Proud of an easy conquest all along, She but removes weak passions for the strong: 160 And treat this passion more as friend than foe: 165 170 The eternal art, educing good from ill, 175 Grafts on this passion our best principle: As fruits, ungrateful to the planter's care, 180 185 Lust, thro' some certain strainers well refin'd, Thus nature gives us, (let it check our pride) The virtue nearest to our vice allied: 190 195 200 And makes a patriot, as it makes a knave. IV. This light and darkness in our chaos joined, What shall divide? The God within the mind. Extremes in nature equal ends produce. 205 In man they join in some mysterious use; Though each by turns the other's bounds invade, As, in some well wrought picture, light and shade, Where ends the virtue, or begins the vice. 210 Fools! Who from hence into the notion fall, That vice and virtue there is none at all. As, to be hated, needs but to be seen; 215 We first endure, then pity, then embrace. 220 But where the extreme of vice was ne'er agreed: Ask where's the north? at York, 'tis on the Tweed; At Scotland, at the Orcades; and there, At Greenland, Zembla, or the Lord knows where. No creature owns it in the first degree, 225 But thinks his neighbor farther gone than he : Virtuous and vicious every man must be, 230 'Tis but by parts we follow good or ill, For, vice or virtue, SELF directs it still; 235 But heaven's great view is one, and that the whole; / That counterworks each folly and caprice; That disappoints the effect of every vice; 240 That happy frailties to all ranks applied, A master, or a servant, or a friend, each on other for assistance call, ne man's weakness grows the strength of all. 245 250 Wants, frailties, passions, closer still ally To these we owe true friendship, love sincere, Whate'er the passion, knowledge, fame, or pelf, 255 260 265 The poor contents him with the care of heaven. See the blind beggar dance, the cripple sing, The starving chymist in his golden views Supremely blest; the poet in his muse. 270 See some strange comfort every state attend, And pride bestow'd on all, a common friend; See some fit passion every age supply; Hope travels through, nor quits us when we die. 275 Pleas'd with a rattle, tickled with a straw : Some livelier plaything gives his youth delight, And beads and prayer books are the toys of age: 280 285 Each want of happiness by hope supplied, And each vacuity of sense by pride : These build as fast as knowledge can destroy : In folly's cup still laughs the bubble, joy; One prospect lost, another still we gain ; And not a vanity is given in vain ; 290 E'en mean self-love becomes, by force divine, The scale to measure others' wants by thine. EPISTLE III. 294 Of the Nature and State of Man, with respect to Society. The whole universe one system of society, verse 7, &c. Nothing made wholly for itself, nor yet wholly for another, 27. The happiness of animals mutual, 49. Reason or instinct operate alike to the good of each individual, 79.-Reason or instinct operate alike to society, in all animals, 109. How far society is carried by instinct, 115; how much farther by reason, 128. Of that which is called the state of nature, 144. Reason instructed by instinct in the invention of arts, 166; and in the forms of society, 176.-Origin of political societies, 196. Origin of monarchy, 207. Patriarchal government, 212. Origin of true religion, and goverment, from the same principle of love, 231. Origin of superstition and tyranny, from the same principle of fear, 237. The influence of self-love, operating to the social and public good, 266. Restoration of true religion and government on their first principle, 285. Mixed government, 288. Various forms of each, and true end of all, 300, &c. HERE then we rest: "The universal causé Acts to one end, but acts by various laws." |