But still this world (fo fitted for the knave) A kingdom of the Juft then let it be: COMMENTARY. VER. 131. But ftill this world &c.] II. But now, fo unhappy is the condition of our corrupt nature, that these are not the only complainers. RELIGIOUS Men are but too apt, if not to speak out, yet fometimes fecretly to murmur against Providence, and fay, its ways are not equal; efpecially the more inordinately devoted to a fect or party are fcandalized that the Juft (for fuch they esteem themselves) who are to judge the world, have no better portion in their own inheritance: The poet therefore now leaves thofe more profligate complainers, and turns (from 130 to 149) to the religious, in these words: But ftill this world (fo fitted for the knave) &c. As the more Impious wanted external goods to be the reward of Virtue for the Moral man; fo These want them for the Pious, in order to have a kingdom of the Juft: To this the poet holds it fufficient to answer; Pray first agree among yourfelves, who thofe Juft are. As this is the cafe, he bids them rest satisfied; remember his fundamental principle, that whatever is, is right; and content themselves (as their religion teaches them to profefs a more than ordinary fubmiffion to the will of Providence) with that common anfwer which he, with fo much reafon and piety, gives to every kind of Complainer. However, though there be yet no kingdom of the Juft, there is ftill no kingdom of the Unjuft; both the Virtuous and the Vicious (whatsoever becomes of those whom every sect calls the Faithful) have their fhares in external goods; and what is more, the Virtuous have infinitely the most enjoyment of them. -This world, 'tis true, Was made for Cæfar-but for Titus too: And which more bleft? who chain'd his country? say, The good must merit God's peculiar care; 135 But who, but God, can tell us who they are? One thinks on Calvin Heav'n's own spirit fell; If Calvin feel Heav'n's bleffing, or its rod, Nor with one system can they all be bleft. The very And what rewards your Virtue, punish mine. VARIATIONS. After VER. 142. in fome Editions, Give each a System, all must be at strife ; What diff'rent Syftems for a Man and Wife? The joke, tho' lively, was ill plac'd, and therefore struck out of the text. COMMENTARY. I have been the more folicitous to explain this last argument, and to fhew against whom it is directed, because much depends upon it for the illustration of the sense, and the juft defence of the poet. For if we fuppofe him ftill addrefling himself to thofe IMPIOUS Complainers, confuted in the forty preceding lines, we should make him guilty of a paralogifm in the argument about the Juft; and in the illuftration of it by the cafe of Calvin. For then the Libertines afk, Why the Juft, that is, the moral man, is not rewarded? The anfwer is, That none but God can tell, who the Juft, that is, the truly faithful man, is. Where the Term is changed, in order to fupport the argument; for about the truly moral man there is no difpute; about the truly faithful or the orthodox, a great deal. But take the poet right, as arguing here against RELIGIOUS complainers, and the reafoning is ftrict and logical. They afk, Why the truly faithful are VOL. III. L WHATEVER IS, is RIGHT.---This world, 'tis true, Was made for Cæfar --- but for Titus too: 146 And which more bleft? who chain'd his country, fay, Or he whose Virtue figh'd to lose a day? "But fometimes Virtue ftarves, while Vice is fed." What then? Is the reward of Virtue bread? 150 That, Vice may merit, 'tis the price of toil; The knave deferves it, when he tills the foil, The knave deferves it, when he tempts the main, Where folly fights for kings, or dives for gain. The good man may be weak, be indolent; 155 Nor is his claim to plenty, but content. But grant him riches, your demand is o'er ? "No---shall the good want Health, the good want Pow'r?" COMMENTARY. not rewarded? he anfwereth, They may be, for aught you know; for none but God can tell who they are. VER. 149. "But fometimes Virtue ftarves, while Vice is fed."] III. The poet, having difpatched these two species of murmurers, comes now to the third and ftill more pardonable fort, the difcontented GOOD MEN, who lament only that Virtue ftarves, while Vice riots. To thefe he replies (from 148 to 157) that admit this to be the cafe, yet they have no reason to complain, either of the good man's lot in particular, or of the difpenfation of Providence in general. Not of the former, because Happinefs, the reward of Virtue, confifteth not in Externals; nor of the latter, becaufe ill men may gain wealth by commendaable induftry, good men want neceffaries through indolence or bad conduct. VER. 157. But grant him Riches, &c.] But as modeft as this Add Health, and Pow'r, and ev'ry earthly thing, Why is not Man a God, and Earth a Heav'n? Who afk and reason thus, will fcarce conceive God gives enough, while he has more to give: Immenfe the pow'r, immenfe were the demand; Say, at what part of nature will they stand? 166 What nothing earthly gives, or can deftroy, The foul's calm fun-shine, and the heart-felt joy, Is Virtue's prize: A better would you fix? Then give Humility a coach and fix, COMMENTARY. 179 complaint feemeth at firft view, the poet next fhews (from † 156 to 167) that it is founded on a principle of the highest extravagance, which will never let the difcontented good man rest, 'till he becomes as vain and foolish in his imaginations as the very worft fort of complainers. For that when once he begins to think he wants what is his due, he will never know where to ftop, while God hath any thing to give. VER. 167. What nothing earthly gives, &c.] But this is not all; he proveth next (from 166 to 185) that thefe demands are not only unreasonable, but in the highest degree abfurd likewife. For that thofe very goods, if granted, would be the deftruction of that Virtue for which they are demanded as a Reward. He concludes therefore on the whole, that, What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy, The foul's calm-fun-fhine, and the heart-felt joy, Juftice a Conq'ror's fword, or Truth a gown, VARIATIONS. After 172. in the MS. Say, what rewards this idle world imparts, COMMENTARY. 180 And that to aim at other, which not only is of no use to us here, but, what is more, will be of none hereafter, is a paffion like that of an Infant or a Savage, where the one is impatient for what he will foon defpife, and the other makes a provifion for what he can never want. NOTES. VER. 177. Go, like the Indian, &c.] Alluding to the example of the Indian, in Epift. i. 99. and fhewing, that that example was not given to difcredit any rational hopes of future happiness, but only to reprove the folly of feparating them from charity 'as when - Zeal, not Charity, became the guide, |