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Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule-
Then drop into thyself, and be a fool!

Superior beings, when of late they faw A mortal Man unfold all Nature's Law, Admir'd fuch wisdom in an earthly shape, And fhew'd a Newton as we fhew an Ape.

Could he, whofe rules the rapid Comet bind, Describe or fix one movement of his Mind? Who faw its fires here rife, and there defcend, Explain his own beginning, or his end? Alas, what wonder! Man's fuperior part Uncheck'd may rife, and climb from art to art; But when his own great work is but begun, What Reason weaves, by Paffion is undone.

Trace Science then, with Modefty thy guide; First strip off all her equipage of Pride; Deduct but what is Vanity or Dress,

Or Learning's Luxury, or Idleness;

Or tricks to fhew the ftretch of human brain,
Mere curious pleasure, or ingenious pain;
Expunge the whole, or lop th'excrefcent parts
Of all our Vices have created Arts;

Then fee how little the remaining fum,

Which ferv'd the past, and muft the times to come

IBID. P. 55

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SELF

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SELF-LOVE AND REASON.

TWO principles in human nature reign; Self-love, to urge, and Reafon, to restrain: Nor this a good, nor that a bad we call ; Each works its end, to move or govern all : And to their proper operation ftill

Afcribe all Good; to their improper, Ill.

Self-Love, the fpring of motion, acts the foul; Reafon's comparing balance rules the whole. Man, but for that, no action could attend, And, but for this, were active to no end: Fix'd like a plant on his peculiar spot, To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot; Or, meteor-like, flame lawless through the void, Destroying others, by himself destroy'd,

Moft ftrength the moving principle requires ;
Active its task, it prompts, impels, infpires.
Sedate and quiet the comparing lies,

Form'd but to check, delib'rate, and advise.
Self-love, ftill ftronger, as its objects nigh;
Reason's at diftance, and in prospect lie:
That fees immediate good by present sense;
Reason, the future and the confequence.
Thicker than arguments, temptations throng:
At best more watchful this, but that more strong,
The action of the stronger to fufpend,

Reason still use, to Reason still attend.

Attention,

Attention, habit and experience gains

Each ftrengthens Reafon, and Self-love restrains..

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Self-love and Reason to one end afpire,

Pain their averfion, Pleasure their defire.

IBID. p. 58..

THE PASSIONS.

MODES of Self-love the Paffions we may call ; "Tis real good, or feeming, moves them all: But fince not ev'ry good we can divide, And Reason bids us for our own provide, Paffions, though selfish, if their means be fair, Lift under Reason, and deserve her care; Thofe, that imparted, court a nobler aim, Exalt their kind, and take fome Virtue's name.

In lazy Apathy let Stoics boat

Their Virtue fix'd; 'tis fix'd as in a froft
Contracted all, retiring to the breast;

But ftrength of mind is Exercife, not Reft::
The rifing tempeft puts in act the foul;
Parts it may ravage, but preferves the whole..
On life's vaft ocean diversely we fail,
Reason the card, but Paffion is the gale;
Nor God alone in the still calm we find,
He mounts the ftorm, and walks upon the wind..

Paffions, like elements, though born to fight,. Yet, mix'd and foften'd, in his work unite:

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Thefe 'tis enough to temper and employ;
But what compofes Man, can Man destroy
Suffice that Reafon keep to Nature's road,
Subject, compound them, follow her and God.
Love, Hope, and Joy, fair Pleafure's fmiling train,
Hate, Fear, and Grief, the family of Pain,
These mixt with art, and to due bounds confin'd,
Make and maintain the balance of the mind;
The lights and fhades, whofe well-accorded ftrife
Gives all the ftrength and colour of our life.
IBID. P. 59-

As Man, perhaps, the moment of his breath, Receives the lurking principle of death; The young disease, that must fubdue at length, Grows with his growth, and strengthens with his ftrength:

So, caft and mingled with his very frame,

The Mind's difeafe, its RULING PASSION Came;
Each vital humour which should feed the whole,
Soon flows to this, in body and in foul:
Whatever warms the heart, or fills the head,
As the mind opens, and its functions spread,
Imagination plies her dang'rous art,

And pours

it all upon the peccant part.

Nature its mother, Habit is its nurse;
Wit, Spirit, Faculties, but make it worse ;
Reafon itself but gives it edge and pow'r;
As Heav'n's blest beam turns vinegar more four

IBID. p. 61.

As

As fruits, ungrateful to the planter's care, On favage ftocks inserted learn to bear; The fureft virtues thus from Paffions fhoot, Wild Nature's vigour working at the root. What crops of wit and honesty appear, From spleen, from obftinacy, hate, or fear! See anger, zeal and fortitude fupply; E'en av'rice, prudence; floth, philofophy; Luft, through fome certain ftrainers well refin'd, Is gentle love, and charms all womankind; Envy, to which th'ignoble mind's a flave, Is emulation in the learn'd or brave; Nor Virtue, male or female, can we name,

But what will grow on Pride, or grow on Shame.

IBID. p. 62.

VICE AND VIRTUE.

FOOLS! who from hence into the notion fall, That Vice or Virtue there is none at all. If white and black blend, soften, and unite A thoufand ways, is there no black or white? Afk your own heart, and nothing is fo plain; 'Tis to mistake them, coffs the time and pain.

Vice is a monster of fo frightful mien, As, to be hated, needs but to be feen; Yet feen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace. But where th’Extreme of Vice, was ne'er agreed: Afk where's the North? at York, 'tis on the Tweed In Scotland, at the Orcades; and there,

At Greenland, Zembla, or the Lord knows where.

No

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