The only point where human bliss stands still,
And tastes the good without the fall to ill;
Where only merit constant pay receives,
Is blest in what it takes, and what it gives;
The joy unequal'd, if its end it gain,

315

And if it lose, attended with no pain:
Without satiety, though e'er so bless'd,

And but more relish'd as the more distress'd:
The broadest mirth unfeeling folly wears,

Less pleasing far than virtue's very tears :

320

Good, from each object, from each place acquir'd,

For ever exercis'd, yet never tir'd;

Never elated, while one man's oppress'd;

Never dejected, while another's bless'd;

And where no wants, no wishes can remain, 325 Since but to wish more virtue, is to gain.

See the sole bliss Heav'n could on all bestow! Which who but feels can taste, but thinks can know: Yet poor with fortune, and with learning blind,, The bad must miss; the good, untaught, will find; Slave to no sect, who takes no private road, But looks through nature, up to nature's God; Pursues that chain which links th' immense design, Joins heav'n and earth, and mortal and divine;

After ver. 316. in the MS.

Ev'n while it seems unequal so dispose,

And chequers all the good man's joys with woes,
'Tis but to teach him to support each state,

With patience this, with moderation that ;
And raise his base on that one solid joy,

Which conscience gives, and nothing can destroy.

331

Sees,

Sees, that no being any bliss can know,

335

But touches some above, and some below;
Learns from this union of the rising whole

The first, last purpose of the human soul;
And knows where faith, law, morals, all began,
All end, in LOVE OF GOD, and LOVE OF MAN. 340
For him alone, hope leads from goal to goal,
And opens still, and opens on his soul;
Till lengthen'd on to FAITH, and unconfin'd,

It

pours the bliss that fills up all the mind. He sees, why nature plants in man alone

Hope of known bliss, and faith in bliss unknown :
(Nature, whose dictates to no other kind
Are giv'n in vain, but what they seek they find;)
Wise is her present; she connects in this

His greatest virtue with his greatest bliss;
At once his own bright prospect to be blest,
And strongest motive to assist the rest.

Self-love thus push'd to social, to divine,
Gives thee to make thy neighbour's blessing thine.
Is this too little for the boundless heart?
Extend it, let thy enemies have part:

Grasp the whole worlds of reason, life, and sense,
In one close system of benevolence :

Happier as kinder, in whate'er degree,

345

350

355

And height of bliss but height of charity.

360

God loves from whole to parts: But human soul

Must rise from individual to the whole.

Self

365

Self-love but serves the virtuous mind to wake,
As the small pebble stirs the peaceful lake;
The centre mov'd, a circle straight succeeds,
Another still, and still another spreads;
Friend, parent, neighbour, first it will embrace;
His country next; and next all human race;
Wide, and more wide, th' o'erflowings of the mind
Take ev'ry creature in, of ev'ry kind;

370 Earth smiles around, with boundless bounty blest, And Heav'n beholds its image in his breast.

Come then, my friend! my genius! come along; Oh master of the poet, and the song!

And while the muse now stoops, or now ascends,
To man's low passions, or their glorious ends,
Teach me, like thee, in various nature wise,
To fall with dignity, with temper rise;
Form'd by thy converse, happily to steer

376

From grave to gay, from lively to severe ;

380

Correct with spirit, eloquent with ease,

Intent to reason, or polite to please.

Oh! while along the stream of time thy name
Expanded flies, and gathers all its fame;

Say, shall my little bark attendant sail,

385

Pursue the triumph, and partake the gale?

When

VER. 373 Come then, my friend! &c.] In the MS thus:
And now transported o'er so vast a plain,

While the wing'd courser flies with all her rein,
While heav'n-ward now her mounting wing she feels,
Now scatter'd fools fly trembling from her heels,
Wilt thou, my ST. JOHN! keep her course in sight,
Confine her fury, and assist her flight?

390

When statesmen, heroes, kings, in dust repose,
Whose sons shall blush their fathers were thy foes,
Shall then this verse to future age pretend
Thou wert my guide, philosopher, and friend?
That urg'd by thee, I turn'd the tuneful art
From sounds to things, from fancy to the heart;
For wit's false mirror held up nature's light;
Shew'd erring pride, WHATEVER is, is right;
That REASON, PASSION, answer one great aim; 395
That true SELF-LOVE and SOCIAL are the same;
That VIRTUE only makes our bliss below;
And all our knowledge is, OURSELVES TO KNOW.

VER. 397. That virtue only, &c.] In the Ms. thus:
That just to find a God is all we can,

And all the study of mankind is man.