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act without an End? and which form'd me without knowing why or how they adjusted the Parts of my Body, and caused this Self of mine which thinks, to be born with this Body?

In order to acquire the Knowledge of what I am, it is expedient to examine my Body This Application is very far from being a Matter of Indifference. It is ftill of more Importance to ask one's felf — Am I, who think, a Part of this Body? Or am I a Subflance diftin&t from it? I find myfelf capable of forming Ideas, of comparing them, of perceiving their Connections or Oppofitions, of acquiefcing in Principles, and drawing Confequences from them. If I neglect to make use of thefe Talents and Gifts, which the Author of my Nature has endowed me with, fhall not I be answerable for the Ignorance in which I live? And if I do not make a good Use of them, shall not I be anfwerable too for the Errors into which I may fall?

THIS is, I think, a rough Draught of the Method in which we should study ourfelves. But one may be both a Philofo

pher

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Mr POPE's Ejay on Man. pher and Poet. To write as a Philofopher we must conform ourselves to this Method, or one like it; whereas, a Poet is the Mafter of his Subject, and in this Quality he disposes it as he thinks proper. The Philofopher takes a Pride in giving Instruction, in refolving Difficulties, and diffipating Doubts and Obfcurities. But the Poet, without any Intention to deceive, aims to furprize, to agitate, and wholly to engage his Reader. Mr Pope's Effay in particular feems to me an Imitation of the Epic Poem. Homer begins his with the Wrath of Achilles, and in his Progress finds means to recur to the Original of the Trojan War. Mr Pope begins his Essay on Man, by attacking his Pride; and his Enthufiafm inflaming his Averfion and Contempt of this Vice, he cannot fuffer any thing which has the leaft Tendency to it, even in the Chiefs of the Universe. After having fall'n feverely upon their Ambition, he gives himself the utmost Liberty, and his Reader too grants it him, with regard to Man in general. He begins with promifing a good deal; and his Reader allur'd

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allur'd thereby, takes heart to follow him thro' all his bold Career. He makes him hope for Diverfion, v. 15. but 'tis an in

nocent one.

Laugh where we must,

After

This we are obliged to him for. wards he gains our Efteem by adding:

be candid where we can.

And at last we respectfully give ourselves up to his Guidance; when he finishes the Period in Terms fo becoming a Man of Sense

But vindicate the Ways of God to Man. v. 16,

He is to speak of the reft en passant: But this is the End, we expect, he will never lofe Sight of.

AFTER an Invitation to Rapture and Wit, which we fhould find it difficult to refufe, Mr Pope enters upon his Subject, and gives us reafon to hope that he will at

once

once treat of God and Mant. This Plan is a very judicious one. What Benefit would the Knowledge of ourselves afford us, if we remain ignorant of our Creator? I know nothing of myself, if I know not from whence I came. It is with great Propriety too that he adds, 'Tis ours to feek God in that World wherein he has placed us*. This Notion is exactly agreeable to that of those fage Divines who put a Diftinction between searching what God is in himself, and what he is with respect to us, that is to fay, thofe Relations he has been pleased to enter into with Man. The Light of Revelation is entirely conformable to this Plan, and it inftructs us chiefly in that which God judges proper to be with regard to us.

THO'

+ Mr Pope's Words are:

Say first of God above, and Man below,
What can we reason, but from what we know?
ESSAY on MAN, Epift. I. v. 17, 18.

* Mr Croufaz has this Diftich in view :

Thro' Worlds unnumber'd tho' the God be known, 'Tis ours to trace him only in our own. V. 22.

THO' Mr Pope asks, v. 19.

Of Man what fee we but his Station here?

he had faid a little before, v. 3, 4.

Life can little more fupply

Than just to look about us and to die.

This is, indeed, very little, and fhould seem hardly worth the Trouble of compofing a Book.

BUT I hope, Sir, you have not forgot a Remark which I almoft begun with; it is, that the Poet is Mafter of his Subject. Writers of this Sort have long been granted a Power of chufing what they think fit to fay, and difpofing it in what Order they please. Mr Pope makes it appear at firft Sight, that his Defign is to humble Man: This is an End he always keeps in view, and certainly nothing is more little, or more contemptible than Man, if this be all his Lot. To finish a Course fo fhort, fo laborious, fo perplex'd and dark, is not worth the being born for.

In order to fupport the Right he affumes

to

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