State of Perfection, not for Man defign'd,
Howe'er the fond Idea fills his Mind*;
Itfelf an Evil, whilft to Good it tends,
But in a Round of Difappointments ends.
Man's State in Life's uncertain, mixt at beft;
Conduct fome little does, but Fate the reft:
Fantaftic Fate! to Merit ever blind,

Whilft lavish to the worst of all Mankind.

Judge then by outward Things, you're fure to err, And inward lie remote, few look so far. Appearances ftill guide, and ftill deceive, For giddy Crowds muft wonder and believe‡.

Who fees gay Codrus loll in gilt Machine,
Grand his Attendance, and felf-pleas'd his mien:
Can he imagine all thefe Trappings hid,

A Wretch made up of Folly, Guilt and Pride?
Greedy to get, as he's profufe to spend,

Stiff, when attended, fervite to attend ;

Good

* Heaven only is a state of perfect happiness, this world is full of troubles; the facred writings declare this is not your reft, for it is polluted.

MICAH . 10.

+ The world is taken by appearances, therefore it is fo likely to be deceiv'd, for few appear in public what they really are; in this refpect the majority of mankind m be too juftly faid to carry falfe colours.

Good but by Accident, by Habit bad,
In Reas'ning fpecious, and in Afting mad.

Princes we blame for Benefits mifplac'd
Some ill Man rais'd, perhaps fome good difgrac'd :
Cruel their Lot! whom Numbers join to blind,
How hard, 'midft Labyrinths, the Way to find!
For Fortune's Sons we fee, without Surprize,
Thrive by Mifmanagements, by Blunders rife :
Events, like Atoms, jumbling in a Dance,
Create thefe Wonders like a World by Chance.

Search Time's Records, compare the old and new, Set diftant Ages in one Point of View ;

Still the fame Profpects, under diffrent Dates,
All dark Decrees of over-ruling Fates:

Madness fucceeds, where cautious Wifdom fails,
And Story's felf more frange than Fairy's Tales:
Reafon but feeks the hidden Clue in vain,
Loft and bewilder'd in th' entangled Scane.

Where then the Wonder, if fucceeding Times
Still vary only in the Kinds of Crimes ?
Ages of Iron, Silver, Gold, or Lead,

What are they but the Emblems of the Dead ?
The fame low Ends, by diff'rent Means obtain'd,.
As Fury, Avarice, or Folly reign'd.

In vain grave Moralifls, with fpecious Skill,
Vicely diftinguish Actions, good and ill.

The

The World is led by much more eafy Rules,
Succefs determines who are Wife or Fools*.
Caufes lie hid, but their Effects appear,
Few Men can judge, but all can fee and hear.

Each Age muft truckle to the reigning Modes,
And worship Devils, when they've made them Gods;
Call Rapine Industry, Diftraction Senfe,
And ftupid Squandering, Magnificence||:
No Folly, Crime, or Whim too wild to be
Admir'd, when drest in Fathion's Livery.

See the fame Notions variously receiv'd, Legends, Impoftures, every Thing believ'd; See Priefts and Tyrants full Obedience find, And facred Gibberish enflave Maukind.

View

In the opinion of the undifcerning many, not of the wife and difcerning few; for the latter well know, the beft laid fchemes have often prov'd abortive, while the most unlikely, have fucceeded beyond all expellation.

The mifer calls liberality, profuseness; the prodigal thinks extravagance, liberality; the proud man efteems honour, deferving his daily and chief purfuit; while the man of the world, accounts the pleafures of it the fummum bonum of true felicity; thus is mankind as the fcriptures jufly fay, efteeming evil good and good evil; and putting darknefs for light, and light for darkness. ISAIAH v, 20

View next, with Wonder, an Extreme as odd,
Who knelt to Carv'd-work, now denies a God.
Wretches from Chains and Bondage just fet free,
Prefumptuous! know no Bounds of Liberty.
Wicked or Pious, in a frantic Way,

Mad, they blafpheme; or fuperftitious, pray.

By Chance we live and act, now right, now wrong,
Both in Excefs, and therefore neither long:
Virtues too rigid, foften by Degrees,

Refine themfelves at firft to Policies;
When once declining, fwiftly downwards tend,
And then in Guilt and Proflitutions end.
Follies, tho' oppofite, yet fill combine,
And jointly carry on Heav'ns great Defign.
Changes of Manners, Change of Empire caufe,
States fink by Licence as they rofe by Laws.
Thus human Things their flated Circles run,
Who flourish one Age are the next undone.

Virtue alone, unchangeable and wife,
Secure, above the Reach of Fortune lies*:
Tho' doom'd to Meannefs, Poverty or Scorn;
Whilft Fools and Tyrants are to Empire born.

Bleft

Virtue here, evidently refers to a mind contented, and refign'd to the will of God upon religious principles.

Bleft in an humble, but a peaceful State,
She feels no Envy, and fhe fears no Hate*;
With Stoick Calmnefs views Life's empty Round,
Where Good is fparing fown, but Ills aboundt.

*The truly good man, however low he may be in his circumftances, knowing himfelf to be under the care and prot Elion of the Almighty, neither envies thofe who may be above him in wealth and flation, or fears their frowns ; being well affur'd God is his guardian, and will fupply his wants, according to his gracious promife, thy bread fhall be given thee, and thy water fhall be fure.

ISAIAH Xxxiii. 16.

+ This world is juftly call'd a state of trial; for God knows, men generally find more in it to try their patience, virtue, and fubmiffion to the will of heaven, than to make them covet their continuance here below. This may be graciously defign'd to wean them from earth, and lead them to fet their affections on things above.

COLOSSIANS. ii, 2.

EDWIN