How inconfiftent greater goods with these? How fometimes life is rifqu'd, and always ease: call, Think, and if still the things thy envy call, 275 Say, would'st thou be the Man to whom they fall? Look but on Gripus, or on Gripus' wife. 280 If Parts allure thee, think how Bacon fhin'd, NOTES. attain happiness by Knowledge alone, independent of Virtue, the fable is reverfed, and in a prepofterous attempt to gain the fubftance, he lofeth even the fhadow. This I take to be the fense of this fine ftroke of fatire on the wrong pursuits after happiness. VER. 281, 283. If Parts allure thee, Or ravish'd with the whiftling of a Name,] These two inftances are chofen with great judgment. The world, perhaps, doth not afford two other fuch. BACON difcovered and laid down thofe true principles of fcience, by whofe affiftance, Newton was enabled to unfold the whole law of Nature. He was no lefs eminent for the creative power of his imagination; the brightness of his conceptions; and the force of his expreffion: Yet being convicted on his own confeffion, for bribery and corruption in the' adminiftration of juftice, while he prefided in the fupreme Court of Equity, he endeavoured to repair his ruined fortunes by the most profligate flattery to the Court: Which, indeed, 285 If all, united, thy ambition call, From ancient story learn to scorn them all. NOTES. from his very first entrance into it, he had accustomed himself to practise with a prostitution that difgraceth the very profeffion of letters. CROMWELL feemeth to be distinguished in the most eminent manner, with regard to his abilities, from all other great and wicked men, who have overturned the Liberties of their Country. The times in which others have fucceeded in this attempt, were fuch as faw the spirit of Liberty fuppreffed and ftifled, by a general luxury and venality: But Cromwell subdued his country, when this fpirit was at its height, by a fuccessful struggle against court-oppreffion; and while it was conducted and fupported by a fct of the greatest Geniuses for government the world ever faw embarked together in one common cause. VER. 285. Or ravish'd with the whistling of a Name,] And even this fantastic glory fometimes fuffers a terrible reverfe. Oh wealth ill-fated! which no act of fame E'er taught to shine, or fanctify'd from fhame! 300 COMMENTARY. 310 VER. 309. Know then this truth, &c.] Having thus at length fhewn that happiness confifts neither in any external goods, nor in all kinds of internal (that is, fuch of them as are not NOTES. Sacheverel, in his Voyage to I-columbkill, defcribing the church there, tells us, that "in one corner is a peculiar inclofure, in "which were the monuments of the kings of many different "nations, as Scotland, Ireland, Norway, and the Isle of Man. "THIS (faid the person who fhewed me the place, pointing "to a plain ftone) was the monument of the Great TEAGUE, king of Ireland. I had never heard of him, and could not "but reflect of how little value is Greatness, that has barely " left a name fcandalous to a nation, and a grave which the "meanest of mankind would never envy.” VER. 309. Know then this truth (enough for Man to know) Virtue ALONE is happiness below.] M. du Refnel tranflates the lines thus, "Appren donc, qu'il n'eft point icy bas de Bonheur The only point where human bliss stands still, VARIATIONS. After Ver. 316. in the MS. Ev'n while it seems unequal to dispose, COMMENTARY. 315 of our own acquirement) nor yet in the vifionary pursuits of the Philofophers, he concludes (from Ver. 308 to 311.) that it is to be found in VIRTUE ALONE. VER. 311. The only point where human blifs ftands ftill, &c.] Hitherto the Poet had proved, NEGATIVELY, that happiness confifts in virtue, by fhewing it confifted not in any other thing. He now (from Ver. 310 to 327.) proves the fame POSITIVELY, by an enumeration of its qualities, all naturally adapted to give and to increase human happiness; as its Conftancy, Capacity, Vigour, Efficacy, Activity, Moderation, and Self-fufficiency. NOTES. i.e. Learn then, that there is no Happiness here below, unless Virtue regulate the heart and the understanding: Which destroys all the force of his Author's conclufion. He had proved, that happiness confifts neither in external goods, as the Vulgar imagined; nor yet in the vifions of the Philofophers: he concludes therefore, that it confifts in VIRTUE ALONE. His tranflator fays, that without Virtue these can be no happiness. And fo fay the men whom his Author is here confuting. Without fatiety, tho' e'er fo bless'd, And but more relifh'd as the more diftrefs'd: 320 Good, from each object, from each place acquir'd, Never elated, while one man's opprefs'd; And where no wants, no wishes can remain, 325 See the fole blifs Heav'n could on all bestow! Which who but feels can taste, but thinks can know: VARIATIONS. And raise his base on that one folid joy, Which confcience gives, and nothing can destroy. These lines are extremely finished. In which there is fuch a foothing fweetnefs in the melancholy harmony of the verfification, as if the Poet was then in that tender office in which he was moft officious, and in which all his foul came out, the condoling with fome good man in affliction. COMMENTARY. VER. 327. See the fole blifs Heav'n could on all beflow!] Having thus proved that happiness is, indeed, placed in Virtue; he proves next (from Ver. 326 to 329.) that it is rightly placed there; for that then, and then only, ALL may partake of it, and ALL be capable of relishing it. NOTES. For though they fuppofed external goods requifite to happinefs, it was when in conjunction with Virtue. Mr. Pope fays, "VIRTUE ALONE is Happiness below:" And fo ought a faithful Tranflator to have faid after him. |