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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,
From grave to gay, from lively to severe;
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,

Pursue the triumph, and partake the gale?

380

385

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, 391
From sounds to things, from fancy to the heart;

375-376. We frequently meet with instances in Pope, and also in other writers, where two or more verbs and prepositions are used, having an alternate relation: thus, And while the muse now stoops to man's low passions, or ascends to their glorious ends.

377-378. Teach me, like thee, (who art) wise in various nature, to fall.

379. Perhaps it may be proper here to change the mood from the imp. used in the preceding lines to the potential. May I be formed by thy converse, &c.

381-382. May I be correct with spirit-may I be eloquent with ease-may I be intent to reason, or polite to please.

390. That thou wert, &c.

T

For wit's false mirror held up nature's light,
Show'd erring pride, WHATEVER IS, IS RIGHT;
That reason, passion, answer one great aim;
That true self-love and social are the same;
That virtue only makes our bliss below;
And all our knowledge is, ourselves to know.

393-394. That instead of wit's false mirror, I held up nature's light. That I show'd to erring pride, that whatever is, is right.

394. Whatever is, is right. This sentence occurs three times in these Epistles, viz. in the last line of Epis. I, and in the 145th and 394th of Epis. IV. A misunderstanding of the author's plan, and the general scope of his reasoning, has not unfrequently caused his supposed sentiments to be severely reprobated, and himself to be harshly censured for scattering error in the way of those who, by a lack of experience, might eagerly embrace it for truth. If this were spoken of man, in reference to his Maker, it would most assuredly deserve all the reprobation which the good and virtuous could bestow upon it; but a little attention to the plan of the work, will show that it is to be applied altogether to the dealings of God with man. staking out his ground, in the first section of the first Epistle, he avows it as his sole object, "To vindicate the ways of God to man.

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398. That to know ourselves is all our knowledge.

After

GENERAL EXPLANATIONS.

The indefinite article a is generally used before nouns in the singular number; it is, however, put before the plural adjectives few and many in a collective sense, thus-a few, means a small number of, and a great many, signifies a great number of. Many, followed by a, is used distributively, agreeing with a singular nounthus, full many a gem.

Of the substantive, besides the nominative case independent in the second person, when an address is made, there is the simple expression of the subject, independent in the third person: as

Religion, what treasures untold,

Reside in that heavenly word!—Cowper:

We have another instance in Shakspeare, where Cassius speaks in the name of Brutus and Cæsar, by. way of comparing their merits:

"Brutus and Cæsar! what should be in that Cæsar!"

Of the pronouns, there are several compounds not sufficiently noticed in Murray's Grammar, viz. myself singular, and ourselves plural, used in the nominative and objective cases. Thyself and yourself singular, and yourselves plural. Himself singular, and themselves plu

70

GENERAL EXPLANATIONS.

ral, used also in the nominative and objective cases. 192 Myownself, thyownself, hisownself, and herownself, with their plurals, are sometimes used; but seldom with elegance.

Whatever, whichever, whatsoever, and whichsoever, particularly the two first, are frequently used as compound relatives, demonstratives, or indefinites. The pases each other, and one another (contracted from one and another) may be taken together or separate:

Respecting in each other's case,

The gifts of nature and of grace.-Cowper.

Folded in one another's arms they lay.-Old bal.

In the first instance, it may be they, each respecting, &c. Each, having reference to two or more taken singly, may be in apposition with they. In the latter, it may be Folded, one in the other's arms they lay.

There are many adjectives, especially in poetry, used as substantives, and most commonly in the plural number, with the article the; as, the rich, the poor, the good, the bad; and sometimes participles; as, the learned, the honored.

The adjectives superior, inferior, exterior, ulterior, anterior, major, minor, prior, are in the comparative degree, derived immediately from the Latin. There are also the superlative supreme and extreme.

More has a particular usage; "May more than Ciceronian eloquence be heard in our Senate;" i. e. more powerful eloquence, &c. "And more than madness hurried down his sun;" i. c. an act worse than mad ness, &c.

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