Alas what wonder! Man's fuperior part
Uncheck'd may rise, and climb from art to art; 40
But when his own great work is but begun,
What Reason weaves, by Paffion is undone.
Trace Science then, with Modesty thy guide;
First strip off all her equipage of Pride;
Deduct what is but Vanity, or Dress,

Or Learning's Luxury, or Idleness;

COMMENTARY.

45

VER. 43. Trace Science then, &c.] The conclufion, therefore, from the whole is (from 42 to 53) that, as on the one

NOTES.

ton, in calculating the velocity | his fancy or invention. By of a Comet's motion, and the course it defcribes, when it becomes vifible in its defcent to, and ascent from the Sun, conjectured, with the highest appearance of truth, that Comets revolve perpetually round the Sun, in ellipfes vaftly eccentrical, and very nearly approaching to parabolas. In which he was greatly confirmed, in obferving between two Comets a coincidence in their perihelions, and a perfect agreement in their velocities.

drefs, is to be understood a lower degree of that practice, in amplification of thought and ornamented expreffion, to give force to what the writer would convey: but even this, the poet, in a fevere search after truth, condemns; and with great judgment. Conciseness of thought and fimplicity of expreffion, being as well the best inftruments, as the best vehicles of Truth. Shakespear touches upon this latter advantage with great force and humour. The Flatterer fays to Timon in distress, "I cannot 66 cover the monstrous bulk "of their ingratitude with "any fize of words." The other replies, "Let it go, "naked, men may see't the "better."

VER. 46. Or Learning's Lux

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,

50

Which ferv'd the past, and must the times to come!
II. Two Principles in human nature reign;
Self-love, to urge, and Reason, to restrain;

COMMENTARY.

hand, we should perfift in the study of Nature; fo, on the other, in order to arrive at Science, we should proceed in the fimplicity of Truth; and the product, tho' fmall, will yet be real.

VER. 53. Two Principles, &c.] The poet having thus fhewn the difficulty attending the ftudy of Man, proceeds to remove it, by laying before us the elements or true principles of this fcience, in an account of the Origin, Ufe, and End of the PASSIONS; which, in my opinion, contains the trueft, cleareft, fhorteft, and confequently the beft fyftem of Ethics that is any

NOTES.

ury, or Idleness;] The Luxury of Learning confifts in dreffing up and difguifing old notions in a new way, fo as to make them more fashionable and palateable; instead of examining and fcrutinizing their truth. As this is often done

for pomp and fhew, it is called luxury; as it is often done too to fave pains and labour, it is called idleness.

monftrations concerning the
Small quantity of matter; the
endless divifibility of it, &c.

VER. 48. Mere curious
pleasure, or ingenious pain ;]
That is, when Admiration fets
the mind on the rack.

VER. 49. Expunge the whole, or lop th'excrefcent parts Of all our vices have created Arts;] i. e. Those parts of natural Philofophy, Logic, Rhe

VER. 47. Or tricks to fhewtoric, Poetry, &c. that admithe stretch of human brain,] nifter to luxury, deceit, amSuch as the mathematical de- bition, effeminacy, &c,

Nor this a good, nor that a bad we call,

all:

Each works its end, to move or govern
And to their proper operation ftill,
Afcribe all Good; to their improper, Ill.
Self-love, the spring 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 thro' the void,
Destroying others, by himself destroy'd.

COMMENTARY.

55

60

65

where to be met with. He begins (from 52 to 59) with pointing out the two grand principles in human nature, SELF-LOVE and REASON. Defcribes their general nature: The first sets Man upon acting, the other regulates his action. However, thefe principles are natural, not moral; and, therefore, in themfelves, neither good nor bad, but fo only as they are directed. This obfervation is made with great judgment, in oppofition to the defperate folly of thofe fanatics, who, as the Afcetic, pretend to eradicate Self-love; as the Mystic, would stifle Reafon; and both, on the abfurd fancy of their being moral, not natural principles.

VER. 59. Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the foul;] The poet proceeds (from 58 to 67) more minutely to mark out the diftinct offices of thefe two principles, which he had before affigned only in general; and here he thews their neceffity; for without Self-love, as the fpring, Man would be unactive; and without Reafon, as the balance, active no purpose.

Most strength 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;
Reafon's at diftance, and in prospect lie:
That fees immediate good by present sense;
Reason, the future and the confequence.

70

Thicker than arguments, temptations throng, 75 At beft more watchful this, but that more ftrong. The action of the stronger to fufpend

Reafon ftill ufe, to Reason ftill attend.

COMMENTARY.

VER. 67. Moft ftrength the moving principle requires ;] Having thus explained the ends and offices of each principle, he goes on (from 66 to 79) to speak of their qualities; and fhews how they are fitted to discharge thofe functions, and anfwer their respective intentions. The bufinefs of Self-love being to excite to action, it is quick and impetuous; and moving inftinctively, has, like attraction, its force prodigioufly increased as the object approaches, and proportionably leffened as that recedes. On the contrary, Reafon, like the Author of attraction, is always calm and fedate, and equally preferves itself, whether the object be near, or far off. Hence the moving principle is made more ftrong, though the restraining be more quick-lighted. The confequence he draws from this is, that if we would not be carried away to our deftruction, we must always keep Reason upon guard.

NOTES.

e.

VER. 74. Reafon, the future and the confequence.] i. By experience Reafon collects

the future; and by argumentation, the confequence.

79

Attention, habit and experience gains;

Each strengthens Reason, and Self-love restrains.
Let fubtle schoolmen teach these friends to fight,
More ftudious to divide than to unite;
And Grace and Virtue, Senfe and Reason split,
With all the rash dexterity of wit.

Wits, just like Fools, at war about a name,
Have full as oft no meaning, or the fame.

85

Of good and evil Gods what frighted Fools,
Of good and evil Reason puzzled Schools,
Deceiv'd, deceiving, taught

COMMENTARY.

VER. 79. Attention, &c.] But it would be objected, that, if this account were true, human life would be moft miferable; and, even in the wifeft, a perpetual conflict between Reafon and the Paffions. To this, therefore, the poet replies (from 78 to 81) firft, that Providence has fo graciously contrived, that even in the voluntary exercife of Reafon, as in the mere mechanic motion of a limb, Habit makes what was at first done with pain, eafy and natural. And, fecondly, that the experience gained by the long exercife of Reafon, goes a great way towards eluding the force of Self-love. Now the attending to Reason, as here recommended, will gain us this habit and experience. Hence it appears, that this ftation, in which Reason is to be kept conftantly upon guard, is not so uneafy a one as may be at first imagined.

VER. 81. Let fubtle Schoolmen &c.] From this defcription of Self-love and Reason it follows, as the poet obferves (from 80 to 93) that both confpire to one end, namely, human happinefs, though they be not equally expert in the choice of the means; the difference being this, that the first haftily feizes