EPISTLE II. I. KNOW then thyself, presume not God to scan: A being darkly wise, and rudely great : With too much knowledge for the sceptic's side, 5 10 15 Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all; Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl'd; The glory jest, and riddle of the world! Go, wondrous creature! mount where science guides, Go, measure earth, weigh air, and taste the tides; 20 Instruct the planets in what orbs to run, 25 ESSAY ON MAN. Then drop into thyself, and be a fool! Superior beings, when of late they saw Could he, whose rules the rapid comet bind, Or learning's luxury, or idleness; Or tricks to show the stretch of human brain, Mere curious pleasure, or ingenious pain; Expunge the whole, or lop th' excrescent parts Of all our vices have created arts: 50. Then see how little the remaining sum, Which serv'd the past, and must the times to come! II. Two principles in human nature reign; Self-love to urge, and reason to restrain; Nor this a good, nor that a bad we call, 55 Each works its end, to move or govern all : And to their proper operation still, Ascribe all good; to their improper, ill. Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the soul; Reason's comparing balance rules the whole. 60 Man, out for that. no action could attend, Or, meteor-like, flame lawless through the void, 65 Most strength tne moving principle requires ; Form'd but to check, delib'rate, and advise. 70 Thicker than arguments, temptations throng; 75 At best more watchful this, but that more strong. The action ofne stronger to suspend, Reason still use, to reason still attend: Attention, habit and experience gains, Each strengthens reason, and self-love restrains. 80 Let subtle school-men teach these friends to fight, More studious o divide than to unite; And grace and virtue, sense and reason split, With all the rash dexterity of wit. 85 Wits, just like fools, at war about a name, This taste the honey, and not wound the flow'r : 90 Pleasure, or wrong or rightly understood, Our greatest evil or our greatest good. *III. Modes of self-love the passions we may call; "Tis real good, or seeming, moves them all; But since not ev'ry good we can divide, 95 And reason bids us for our own provide, 100 Their virtue fix'd; 'tis fixed as in a frost; Contracted all, retiring to the breast; The rising tempest puts in act the soul, 105 Parts it may ravage, but preserves the whole. Reason the card, but passion is the gale; Nor God alone in the still calm we find, He mounts the storm, and walks upon the wind. 110 Yet, mix'd and soften'd, in his work unite: 115 These mix'd with art, and to due bounds confin'd, 120. Pleasures are ever in our hands or eyes, And when in act they cease, in prospect rise: The whole employ of body and of mind. All spread their charms, but charm not all alike; 125 130 135 Grows with his growth, and strengthens with his strength; So, cast and mingled with his very frame, The mind's disease its ruling passion came: Each vital humour which should feed the whole, Soon flows to this in body and in soul. 140 Whatever warms the heart, or fills the head, As the mind opens, and its functions spread, Imagination plies her dang'rous art, 145 We, wretched subjects, though to lawful sway, In this weak queen, some fav'rite still obey. 150 |