This I might have done in prose; but I chose verse, and even rhyme, for two reasons: The one will appear obvious; that principles, maxims, or precepts so written both strike the reader more strongly at first, and are more easily retained by him afterwards. The other may feem odd, but it is true; I found I could express them more shortly this way than in prose itself, and nothing is truer than that much of the force, as well as grace, of arguments or instructions depends on their conciseness. I was unable to treat this part of my subject more in detail, without becoming dry and tedious; or more poetically, without facrificing perfpicuity to ornament, without wandering from the precision, or breaking the chain of reasoning. If any man can unite all these, without diminution of any of them, I freely confefs he will compass a thing above my capacity. What is now published, is only to be confidered as a general map of MAN, marking out no more that the greater parts, their extent, their limits, and their connexion, but leaving the particular to be more fully delineated in their charts which are to follow. Consequently these Epistles in their progress (if I make any progress) will be less dry, and more susceptible of poetical ornament. I am here only opening the fountains, and clearing the passage: to deduce the rivers, to follow them in their course, and to observe their effects, would be a task more agreeable. THE F. Man in the abstract,-That we can judge only of the relations of systems and things, ver. 17, &c. That Man is not to be deemed imperfect, but a Being fuited to his place and rank in the creation, agreea- ble to the general Order of Things, and conformable to Ends and Relations to himunknown, ver. 33 &c. That it is partly upon his Ignorance of future events, The pride of aiming at more knowledge, and pretend- The abfurdity of conceiting himself the final cause of the That throughout the whole visible world, an uni- How much farther this order and fubordination of ver. 233. The extravagance, madness and pride of such a de- fire. ver. 259 The confequence of all, the absolute submission due to EPISTLE II. Of the Nature and State of Man, with respect THE business of Man not to pry into God, but to study himself, his Middle Nature; his Porver Its providential Use, in fixing our Principle, and ascertaining our Virtue, ver. 175. Virtue and Vice joined in our mixed Nature; the limits near, yet the things separate and evident : ver 195, &c. Horu odious Vice in itself, and how we deceive our selves into it, ver. 217, &c. That, however, the Ends of Providence and general In every state, and every age of life, ver. 271, &c. |