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The starving chemist in his golden views
Supremely blest, the poet in his Muse.

270

See some strange comfort every state attend, And pride bestow'd on all, a common friend: See some fit passion every age supply; Hope travels through, nor quits us when we die. Behold the child, by nature's kindly law, Pleas'd with a rattle, tickled with a straw:

NOTES.

275

Ver. 270. the poet in his Muse.] The author having said, that no one could change his own profession or views for those of another, intended to carry his observation still further, and shew that men were unwilling to exchange their own acquirements even for those of the same kind, confessedly larger, and infinitely more eminent, in another.

To this end he wrote,

"What partly pleases, totally will shock:

I question much, if Toland would be Locke."

But wanting another proper instance of this truth, he reserved the lines above for some following edition of this Essay; which he did not live to give. Warburton.

Ver. 271. See some strange comfort] How exquisite is this stanza of an unfinished Ode of Gray!

66

"Still where rosy Pleasure leads,

See a kindred Grief pursue;

Behind the steps that Misery treads,
Approaching Comfort view:

The hues of Bliss more brightly glow,
Cherish'd by sabler tints of Woe;
And blended form, with artful strife,

The strength and harmony of life."

Warton.

Ver. 272. And pride] From La Rochefoucault, whose words are: Nature, who so wisely has fitted the organs of our body to make us happy, seems likewise to have bestowed pride on us, on purpose, as it were, to save us the pain of knowing our own imperfections." Maxim 36. Warton.

Ver. 274. Hope travels through, &c.] Is this hope then no more

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than

Some livelier plaything 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: 280
Pleas'd with this bauble still, as that before,
Till tir'd he sleeps, and life's poor play is o'er.

Meanwhile opinion gilds with varying rays
Those painted clouds that beautify our days;
Each want of happiness by hope supplied,
And each vacuity of sense by pride:

NOTES.

285

than one of those strange comforts, those delusive pleasures, those sorts of groundless happiness, that constitute the chief enjoyment of the sot, the chemist, the poet, and the lunatic? Warton.

Surely a hope that quits us not when we die, must be intended by the poet, to be something more than those which the critic has above referred to.

Ver. 280. And beads and pray'r-books are the toys of age:] A Satire on what is called, in Popery, the Opus operatum. As this is a description of the circle of human life returning into itself by a second childhood, the Poet has with great elegance concluded his description with the same image with which he set out—And life's poor play is o'er. Warburton.

Ver, 280. the toys of age:] Exactly what Fontenelle says, "Il est des hochets pour tout âge."

And Prior,

“Give us playthings for old age."

Yet it is certain that Fontenelle could not have taken this verse from Prior, for he did not understand English, though Prior wrote it more than twenty years before Fontenelle.

De Lisle, whose translation of Virgil's Georgics is so frequently and so unjustly praised by Voltaire, has also translated, but not published, the Essay on Man. Millot has given another, published 1762. Warton.

Ver. 286. And each vacuity of sense by pride:] An eminent Casuist, Father Francis Garasse, in his Somme Théologique, has drawn a very charitable conclusion from this principle; which he

hath

These build as fast as knowledge can destroy;
In folly's cup still laughs the bubble, joy;
One prospect lost, another still we gain,
And not a vanity is giv'n in vain;

290

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

NOTES.

hath well illustrated: "Selon la Justice (says this equitable Divine), "tout travail honnête doit être recompensé de loüange ou de satisfaction. Quand les bons esprits font un ouvrage excellent, ils sont justement recompensés par les suffrages du public. Quand un pauvre esprit travaille beaucoup, pour faire un mauvais ouvrage, il n'est pas juste ni raisonable, qu'il attende des loüanges publiques; car elles ne lui sont pas dues. Mais afin que ses travaux ne demeurent pas sans recompense, DIEU lui donne une satisfaction personelle, que personne ne lui peut envier sans une injustice plus que barbare; tout ainsi que Dieu, qui est juste, donne de la satisfaction aux grenoüilles de leur chant. Autrement la blâme public, joint à leur mécontentement, seroit suffisant pour les réduire au désespoir." Warburton.

The good father has charitably omitted to take into account the annoyance produced by the croaking of the frogs, as well as the irritation produced by the works of bad authors; to each of whom the hearers and the readers might retort the ancient saying, “It may be sport to you, but it is death to us."

ARGUMENT OF EPISTLE III.

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

Reason

I. THE whole Universe one system of Society, Ver. 7, &c. Nothing made wholly for itself, nor yet wholly for another, Ver. 27. The happiness of Animals mutual, Ver. 49. II. Reason or Instinct operate alike to the good of each Individual, Ver. 79. or Instinct operate also to Society, in all animals, Ver. 109. III. How far Society carried by Instinct, Ver. 115. How much farther by Reason, Ver. 128. IV. Of that which is called the State of Nature, Ver. 144. Reason instructed by Instinct in the Invention of Arts, Ver. 166; and in the Forms of Society, Ver. 176. V. Origin of Political Societies, Ver. 196. Origin of Monarchy, Ver. 207. Patriarchal Government, Ver. 212. VI. Origin of true Religion and Government, from the same principle, of Love, Ver. 231, &c. Origin of Superstition and Tyranny, from the same principle, of Fear, Ver. 237, &c. The Influence of Self-love operating to the social and public Good, Ver. 266. Restoration of true Religion and Government on their first principle, Ver. 285. Mixed Government, Ver. 288. Various Forms of each, and the true end of all, Ver. 300, &c.

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