That mine to fpeak, and theirs was to obey; Parent of wicked, bane of honeft deeds,. What 685 690 695 700 705 710 Fix 715 720 Fix fancy'd laws, and form imagin'd rules, With outward fmiles their flattery I receiv'd; 725 730 735 Light flew the knowing fcale, the doubtful heavy weigh'd. Forc'd by reflective reafon, I confefs, That human science is uncertain guess. 740 Alas! Alas! we grasp at clouds, and beat the air, Can thought beyond the bounds of matter climb ? To what our Maker to their ken denies : The fearcher follows faft; the object fafter flies. How narrow limits were to wifdom given ! 745 750 } Earth fhe furveys; fhe thence would measure heaven: Remember, that the curs'd defire to know, 760 765 For ever from that fatal tree debarr'd, Which flaming fwords and angry cherubs guard? TEXTS TEXTS CHIEFLY ALLUDED TO IN BOOK II. "I faid in my own heart, Go to now, I will prove thee "with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure." Eccl. ii. 1. "I made me great works, I builded me houses, I "planted me vineyards.” Ver. 4. "I made me gardens and orchards; and I planted trees " in them of all kind of fruits.” Ver. 5. "I made me pools of water, to water therewith the "wood that bringeth forth trees." Ver. 6. "Then I looked on all the works that my hands had "wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: "And behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit; "and there was no profit under the fun." Ver. 11. "I gat me men-fingers and women-fingers, and the delights of the fons of men, as musical instruments, " and that of all forts." Ver. 8. "I fought in mine heart to give myself unto wine (yet "acquainting mine heart with wifdom) and to lay "hold on folly, till I might fee what was that good "for the fons of men, which they should do under "heaven, all the days of their life.” Ver. 3. "Then I faid in my heart, As it happeneth unto the "fool, fo it happeneth even unto me; and why was "I then more wife? Then I faid in my heart, that "this alfo is vanity.” Ver. 15. "Therefore I hated life, because the work that is wrought "under the fun is grievous unto me." Ch. ii. ver. 27. "Dead flies cause the ointment to fend forth a ftinking "favour: fo doth a little folly him that is in repu"tation for wisdom and honour." Chap. x. ver. I. "The memory of the just is blessed, but the memory of "the wicked fhall rot." Proverbs, ch. x. ver. 7. PLE ASUR E: THE SECOND BOOK. THE ARGUMEN t. Solomon, again feeking happiness, inquires if wealth and greatness can produce it: begins with the magnificence of gardens and buildings, the luxury of mufic and feafting; and proceeds to the hopes and defires of love. In two epifodes are fhewn the follies and troubles of that paffion. Solomon, ftill difappointed, falls under the temptations of libertinifm and idolatry; recovers his thought; reafons aright; and concludes that, as to the purfuit of pleasure and fenfual delight, All is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit. T RY then, O man, the moments to deceive, That from the womb attend thee to the grave: For weary'd nature find fome apter scheme : Health be thy hope, and Pleasure be thy theme. From the perplexing and unequal ways, Where ftudy brings thee; from the endless maze, Which doubt perfuades to run, forewarn'd, recede To the gay field and flowery path, that lead 5 |