Afk why from Britain Cæfar would retreat? One action conduct; one, heroic Love. VARIATIONS. VER. 129. in the former Editions,, Afk why from Britain Cæfar made retreat? Alter'd as above, because Cæfar wrote his Commentaries of this war, and does not tell you he was beat. And as Cæfar afforded an inftance of both cafes, it was thought better to make him the fingle example. NOTES. VER. 130. Cæfar himself might whisper he was beat.] Cæfar wrote his Commentaries, in imitation of the Greek Generals, for the entertainment of the world: But had his friend asked him, in his ear, the reafon of his fudden retreat from Britain, after fo many pretended victories, we have caufe to suspect, even from his own public relation of that matter, that he would have whisper'd be was beat. VER. 131. Why risk the world's great empire for a Punk?] After the battle of Pharfalia, Cæfar pursued his enemy to Alexandria, where he became infatuated with the charms of Cleopatra, and inftead of pufhing his advantages, and difperfing the relicks of the Pharfalian quarrel (after narrowly efcaping the violence of an enraged populace) he brought upon himself an unneceffary war, at a time his arms were moft wanted elsewhere. 'Tis from high Life high Characters are drawn; A Saint in Crape is twice a Saint in Lawn; 136 A Judge is juft, a Chanc'lor jufter ftill; will; More wife, more learn'd, more juft, more ev'ry thing. 140 Court-Virtues bear, like Gems, the highest rate, Born where Heav'n's influence fcarce can pene trate: In life's low vale, the foil the Virtues like, They please as beauties, here as wonders strike. COMMENTARY. VER. 135. 'Tis from high Life, &c.] The Poet having done with the Philofopher, now turns to the Man of the world; whofe firft mistake is in fuppofing men's true Characters may be known by their station. This, though a mere mob-opinion, is the opinion in fashion, and cherished by the Mob of all ranks; therefore, though beneath the Poet's reafoning, he thought it deferving of his ridicule; and the ftrongest was what he gives (from Ver. 134 to 141.) a naked expofition of the fact; to which he has fubjoined (from Ver. 140 to 149.) an ironical apology, that, as Virtue is cultivated with infinitely more labour in Courts than in Cottages, it is but just to fet an infinitely higher value on it; which, fays he with much pleafantry, is most agreeable to all the fashionable ways of eftimation. For why do the connoiffeurs prefer the lively colour in a Gem before that in a Flower, but for its extreme rarity and difficulty of production? NOTES. VER. 141. Court-Virtues bear, like Gems, &c.] This whole reflection, and the fimilitude brought to fupport it, have great delicacy of ridicule, together with all the charms of Poetry. Tho' the fame fun with all-diffusive rays 145 Blush in the Rose, and in the Di'mond blaze, 'Tis Education forms the common mind, COMMENTARY. VER. 149. 'Tis Education forms, &c.] This fecond mistake of the Man of the world is more ferious; it is, that characters are beft judged of by the general manners. This the Poet confutes in a lively enumeration of examples (from Ver. 148 to 158.) which fhew, that how fimilar or different foever the manners be by nature, yet they are all new modelled by education and Profeffum; where each man invariably receives that exotic form, which the mould he falls into is fitted to imprint. The natural character therefore can never be judged of by thefe fictitious manners. NOTES. A VER. 152. The next a Tradefman, meek, and much a lyar ;] "The only gloy of a Tradefman (fays Hobbes) is to grow "exceffively rich by the wisdom of buying and felling.' purfuit very wide of all vain-glory; fo that if he be given to ying, it is certainly on a more fubftantial motive; and will therefore rather deferve the name which this Philofophy gives it, of wisdom. SCRIBL. Afk men's Opinions: Scoto now shall tell How trade increases, and the world goes well; Strike off his Penfion, by the fetting fun, 160 And Britain, if not Europe, is undone. That gay Free-thinker, a fine talker once, What turns him now a stupid filent dunce? Some God, or Spirit he has lately found; Or chanc'd to meet a Minister that frown'd. 165 Judge we by Nature? Habit can efface, Int'rest o'ercome, or Policy take place : COMMENTARY. VER. 158. Afk men's Opinions: &c.] The third mistake is in judging of men's characters by their opinions, and turn of thinking. But thefe, the Poet fhews by two examples (from Ver. 157 to 166.) are generally fwayed by interest, both in the affairs of life and speculation. VER. 166. Judge we by Nature, &c.] The Poet having gone through the mistakes both of the Philofopher and Man of the world, feparately, turns now to both; and (from Ver. 165 to 174.) jointly addresses them in a recapitulation of his reafoning against each: He fhews, that if we pretend to develope the character by the natural difpofition in general, we shall find it extremely difficult, because this is often effaced by habit, NOTES. VER. 164, 165. Some God, or Spirit he has lately found; Or chanc'd to meet a Minifter that frown'd.] Difafters the moft unlooked for, as they were what the Freethinker's fpeculations and practice were principally directed to avoid. The Poet here alludes to the antient claffical opinion, that the fudden vifion of a God was wont to ftrike the irreverend obferver speechlefs. He has only a little extended the conceit, and fuppofed, that the terrors of a Court-Gǝd might have the like effect on one of thefe devoted worshippers. SCRIBL. By Actions? thofe Uncertainty divides: Climes, 170 Tenets with Books, and Principles with Times. COMMENTARY. overswayed by intereft, and fufpended by policy.-If by actions, their contrariety will leave us in utter doubt and uncertainty. -If by paffions, we shall be perpetually misled by the mask of Diffimulation. If by opinions, all these concur together to perplex the enquiry. Shew us then, fays he, in the whole range of your philofophy and experience, the thing we can be certain of: For (to fum up all in a word) "Manners with Fortunes, Humours turn with Climes, "Tenets with Books, and Principles with Times." We must seek therefore fome other road to the point we aim at. NOTES. V. 172-3. Manners with Fortunes, Humours turn with Climes, Tenets with Books, and Principles with Times.] The Poet had hitherto reckoned up the feveral fimple caufes which hinder our knowledge of the natural characters of men. In these two fine lines, he defcribes the complicated causes. Humours bear the fame relation to manners, that principles do to tenets; that is, the former are modes of the latter; our manners (fays the Poet) are warped from nature by our fortunes or stations; our tenets, by our books or Profeffions; and then each drawn ftill more oblique, into humour and political principles, by the temperature of the climate, and the conftitution of the government. |