What if the head, the eye, or ear, repin'd All are but parts of one stupendous whole, That chang'd thro' all, and yet in all the same, 265 270 275 280 e; X. Cease then, nor Order Imperfection name Our proper bliss depends on what we blame. Know thy own point: this kind, this due degree Of blindness, weakness, Heav'n bestows on thee. Submit-In this or any other sphere, Secure to be as bless'd as thou canst bear; 285 Safe in the hand of one disposing Pow'r, All nature is but art unknown to thee; All chance direction, which thou canst not see; 290 All discord harmony not understood; All partial evil universal good: And spite of pride, in erring reason's spite, 294 1 Of the Nature and State of Man with respect to himself as an Individual. THE ARGUMENT. I. The business of man not to pry into God, but to study himself; his middle nature; his powers and frailties, v. 1. to 19. The limits of his capacity, v. 19, &c. II. The two principles of Man, self-love and reason, both necessary, v. 53, &c. Self-love the stronger, and why, v. 67, &c. Their end the same, v. 81, &c. III. The passions and their use, v. 93, to 130, The predominant passion, and its force, v. 132, to 160. Its necessity, in directing Men to different purposes, v. 165, &c. Its providential use in fixing our principle, and ascertaining our virtue, v. 177. IV. Virtue and vice joined in our mixed nature; the limits near yet the things separate and evident: what is the office of Reason, v. 203, to 216. V. How odious vice in itself, and how we deceive ourselves in it, v. 217. VI. That however, the ends of Providence and general good are answered in our passions and imperfections, v. 138, &c. How usefully these are distributed to all orders of men, v. 241; how useful they are to society, v. 251; and to individuals, v. 263; in every state, and every age of life, v. 273, &c. I. KNOW then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is Man. Plac'd on this isthmus of a middle state, A being darkly wise and rudely great; With too much knowledge for the Sceptic side, 5 10 15 [guides; Go, wondrous creature! mount where science Go, measure earth, weigh air and state the tides; 20 Instruct the planets in what orbs to run, Correct old Time, and regulate the sun; 25 As Eastern priests in giddy circles run, Superior beings, when of late they saw Or learning's luxury, or idleness : Or tricks to shew the stretch of human brain, Then see how little the remaining sum, 30 35 40 45 50 Which serv'd the past, and must the times to come! |