests of the field?

Where grows where grows it not? If vain our toil,
We ought to blame the culture, not the foil:
Fix'd to no fpot is happiness fincere,"

'Tis no where to be found, or ev'ry where:

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'Tis never to be bought, but always free,

And fled from monarchs, ST JOHN! dwells with thee. Ask of the Learn'd the way? The Learn'd are blind; This bids to serve, and that to fhun mankind :

VER. 1. Oh Happiness! &c.] in the MS. thus,

Oh Happiness, to which we all aspire,

Wing'd with strong hope, and borne by full defire;
That eafe, for which in want, in wealth, we figh;
That cafe, for which we labour and we die.

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