What can ennoble sots, or slaves, or cowards? 215 Look next on Greatness; say where greatness lies? Not one looks backward, onward still he goes, All sly slow things, with circumspective eyes: What's Fame? a fancy'd life in other's breath; A thing beyond us, ev'n before our death: 220 225 230 235 Just what you hear you have; and what's unknown The same (my Lord) if Tully's, or your own. All that we feel of it begins and ends In the small circle of our foes or friends: An Eugene living, as a Cæsar dead: 240 245 Alike or when, or where, they shone or shine, Or on the Rubicon, or on the Rhine. A wit's a feather, and a chief a rod; An honest Man's the noblest work of God. Fame but from death a villain's name can save, As Justice tears his body from the grave; 250 When what t' oblivion better where resign'd Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart: And more true joy Marcellus exil'd feels, In parts superior what advantage lies? 260 Truths would you teach, or save a sinking land? 265 All fear, none aid you, and few understand. Painful pre-eminence! yourself to view Above life's weakness, and its comforts too. Bring then these blessings to a strict account; Make fair deductions; see to what they 'mount; 270 How much of other each is sure to cost; How each for other oft' is wholly lost; How inconsistent greater goods with these,; How sometimes life is risk'd, and always ease. Think, and if still the things thy envy call, Say, wouldst thou be the man to whom they fall? To sigh for ribbands if thou art so silly, Mark how they grace Lord Umbra or Sir Billy. 275 280 285 From ancient story learn to scorn them all: There in the rich, the honour'd, fam'd, and great, See the false scale of happiness complete! In hearts of kings, or arms of queens who lay, Oh wealth ill fated! which no act of fame 290 295 E'er taught to shine, or sanctify'd from shame! 300 Alas! not dazzled with their noontide ray, A tale, that blends their glory with their shame! Know then this truth (enough for man to know) "Virtue alone is happiness below." 305 310 The only point where human bliss stands still, 315 And if it lose, attended with no pain; 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 thro' Nature up to Nature's God; Pursues that chain which links th' immense design, Joins heav'n and earth, and mortal and divine; 331 Sees, that no being any bliss can know, 335 But touches some above, and some below; The first, last, purpose of the human soul; 340 For him alone Hope leads from goal to goal, 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) His greatest virtue with his greatest bliss ; Self-love thus push'd to social, to divine, 345 350 355 Grasp the whole worlds of Reason, Life, and Sense, In one close system of Benevolence: Happier as kinder, in whate'er degree, And height of bliss but height of charity. God loves from whole to parts; but human soul Must rise from individual to the whole. As the small pebble stirs the peaceful lake; 360 |