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T

BY THE EDITOR.

HE ESSAY ON MAN, to use the Author's own Words, is a perfect Syftem of Ethics; in which Definition he included Religion: For he was far from that Opinion of the noble Writer of the Characteritics, that Morality could long fupport itself, or have even a real exiftence, without a reference to the Deity. Hence it is that the first Epiftle regards Man with refpect to the Lord and Governor of the univerfe; as the fecond with refpect to himself; the Third to Society; and the fourth, to happiness. Having therefore formed and finished his Essay in this View he was much mortified whenever he found it confidered in any other; or as a part and introduction only to a larger work. As appears from the conclufion of his fecond Dialogue, intitled M DCC XXXVIII, where he makes his impertinent adviser fay,

Alas! alas! pray end what

you began,

And write next Winter, more Essays on Man.

1

which a MS. note of his thus explains: "The author undoubtedly meant this as a "Sarcasm on the ignorance of those friends "of his, who were daily peftering him for "more Elays on Man, as not feeing that the "four Epiftles he had published entirely com"pleated that fubject." But it must be owned, that the Public, by the great and continued demand for his Effay, fufficiently freed itself from this imputation of wrong Judgment. And how great and continued that demand has been, appears from the vaft variety of pirated and imperfect Edition continually obtruded on the world, ever fince the first publication of the Poem; and which no repeated profecutions of the Offenders have been able totally to restrain.

These were the confiderations which have now induced the Proprietor to give one perfect Edition of the Elay on Man, from Mr. Pope's last corrections and improvements; that the Public may from henceforth be supplied with this Poem alone, in a manner fuitable to its dignity, and to the honest intention of its great Author.

Concerning the UNIVERSAL PRAYER, which concludes the Essay, it may be proper to observe, that, fome paffages in the Elay

having been unjustly fufpected of a tendency towards Fate and Naturalism, the Author composed that Prayer as the Sum of all, to fhew that his Syftem was founded in Free-will, and terminated in Piety: That the first Caufe was as well the Lord and Governor as the Creator of the Univerfe; and that by Submiffion to his Will (the great principle inforced throughout the Effay) was not meant the fuffering ourselves to be carried along with a blind determination; but a religious acquiefcence, and confidence full of hope and immortality, To give all this the greater weight and reality the Poet chofe for his Model the LORD'S PRAYER, which of all others beft deferves the title prefixed to his Paraphrafe.

The Reader will excufe my adding a word concerning the Frontispiece; which, as it was defigned and drawn by Mr. Pope himself, would be a kind of Curiofity, had not the excellence of the thought otherwife recommended it. We fee it represents the Vanity of human Glory, in the falfe pursuits after Happiness where the Ridicule in the Curtain cobweb, the death's head crowned with laurel, and the several Infcriptions, have all the force and beauty of one of his best written Satires: Nor is there lefs expreffion in the bearded Phi

lofopher fitting by a fountain running to waste, and blowing up bubbles with a straw from a fmall portion of water taken out of it, in a dirty dish; admirably reprefenting the vain bufinefs of School-Philofophy, that, with a little artificial logic, fits inventing airy arguments in fupport of falfe fcience, while the human Understanding at large is fuffered to lie wafte and uncultivated.

THE

DESIGN.

HAVING propofed to write fome pieces on Human Life and Manners, fuch as (to ufe my Lord Bacon's expreffion) come home to Men's Business and Bofoms, I thought it more fatisfactory to begin with confidering Man in the abftract, his Nature and his State: fince, to prove any moral duty, to enforce any moral precept, or to examine the perfection or imperfection of any creature whatsoever, it is neceffary firft to know what condition and relation it is placed in, and what is the proper end and purpose of its being.

The fcience of Human Nature is, like all other fciences, reduced to a few clear points: There are not many certain truths in this world. It is therefore in the anatomy of the Mind as in that of the Body: more good will accrue to mankind by attending to the large, open, and perceptible parts, than by stu dying too much fuch finer nerves and veffels, the conformations and uses of which will for ever escape our obfervation. The difputes are all upon these last, and I will venture to fay, they have less fharpned the wits than the hearts of men against each other, and have diminished the practice more than advanced the theory of Morality. If I could flatter myself that this Effay has any merit, it is in fteering betwixt the extremes of doctrines feemingly oppofite; in paffing over terms utterly unintelligible; and in forming a temperate, yet not inconfiftent; and a fhort, yet not imperfect fyftem of Ethics.

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