ARGUMENT OF EPISTLE II. Of the Nature and State of Man with respect to Himself, as an Individual. I. THE business of Man not to pry into God, but to study himself. His Middle Nature; his Powers and Frailties, 1 to 19. The Limits of his Capapicy, 19, &c. II. The two Principles of Man, Self-love and Reason, both necessary, $ 53, &c. Selflove the stronger, and why, 67, &c. Their end the fame, 81, &c. III. The PASSIONS, and their ufe, & 93 to 130. The Predominant Paffion, and its force, & 132 to 160. Its Neceffity, in directing Men to different purposes, $ 165, &c. Its providential Ufe, in fixing our Principle, and ascertaining our Virtue, & 177. IV. Virtue and Vice joined in our mixed Nature; the limits near, yet the things separate and evident: What is the Office of Reason, 202 to 216. V. How odious Vice in itself, and bow we deceive ourselves into it, * 217. VI. That, however, the Ends of Providence and general Good are answered in our Paffions and Imperfections, #238, &c. How usefully these are distributed to all Orders of Men, 241. How useful they are to Society, 251.. And to Individuals, 263. In every state, and every age of life, * 273, &c. I. [44] EPISTLE II. Now then thyself, prefume not to God to scan, Plac'd on this ifthmus of a middle state, VARIATIONS. VER. 2. Ed. 1ft. The only science of Mankind is Man. COMMENTARY. VER. 2. The proper study, &c.] The Poet having shewn, in the first epistle, that the ways of God are too high for our comprehenfion, rightly draws this conclufion: and methodically makes it the subject of his Introduction to the fecond, which treats of the Nature of Man. But here presently the accusers of Providence would be apt to object, and say, Admit that we had run into an excefs, while we pretended to cenfure or penetrate the designs of Providence, a matter indeed too high for us; yet have not you gone as far into the oppofite extreme, while you NOTES. VER. 3. Plac'd on this isthmus, &c.] As the Poet hath given us this description of man for the very contrary purpose to what Sceptics are wont to employ fuch kind of paintings, namely, not to deter men from the search, but to excite them to the discovery of truth; he hath, with great judgment, represented Men as doubting and wavering between the right and wrong object; from which ftate there are great hopes he may be relieved by a careful and Plate IX. Vol. III. facing p.44. Self Love still stronger, as its nigh at distance, and in Prospect lie: That sees immediate Good.by present Sense Reason the future, and the Consequence. eason the future, Essay on Man Ep II. With too much knowledge for the Sceptic fide, COMMENTARY. 5 only fend us to the knowledge of our own Nature: You must mock us when you talk of this as a study; for who can doubt but we are intimately acquainted with OURSELVES? The proper conclusion therefore from your proof of our inability to comprehend the ways of God, is, that we should turn ourselves to the study of the frame of NATURE. Thus, I fay, would they be apt to object; for, of all Men, those who call themselves Freethinkers are most - given up to Pride; especially that kind of pride, which confifts in a boasted knowledge of their own nature, the effects of which are so well exposed in the first Epiftle. The Poet, therefore, to convince them that this study is less eafy than they imagine, replies (from 2 to 19.) to the first NOTES. circumspect use of Reason. On the contrary, had he supposed Man so blind as to be bufied in chufing, or doubtful in his choice, between two objects equally wrong, the cafe had appeared defperate, and all study of Man had been effectually discouraged. But M. Du Refnel, not seeing the reason and beauty of this conduct, hath run into the very abfurdity, which I have here shewn, Mr. Pope so artfully avoided. Of which, the learned Reader may take the following proofs. The Poet fays "Man acts between; in doubt to act, or rest. Now he tells us 'tis Man's duty to act, not rest, as the Stoics thought; and, to this their principle, the latter word alludes, whose Virtue, as he says afterwards, is "Fix'd as in a Froft, "Contracted all, retiring to the breaft: But ftrength of mind is EXERCISE NOT REST. Now hear the Tranflator, who is not for mincing matters, Seroit-il en naissant au travail condamné ? Aux douceurs, du répos feroit-il deftiné? 2 |