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ARGUMENT OF EPISTLE III.

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

1. THE whole Universe one fyftem of Society, ver. 7, etc. Nothing made wholly for itself, nor yet wholly for another, ver. 27. The happiness of Animals mutual, ver. 49. II. Reafon or Inftinct operate alike to the good of each Individual, ver. 79. Reafon or Inftinct operate alfo to Society in all animals, ver. 109. III. How far Society carried by instinct, ver. 115. How much farther by Reafon, ver. 128. IV. Of that which is called the State of Nature, ver. 144. Reafon inftructed by Inftinct in the Invention of Arts, ver. 166, and in the Forms of Society, ver. 176. V. Origin of Political Societies, ver. 196. Origin of monarchy, ver. 207. Patriarchal Government, ver. 212. VI. Origin of true Religion and Government, from the fame principle of Love, 231, etc. Origin of Superftition and Tyranny, from the fame principle of Fear, ver. 237, etc. The Influence of Self love operating to the focial and public Good, ver. 266. Reftoration of true Religion and Government on their firft Principle, ver. 285. Mixt Government, ver. 288. Various Forms of each, and the true end of all, ver. 300, etc.

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e fit Passion every Age supply.

Hope travels through, nor quits us when we die.

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EPISTLE III.

ERE then we reft: "The Univerfal Caufe

HER

"Acts to one end, but acts by various laws."

In all the madness of fuperfluous health,

The train of pride, the impudence of wealth,

Let this great truth be prefent night and day;

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But most be present, if we preach or pray.

Look round our World; behold the chain of Love Combining all below and all above.

See plaftic Nature working to this end,

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The single atoms each to other tend,
Attract, attracted to, the next in place

Form'd and impell'd its neighbour to embrace.
See matter next, with various life endu❜d,

Prefs to one centre ftill, the gen❜ral Good.
See dying Vegetables life sustain,

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See life diffolving vegetate again :

All forms that perifh other forms fupply,

(By turns we catch the vital breath, and die)

It

We are now come to the third epiftle of the Effay on Man. having been fhewn, in explaining the origin, ufe, and end of the Paffions, in the fecond epiftle, that Man hath focial as well as felfish paffions, that doctrine naturally introduceth the third, which treats of Man as a SOCIAL animal; and connects it with the second, which confidered him as an INDIVIDUAL.

VER. 12. Form'd and impell'd, etc.] To make Matter fo cohere as to fit it for the uses intended by its Creator, a proper configuration of its infenfible parts, is as neceffary as that quality fo equally and univerfally conferred upon it, called Attraction. To exprefs the firft part of this thought, our Author says form'd; Etter, impell'd.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 1. In feveral Edit. in 4to.

and to express the

Learn, Dulness, learn!" The Universal Cause," ets.

Like bubbles on the fea of Matter borne,

They rife, they break, and to that fea return.
Nothing is foreign; Parts relate to whole;
One all-extending, all-preferving Soul
Connects each being, greatest with the leaft;
Made Beaft in aid of Man, and Man of Beaft;
Ali ferv'd, all ferving: nothing ftands alone;
The chain holds on, and where it ends, unknown.
Has God, thou fool! work'd folely for thy good,
Thy joy, thy paftime, thy attire, thy food?
Who for thy table feeds the wanton fawn,

For him as kindly fpread the flow 'ry lawn:
Is it for thee the lark afcends and fings?
Joy tunes his voice, joy elevates his wings.
Is it for thee the linnet pours his throat?
Loves of his own and raptures fwell the note.
The bounding steed you pompously beftride,
Shares with his lord the pleafure and the pride.
Is thine alone the feed that ftrews the plain?
The birds of heav'n fhall vindicate their grain.
Thine the full harvest of the golden year?
Part pays, and juftly, the deferving steer:
The hog, that plows not, nor obeys thy call,
Lives on the labours of this Lord of all.

Know, Nature's children fhall divide her care;
The fur that warms a monarch, warm'd a bear.

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VER. 22. One all-extending, all-preferving Soul] Which, in the language of Sir Ifaac Newton, is, "Deus omnipræfens eft, non per "virtutem folam, fed etiam per fubftantiam: nam virtus fine fub❝ftantia fubfiftere non poteft.' Newt. Princ. fcbol. gen. fub finem.

VER. 23. Greateft with the leaft;] As acting more strongly and immediately in beafts, whose inftinct is plainly an external reason; which made an old fchool-man fay, with great elegance, "Deus "eft anima brutorum:"

In this 'tis God directs.

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