others, to ask Advice, and to profit by it when we have habituated ourselves to finish a Project alone, and not to expose it to the fight of the Publick till it be compleat, with the probable Hopes of gaining it the more Admiration; it is not impoffible but that with a distinguish'd Genius we may yet be mistaken, and we are almoft pardonable, when we have the Unhappiness to perfift in Errors, which we run into by fuch Steps..

BUT will those be so easily excufed, who have not been feduced by Self-love? and who, without a clofe Examination, adopt another's Offspring, and, deform'd as it is, embrace it with all the Tendernefs and Zeal of real Fathers, and at laft present it to others that they may equally admire it? As for those, whom Self-love does not feduce in favour of their own Ideas, 'tis a strange Weakness to fuffer them felves to be dazzled by Syftems that have dazzled their Authors. The Spirit of Party is one of the great Caufes of this; one must have been Witness of its Effects, and nearly examined them to believe them. Another Source of this flows from the

Spirit of Contradiction. There are People who are pleased with nothing more than Difputes, they give themselves entirely up to them, whenever they are fo happy as to find Opportunities. Many Interests unite themfelves with this hateful Temper; Intereft of Families, Intereft of Communities, Interest of Countries, Rivalship in Reputation, Competition in Employment; and in all these respects the Spirit of Party finds itself supported by Vanity.

Ir is not easy to acquire a Reputation by inventing a new Syftem. 'Tis the Work of a distinguish'd Genius, an induftrious Mind, and of a Capacity to unite all its Parts, and give to each of them an Air of Probability: Befides, in order that the System may not vanish as foon as it appears, it is neceffary for its Author to be in certain Circumftances that give him a Luftre. But a Genius, which has nothing uncommon, flatters himself that he fhall come in for fome Share of Glory with a celebrated and original Author, if he is one of the first to declare for him, He comprehended, at first View, what

others

others wanted Time to be convinced of; and if the System comes to be supportéd by a numerous Party, the first that enlift themselves are looked upon as the chief Officers, and the chief Supports of this new Literary Army, who fight by dint of Pen, and mix Gall with their Ink. Mr. Pope, without doubt, looked upon this Vanity with the Contempt it deserves, and it appear'd fo defpicable to him, that he thought barely to difplay the System would be fufficient to mortify it.

THERE is yet another Circumstance, very proper to cover the Defenders of this Syftem with Confufion, and to humble those who intereft themfelves in the Honour of Mankind. There are a great number of People who would not have given themfelves the trouble to find out thefe Imaginations, and who do not envy their Authors the Glory of them, neither are they of a Temper to run implicitly into the Fancies of another: Their Genius is not dull, nor their Tafte Servile: But unhappily they have a ftrong Inclination to Libertinifm, and whatever tends to fupport this has its Charms with them. F 2. They

They do not examine whether that which flatters their Inclinations be founded upon folid Proofs, or whether it be establish'd only on trifling Probabilities. That it pleases, is a fufficient Reafon for them to adopt it. These two are Difpofitions

that bring great Difgrace upon our Species: And what a contradiction to Reafon is it, for us to feek to withdraw ourselves from that Obedience we owe to God! For what is there, on the contrary, more worthy of a rational Being than to inftruct himself in that Obedience, in order to fubmit to it with all his Soul? These Libertines wou'd live after their own Humour, and not trouble themselves to en quire what their Mafter commands. It is however difficult for them to abandon themselves to this wrong Tafte, and to trample on the most facred Maxims, without feeling often from time to time certain Inquietudes.

THE Syftem which I make Mr. Pope to oppofe, comes quite feasonably to calm these Inquietudes. You had a fancy to get drunk, you gave yourself up to that Inclination, and you have fallen into Indecencies.

Are

Are you not ashamed of this? Why should I blush at it? (a Perfon initiated into this Syftem will reply) Is it my Fault? Since it is come to pafs, there was a Ne ceffity that it should come to pafs. Innumerable Caufes, infinite Ages paft, receiv'd an Impulse to make them produce this Event. Far from being afhamed, I congratulate my felf upon it. For what an Unhappiness-would it have been, if I had drank lefs, and omitted doing some of those Actions which you are plea fed to call Follies! They enter'd neceffarily into the Conftruction of the Universe, and if one of them had been omitted, it wou'd have render'd this great Work imperfect, and lefs worthy of its Author:

WHAT a fhameful Contradiction is this! They will not acknowledge that they have a Power of Self-determination :: But why do they refufe to acknowledge a Power which makes it felf fo frequently and clearly felt? --- 'Tis that they may keep themselves in a State, of acting with lefs Disturbance, and indulging their own Fancies, without the least Reproach. That Inclination which