Or in the full creation leave a void,

Where one step broken, the great scale's destroy'd :

From nature's chain, whatever link you strike,

245

Tenth or ten thousandth breaks the chain alike.

And if each system in gradation roll,

Alike essential to th' amazing whole ;
The least confusion but in one, not all
That system only, but the whole, must fall.
Let earth unbalanc'd, from her orbit fly,
Planets and suns rush lawless through the sky,
Let ruling angels from their spheres be hurl'd,
Being on being wreck'd, and world on world;
Heav'n's whole foundations to their centre nod,
And nature tremble to the throne of God!

250

255

All this dread order break-For whom? For thee?

Vile worm! O madness! pride! impiety!

IX. What if the foot, ordain'd the dust to tread,

260

Or hand to toil, aspir'd to be the head?
What if the head, the eye, or ear, repin'd
To serve mere engines to the ruling mind?
Just as absurd, for any part to claim
To be another, in this gen'ral frame:
Just as absurd, to mourn the task or pains,
The great directing MIND of ALL ordains.

265

All are but parts of one stupendous whole,

Whose body nature is, and God the soul;

That chang'd through all, and yet in all the same,
Great in the earth, as in the ethereal frame;

270

Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze,

Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees;

Lives through all life, extends through all extent,

Spreads undivided, operates unspent,

Breathes in our soul, informs our mortal part,

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As full, as perfect, in a hair as heart;

As full, as perfect, in vile man that mourns,
As the rapt seraph that adores and burns;
To him, no high, no low, no great, no small :
He fills, he bounds, connects and equals all.

X. Cease then, nor ORDER Imperfection name:
Our proper bliss depends on what we blame.
Know thy own point: This kind, this due degree

280

Of blindness, weakness, Heaven bestows on thee.
Submit in this, or any other sphere,

285

Secure to be as blest as thou canst bear;

Safe in the hand of one disposing power,
Or in the natal, or the mortal hour.

All nature is but art unknown to thee;

All chance, direction, which thou canst not see;

290

All discord, harmony, not understood;

All partial evil, universal good:

And, spite of pride, in erring reason's spite,
One truth is clear, "Whatever is, is right.”

294

Of the Nature and State of Man, with respect to Himself as an Individual.

The business of man, not to pry into God, but to study himself. His middle nature; His powers and frailties, and the limits of his capacity, 43. The two principles of man, self-love, and reason, both necessary; self-love the stronger, and why; their end the same, 83. The passions,

and their use, 83-120. The predominant passion, and its force, 122-150; its necessity in directing men to differe purposes, 153 &c. Its providential use, in fixing our principle, and ascertaining our virtue, 167. Virtue and

vice joined in our mixed nature; the limits near, yet the things separate, and evident. What is the office of reason 187 &c. How odious vice in itself, and how we deceive ourselves into it, 209. That, however, the ends of providence and general good are answered in our passions, and imperfections, 230, &c. How usefully they are distributed to all orders of men, 233. How useful they are to society, 241, and to individuals, 253. In every state, and in every age of life, 263, &c.

I. KNOW then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is Man.

Plac'd on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise, and rudely great:

With too much knowledge for the sceptic side,

5

With too much weakness for the Stoic's pride,
He hangs between; in doubt to act or rest,
In doubt to deem himself a God, or beast;
In doubt his mind or body to prefer,
Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err;
Alike in ignorance, his reason such,
Whether he thinks too little, or too much :
Chaos of thought and passion, all confus'd;
Still by himself abus'd, or disabus'd;
Created half to rise, and half to fall;
Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all;
Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl'd;

The glory, jest, and riddle of the world!

10

20

Go, wondrous creature! mount where science guides, Go measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides, Instruct the planets in what orbs to run,

Correct old time, and regulate the sun;
Go soar with Plato to th' empyreal sphere,
To the first good, first perfect, and first fair ;
Or tread the mazy round his follow'rs trod,
And quitting sense call imitating God;
As eastern priests in giddy circles run,
And turn their heads to imitate the sun.
Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule;
Then drop into thyself, and be a fool!
Superior beings, when of late they saw
A mortal man unfold all nature's law,
Admir'd such wisdom in an earthly shape,
And shew'd a NEWTON, as we shew an ape.
Could he, who rules the rapid comet bind,
Describe, or fix, one movement of his mind?
Who saw its fires here rise, and there descend,
Explain his own beginning, or his end?
Alas! what wonder! man's superior part
Uncheck'd may rise, and climb from art to art;
But when his own great work is but begun,
What reason weaves, by passion is undone
Trace science then, with modesty thy guide;
First strip off all her equipage of pride;
Deduct what is but vanity or dress,

Or learning's luxury, or idleness;

Or tricks to shew the strength of human brain,
Mere curious pleasure or ingenious pain;
Expunge the whole, or lop th' excresent parts
Of all our vices have created arts;

Then see how little the remaining sum,

Which serv'd the past, and must the times to come!

II. Two principles in human nature reign;
Self-love to urge, and reason to restrain;
Nor this a good, nor that a bad we call,
Each works its end, to move, or govern all,
And to their proper operation still,
Ascribe all good, to their improper, ill.

55

Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the soul;
Reason's comparing balance rules the whole,
Man, but for that, no action could attend,
And but for this, were active to no end.
Fix'd like a plant on his peculiar spot,

60

To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot;

Or meteor like, flame lawless through the void,
Destroying others, by himself destroy'd.

65

Most strength the moving principle requires;
Active its task, it prompts, impels, inspires;
Sedate and quiet the comparing lies,
Form'd but to check, delib'rate, and advise.
Self-love, still stronger, as its object's nigh;
Reason's at distance, and in prospect lie:

That sees immediate good, by present sense;

Reason, the future, and the consequence.

Thicker than arguments, temptations throng,

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75

At best, more watchful this, but that more strong.
The action of the stronger to suspend,

Reason still use, to reason still attend :
Attention, habit and experience gains,

Each strengthens reason, and self love restrains.

Let subtle schoolmen teach these friends to fight,

More studious to divide, than to unite ;

And grace and virtue, sense and reason split,