III. Search then the ruling passion: there alone, And now the punk applaud, and now the friar. A constant bounty, which no friend has made; He dies, sad outcast of each church and state, Ask you why Wharton broke through every rule? Yet, in this search, the wisest may mistake, In this the lust, in that the avarice, Were means, not ends; ambition was the vice. In this one passion man can strength enjoy, Old politicians chew on wisdom past, Behold a reverend sire, whom want of grace A salmon's belly, Helluo, was thy fate; The doctor call'd, declares all help too late. Mercy!' cries Helluo, mercy on my soul! Is there no hope?-Alas!-then bring the jowl.' The frugal crone, whom praying priests attend, Still strives to save the hallow'd taper's end, Collects her breath, as ebbing life retires, For one puff more, and in that puff expires. 'Odious! in woollen! 'twould a saint provoke,' Were the last words that poor Narcissa spoke, 'No, let a charming chintz and Brussel's lace, Wrap my cold limbs, and shade my lifeless face: One would not, sure, be frightful when one's dead... And--Betty-give this cheek a little red.' The courtier smooth, who forty years had shin'd An humble servant to all human-kind, N Just brought out this, when scarce his tongue could stir, 'If-where I'm going-I could serve you, sir!' 'I give and I devise,' old Euclio said, And sigh'd, my lands and tenements to Ned.' 'Your money, sir?'-' My money, sir, what, all! "Why,--if I must'-then wept, 'I give it Paul.' 'The manor, sir? The manor! hold,' he cried, 'Not that,---I cannot part with that,'--and died. And you! brave Cobham, to the latest breath, Shall feel your ruling passion strong in death: Such in those moments as in all the past, 'Oh, save my country, Heaven!' shall be your last. EPISTLE II. TO A LADY. OF THE CHARACTERS OF WOMEN. ARGUMENT. That the particular characters of women are not so strongly marked as those of men, seldom so fixed, and still more inconsistent with themselves, ver. 1, &c. Instances of contrarieties given, even from such characters as are more strongly marked, and seemingly, therefore, most consistent: as, 1. In the affected.-2. In the soft-natured.---3. In the cunning and artful.---4. In the whimsical.-5. In the lewd and vicious.-6. In the witty and refined. --7. In the stupid and simple, ver. 21 to 207. The former part having shown that the particular cha racters of women are more various than those of men, it is nevertheless observed that the general characteristic of the sex, as to the ruling passion, is more uniform, ver. 207. This is occasioned partly by their nature, partly by their education, and in some degree by necessity, ver. 211. What are the aims and the fate of this sex:--1. As to power.-2. As to pleasure, ver. 219.--Advice for their true interest.--The picture of an estimable woman, with the best kind of contrarieties, ver. 249 to the end. There is nothing in Mr. Pope's works more high ly finished than this epistle: yet its success was in no proportion to the pains he took in composing it. Something he chanced to drop in a short advertisement prefixed to it on its first publication, may, perhaps, account for the small attention given to it. He said that no one character in it was drawn from the life. The public believed him on his word, and experienced little curiosity about a satire, in whichthere was nothing personal. NOTHING so true as what you once let fall, Most women have no characters at all.' Matter too soft a lasting mark to bear, Come then, the colours and the ground prepare! Dip in the rainbow, trick her off in air; Choose a firm cloud, before it fall, and in it The frail one's advocate, the weak one's friend. |