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For Forms of Government let fools conteft; Whate'er is beft adminifter'd is beft:

For Modes of Faith let graceless zealots fight; 305
His can't be wrong whofe life is in the right:

In Faith and Hope the world will disagree,
But all Mankind's concern is Charity:

All must be falfe that thwart this One

great End;

And all of God, that bless Mankind or mend. 310 Man, like the gen'rous vine, supported lives; The ftrength he gains is from th' embrace he gives. On their own Axis as the Planets run,

Yet make at once their circle round the Sun;

So two confiftent motions act the Soul;
And one regards Itself, and one the Whole.

315

Thus God and Nature link'd the gen'ral frame, And bade Self-love and Social be the fame.

VER. 303. For Forms of Government let fools conteft ;] The author of thefe lines was far from meaning that no one form of Government is, in itself, better than another (as, that mixed or limited Monarchy, for example, is not preferable to absolute) but that no form of Government, however excellent or preferable, in itself, can be fufficient to make a People happy, unless it be administered with integrity. On the contrary, the best fort of Government, when the form of it is preferved, and the adminiftration corrupt, is most dangerous.

ARGUMENT OF

EPISTLE

IV.

Of the Nature and State of Man with respect to Happiness.

I. FALSE Notions of Happiness, Philofophical and Popular, anfwered from 19 to 77. II. It is the End of all Men, and attainable by all, 30. God intends Happiness to be equal; and to be fo, it must be focial, fince all particular Happiness depends on general, and fince he governs by general, not particular Laws,

37. As it is neceflary for Order, and the peace and welfare of Society, that external goods bould be unequal, Happiness is not made to confift in thefe, * 51. But, notwithstanding that inequality, the balance of Happiness among Mankind is kept even by Providence, by the two Paffions of Hope and Fear, 70. III. What the Happiness of Individuals is, as far as is confiftent with the conftitution of this world; and that the good Man has here the advantage, 77. The error of imputing to Virtue what are only the calamities of Nature, or of Fortune, 94. IV. The folly of expecting that God should alter his general Laws in favour of particulars, † 121. V. That we are not judges who are good; but that whoever they are, they must be happiest, † 133, &c.

VI. That external

goods, are not the proper rewards, but often inconfiftent with, or deftructive of Virtue, 165. That even thefe can make no Man happy without Virtue: Inftanced in Riches, 183. Honours, 191. Nobility, 203. Greatness, & 215. Fame, 235. Superior Talents, 257, &c. With pictures of human Infelicity in Men poffefed of them all, † 267, &c. VII. That Virtue only confiitutes a Happiness, whofe object is univerfal, and whofe profpe& eternal, y 307, &c. That the perfection of Virtue and Happiness confifts in a conformity to the ORDER of PROVIDENCE kere, and a Refignation to it here and hereafter, 326, &c.

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EPISTLE IV.

H HAPPINESS! our being's end and aim!
Good, Pleasure, Eafe, Content! whate'er thy

name:

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That something ftill which prompts th' eternal figh,
For which we bear to live, or dare to die,
Which still so near us, yet beyond us lies,
O'er-look'd, feen double, by the fool, and wife.
Plant of celestial feed! if dropt below,
Say, in what mortal foil thou deign'ft to grow?
Fair op'ning to fome Court's propitious shine,
Or deep with di'monds in the flaming mine?

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THE two foregoing epiftles having confidered Man with regard to the Means (that is, in all his relations, whether as an Individual, or a Member of Society) this last comes to confider him with regard to the End, that is, HAPPINESS.

VER. 6. O'erlook'd, feen double,] O'erlook'd by those who place Happiness in any thing exclufive of Virtue; seen double by those who admit any thing else to have a fhare with Virtue in procuring Happiness; these being the two general mistakes that this epiftle is employed in confuting.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 1. Ob Happiness! etc.] in the MS. thus,
Oh Happiness! to which we all aspire,

Wing'd with strong hope, and borne by full defire
That cafe, for which in want, in wealth we figh;
That eafe, for which we labour and we die.

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Know then this Truth (enough for Man to know, Virtue alone is Happiness below.

Goay

on Man Ep IV.

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