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That counter-works each folly and caprice;
That disappoints th' effect of ev'ry vice;
That, happy frailties to all ranks apply'd;
Shame to the virgin, to the matron pride,
Fear to the statesman, rafhnefs to the chief,
To kings prefumption, and to crowds belief:
That, Virtue's ends from Vanity can raise,
Which feeks no int'reft, no reward but praife;
And build on wants, and on defects of mind,
The joy, the peace, the glory of Mankind.

Heav'n forming each on other to depend,

A mafter, or a fervant, or a friend,

Bids each on other for affistance call,

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245

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'Till one Man's weakness grows the ftrength of all. Wants, frailties, paffions, closer still ally

The common int'reft, or endear the tie.

NOTES.

VER. 253. Wants, frailties, paffions, clofer fill ally The common int'reft, &c.] As thefe lines have been mifunderstood, I fhall give the reader their plain and obvious meaning. To thefe frailties (fays he) we owe all the endearments of private life; yet, when we come to that age, which general

ly difpofes Men to think more ferioufly of the true value of things, and confequently of their provifion for a future ftate, the confideration, that the grounds of thofe joys, loves, and friendfhips, are wants, frailties, and paffions, proves the best expedient to wean us from the world; a difengage

To these we owe true friendship, love fincere, 255 Each home-felt joy that life inherits here;

260

Yet from the fame we learn, in its decline,
Those joys, thofe loves, those int'rests to resign;
Taught half by Reason, half by mere decay,
To welcome death, and calmly pass away.
Whate'er the Paffion, knowledge, fame, or pelf,
Not one will change his neighbour with himfelf.
The learn'd is happy nature to explore,

The fool is happy that he knows no more;
The rich is happy in the penty giv❜n,

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The poor contents him with the care of Heav'n.

See the blind beggar dance, the cripple fing,
The fot a hero, lunatic a king;

The ftarving chemist in his golden views
Supremely bleft, the poet in his muse.

See fome ftrange comfort ev'ry state attend,
And Pride beftow'd on all, a common friend;

270

NOTES.

ment fo friendly to that pro- | nite grace and propriety, as vifion we are now making it fo well confirms, by an for another. The obfervation is new, and would in any place be extremely beautiful, but has here an infi

inftance of great moment, the general thefis, That God makes Ill, at every step, productive of Good.

1

See fome fit Paffion, ev'ry age fupply,

Hope travels thro', nor quits us when we die.
Behold the child, by Nature's kindly law,
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Pleas'd with a rattle, tickled with a straw :
Some livelier play-thing gives his youth delight,
A little louder, but as empty quite :
Scarfs, garters, gold, amuse his riper stage;
And beads and pray'r-books are the toys of age:
Pleas'd with this bauble ftill, as that before;
'Till tir'd he fleeps, and Life's poor play is o'er.
Mean-while Opinion gilds with varying rays
Those painted clouds that beautify our days;
Each want of happiness by Hope supply'd,
And each vacuity of sense by Pride :

NOTES.

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cuity of fenfe by Pride :] An eminent Cafuift, Father Francis Garaffe, in his Somme Theologique, has drawn a very charitable conclufion from this principie. Selon la Juftice dit cet equitable Théologien) tout travail honnéte doit être recompenfé de louange ou de fatisfaction. Quand les bons efprits font un ouvrage excellent, ils font

These build as faft as knowledge can deftroy;
In Folly's cup ftill laughs the bubble, joy;
One profpect loft, another ftill we gain;
And not a vanity is giv'n in vain ;

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Ev'n mean Self-love becomes, by force divine,
The scale to measure others wants by thine.
See! and confefs, one comfort ftill must rise,
'Tis this, Tho' Man's a fool, yet GOD IS WISE.

NOTES.

juflement recompenfez par les fuffrages du Public. Quand un pauvre efprit travaille beaucoup, pour faire un mauvais ouvrage, il n'eft pas jufte ni raifonable, qu'il attende des louanges publiques: car elles ne lui font pas dues. Mais afin que fes travaux ne demeurent pas fans recompenfe,

Dieu lui donne une fatisfaction perfonelle, que perfonne ne lui peut envier sans une injuftice plus que barbare; tout ainfi que Dieu qui eft jufte donne de la fatisfaction aux Grenouilles de leur chant. Autrement le blâme public, joint à leur mécontentement, feroit fuffifant pour les réduire au desespoir.

ARGUMENT OF

EPIS STLE

III.

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

I. THE whole Universe one fyftem of Society, 7, &c. Nothing made wholly for itself, nor yet wholly for another, 27. The happiness of Animals mutual, 49. II. Reafon or Instinct operate alike to the good of each Individual, 79. Reafon or Instinct operate alfo to Society, in all animals, y 109. III. How far Society carried by Instinct, y 115. How much farther by Reafon, 128. IV. Of that which is called the State of Nature, 144. Reafon inftructed by Inftinct in the invention of Arts, 166, and in the Forms of Society, 176. V. Origin of Political Societies, 196. Origin of Monarchy, 207. Patriarchal government,

212. VI. Origin of true Religion and Government, from the fame principle of Love, † 231, &c. Origin of Superftition and Tyranny, from the fame principle, of Fear, 237, &c. The Influence of Self-love operating to the focial and public Good,

266. Reftoration of true Religion and Government on their first principle, 285. Mixt Government, 288. Various Forms of each, and the true end of all, 300, &c.

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