250 Tenth, or ten thousandth, breaks the chain alike. 256 All this dread order break-For whom? for thee? Vile worm!-O madness! pride! impiety! IX. What if the foot, ordained the dust to tread, To serve mere engines to the ruling mind? 260 265 All are but parts of one stupendous whole, Whose body nature is, and God the soul; That, changed through all, and yet in all the same, Great in the earth, as in th' ethereal frame; Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze, 259. What-see note to ver. 173. 262. Engines is in the nom. c. after to serve. 270 269. That-a rel. pro. referring to soul for its antecedent, and in the nom. case to warms. ke 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, 275 25 As full, as perfect, in a hair as heart, As full, as perfect, in vile man that mourns, Secure to be as blest as thou canst bear : All chance, direction, which thou canst not see; All partial evil, universal good. And, spite of pride, in erring reason's spite, 285 291 276. Which is as full. A hair may be considered as the most insignificant, and the heart as the noblest part of mortal man. The idea was probably suggested by this passage of scripture; Not a sparrow falleth to the ground without his notice, and the hairs of our head are all numbered. 281. Do not name or call order, imperfection. EPISTLE II. I. Know then thyself, presume not God to scan! The proper study of mankind is man. Placed on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise, and rudely great: With too much knowledge for the sceptic side, 6 10 15 EPISTLE II. L. 1. Know thyself, was the favorite maxim of the ancients. It is here, perhaps, more confined in its meaning. Know thy weakness, presume not God to scan: for "who by searching can find out God?" 5. The sceptic is one who professes to doubt all things. 6. The stoic pretends that our happiness should not in the least be affected by our outward circumstances. 10. Man is the only terrestrial being capable of reasoning, or of deducing remoter truths from those which are known and admitted; yet, by assuming false premises, or by improperly linking his ideas, he too frequently stumbles upon false conclusions. But, i. e. only to err. Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl'd; Go, wondrous creature! mount where science guides, Go, measure earth, weigh air, and state the tides; Correct old time, and regulate the sun; 21 30 Superior beings, when of late they saw A mortal man unfold all nature's law, Admired such wisdom in an earthly shape, And show'd a Newton as we show an ape. Could he, whose rules the rapid comet bind, 35 21. Instruct the planets as to the orbs in which they should run; or to point out to the planets the orbs in which they should run. 26. Call quitting sense, imitating God. These are substantive phrases, the latter in apposition with the former. 27-28. The poet here alludes to the practices of the eastern priests, viz.: turning round in giddy circles, that with their heads they may imitate the course of the sun.. To imitate is in the inf. m. absolute. 34. And showed a Newton, &c. i. e. with the same admiration of his superiority over his kind, in imitating them, which we feel, on seeing a brute animal capable of showing, by his actions, so striking a resemblance to the human species. 35-38. Could he (Newton,) after all his mighty dis Describe or fix one movement of his mind! Who saw its fires here rise and there descend, Or learning's luxury, or idleness; Or tricks to show the stretch of human brain, Then see how little the remaining sum, 41 45 Which serv'd the past, and must the times to come! II. Two principles in human nature reign; 55 coveries, describe or fix one movement of his own mind? Could he explain his own beginning, or his end? 50. Of all, which our vices have created or formed into arts. 52. Which served the past, and must serve the times which are to come. 55. Nor do we call this (reason) a good principle; nor that (self-love) a bad principle. 56. Each works its end, which is, &c.; or the sub. phrase, to move or govern all, may be in apposition with end. |