Afk why from Britain Cæfar would retreat? Cæfar perhaps might answer he was drunk. But, sage hiftorians! 'tis your task to prove VARIATIONS. VER. 129. in the former Editions, Ask why from Britain Cæfar made retreat? The mighty Czar would tell you he was drunk. 130 Alter'd as above, because Cæfar wrote his Commentaries of this war, and does not tell you he was beat. And as Cæfar afforded an inftance of both cases, it was thought better to make him the fingle example. NOTES. VER. 130. Cæfar himself might whisper he was beat.] Cæfar wrote his Commentaries, in imitation of the greek Generals, for the entertainment of the world: But had his friend asked him, in his ear, the reason of his fudden Yetreat from Britain, after fo many pretended victories, we have caufe to suspect, even from his own public relation of that matter, that he would have whisper'd he was beat. VER. 131. Why risk the world's great empire for a Punk?] After the battle of Pharsalia, Cæfar pursued his enemy to Alexandria, where he became infatuated with the charms of Cleopatra, and instead of pushing his advantages, and difperfing the relicks of the Pharsalian quarrel (after narrowly escaping the violence of an enraged populace) he brought upon himself an unnecessary war, at a time his arms were most wanted elsewhere. 'Tis from high Life high Characters are drawn : A Saint in Crape is twice a Saint in Lawn; 136 A Judge is juft, a Chanc'lor juster still; Wife, if a Minister; but, if a King, More wife, more learn'd, more just, more ev'ry thing. Court-Virtues bear, like Gems, the highest rate, 141 Born where Heav'n's influence scarce can penetrate: In life's low vale, the foil the Virtues like, They please as beauties, here as wonders strike. COMMENTARY. VER. 135. Tis from bigh Life, &c.] The Poet having done with the Philofopher, now turns to the Man of the world; whose first mistake is in supposing men's true Characters may be known by their station. This, tho' a mere mob-opinion, is the opinion in fashion, and cherished by the Mob of all ranks; therefore, tho' beneath the Poet's reafoning, he thought it deserving of his ridicule; and the fstrongest was what he gives (from 134 to 141.) a naked exposition of the fact; to which he has fubjoined (from 140 to 149.) an ironical apology, that, as Virtue is cultivated with infinitely more labour in Courts than in Cottages, it is but just to fet an infinitely higher value on it; which, fays he with much pleasantry, is most agreeable to all the fashionable ways of estimation. For why do the connoiffeurs prefer the lively colour in a Gem before that in a Flower, but for its extreme rarity and difficulty of production? NOTES. VER. 141. Court-virtues bear, like Gems, &c.] This whole reflection, and the fimilitude brought to fupport it, have great delicacy of ridicule, together with all the charms of Poetry. Tho' the fame fun with all-diffufive rays 145 150 'Tis Education forms the common mind, Just as the Twig is bent, the Tree's inclin'd. Boastful and rough, your first son is a 'Squire; The next a Tradefman, meek, and much a lyar; Tom struts a Soldier, open, bold, and brave; Will sneaks a Scriv'ner, an exceeding knave: 154 Is he a Churchman? then he's fond of pow'r: 7 A Quaker? fly: A Prefbyterian? fow'r: A fmart Free-thinker? all things in an hour. COMMENTARY. VER.149 'Tis Education forms, &c.] This second miftake of the Man of the world is more ferious; it is, that characters are best judged of by the general manners This the Poet confutes in a lively enumeration of examples (from 148 to 158.) which shew, that how fimilar or different foever the manners be by nature, yet they are all new model'd by education and Profeffion; where each man invariably receives that exotic form, which the mould he falls into is fitted to imprint. The natural character therefore can never be judged of by these fictitious manners. NOTES. VER. 152. The next a Tradesman, meek, and much a lyar ;] "The only glory of a Tradefman (says Hobbes) is to grow " excessively rich by the wisdom of buying and felling." A pursuit very wide of all vain-glory; so that if he be given to lying, it is certainly on a more substantial motive; and will therefore rather deserve the name which this Philofophy gives it, of wisdom. SCRIBL. Afk men's Opinions: Scoto now shall tell 160 That gay Free-thinker, a fine talker once, 165 COMMENTARY. VER. 185. Afk men's Opinions: &c.] The third mistake is in judging of men's characters by their opinions, and turn of thinking. But thefe, the Poet shews by two examples (from y 157 to 166.) are generally swayed by interest, both in the affairs of life and speculation. VER. 166. Judge we by Nature, &c.] The Poet having gone thro' the mistakes both of the Philosopher and Man of the world, feparately; turns now to both; and (from $ 165 to 174.) jointly addresses them in a recapitulation of his reasoning against each: He shews, that if we pretend to develope the character by the natural difpofition in general, we shall find it extremely difficult, because this is often NOTES. VER. 164, 165. Some God, or Spirit be has lately found; Or chanc'd' to meet a Minister that frown'd.] Disafters the most unlooked for, as they were what the Free-thinker's speculations and practice were principally directed to avoid. - The Poet here alludes to the antient • classical opinion, that the sudden vifion of a God was used to strike the irreverend observer, speechless. He has only a little extended the conceit, and supposed, that the terrors 170 By Actions? those Uncertainty divides: COMMENTARY. effaced by habit, overswayed by interest, and suspended by policy. If by actions, their contrariety will leave us in utter doubt and uncertainty. -If by passions, we shall be perpetually misled by the mask of Diffimulation. If by opinions, all these concur together to perplex the enquiry. Shew us, then, says he, in the whole range of your philosophy and experience, the thing we can be certain of: For (to fum up all in a word) Manners with Fortunes, Humours turn with Climes, "Tenets with Books, and Principles with Times. We must feek therefore some other road to the point we aim at. NOTES. of a Court-God might have the like effect on a very devoted worshiper. SCRIBL. V. 172, 3. Manners with Fortunes, Humours turn with Climes, Tenets with Books, and Principles with Times.] The Poet had hitherto reckoned up the several fimple causes which hinder our knowledge of the natural characters of men. In these two fine lines, he describes the complicated causes. Humours bear the same relation to manners, that principles do to tenets; that is, the formerare modes of the Jatter; our manners (says the Poet) are warped from nature by our fortunes or stations; our tenets, by our books or Professions; and then each drawn still more oblique, inte |