Alas what wonder! Man's fuperior part Uncheck'd may rise, and climb from art to art; 40 What Reason weaves, by Paffion is undone. Or Learning's Luxury, or Idleness 3 COMMENTARY. 45 VER. 43. Trace Science then, &c.] The conclufion, therefore, from the whole is (from y 42 to 53) that, as on the one NOTES. ton, in calculating the velocity of a Comet's motion, and the course it defcribes, when it becomes visible in its descent to, and ascent from the Sun, conjectured, with the highest appearance of truth, that Comets revolve perpetually round the Sun, in ellipfes vaftly eccentrical, and very nearly approaching to parabolas. In which he was greatly confirmed, in observing between two Comets a coincidence in their perihelions, and a perfect agreement in their velocities. VER. 45.-Vanity, or dress,] These are the first parts of what the Poet, in the preceding line, calls the fcholar's equipage of Pride. By vanity, is meant that luxuriancy of thought ani expreffion in which a writer indulges himfelf, to fhew the fruitfulness of his fancy or invention. By drefs, is to be underftood a lower degree of that practice, in amplification of thought and ornamental expreffion, to give force to what the writer would convey: but even this, the poet, in a fevere fearch after truth, condemns; and with great judgment. Concifenefs of thought and fimplicity of expreffion, being as well the beft inftruments, as the bent vehicles of Truth. Shakespear touches upon this latter advantage with great force and humour. The Flatterer fays to Timon in diftrefs, "I cannot "cover the monstrous bulk of their ingratitude with any size of "words." The other replies, "Let it go naked, men may "fee't the better." Or tricks to fhew the ftretch of human brain, 50 Which ferv'd the past, and must the times to come! II. Two Principles in human nature reign; Self-love, to urge, and Reafon, to restrain; COMMENTARY. hand, we should perfift in the study of Nature; fo, on the other, in order to arrive at Science, we fhould proceed in the fimplicity of Truth; and the product, tho' fmall, will yet be real. VER. 53. Two Principles, &c.] The poet having thus fhewn the difficulty attending the ftudy of Man, proceeds to remove it, by laying before us the elements or true principles of this fcience, in an account of the Origin, Ufe, and End of the PASSIONS; which, in my opinion, contains the trueft, cleareft, NOTES. VER. 46. Or Learning's Luxury, or Idlenefs;] The Luxury of Learning confifts in dreffing up and difguifing old notions in a new way, fo as to make them more fashionable and palateable; inftead of examining and fcrutinizing their truth. As this is often done for pomp and fhew, it is called luxury; as it is often done too to fave pains and labour, it is called idleness. VER. 47. Or tricks to fhew the firetch of human brain,] Such as the mathematical demonftrations concerning the small quantity of matter; the endless divifibility of it, &c. VER. 48. Mere curious pleasure, or ingenious pain;] That is, when Admi ation fets the mind on the rack. VER. 49. Expunge the whole, or lap th' excrefcent parts---Of all our vices have created Arts;] i. c. Thofe parts of natural Philofophy, Logic, Rhetoric, Poetry, &c. that adminifter to luxury, deceit, ambition, effeminacy, &c. Nor this a good, nor that a bad we call, 55 60 Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the foul; Reafon's comparing balance rules the whole. Man, but for that, no action could attend, And, but for this, were active to no end: Fix'd like a plant on his peculiar (pot, To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot; Or, meteor-like, flame lawless thro' the void, 65 Destroying others, by himself destroy'd. COMMENTARY. fhorteft, and confequently the best fyftem of Ethics that is any where to be met with. He begins (from 52 to 59) with pointing out the two grand principles in human nature, SELFLOVE and REASON. Defcribes their general nature: The first fets Man upon acting, the other regulates his action. However, these principles are natural, not moral; and, therefore, in themselves, neither good nor bad, but fo only as they are directed. This obfervation is made with great judgment, in oppofition to the defperate folly of thofe fanatics, who, as the Afcetic, pretend to eradicate Self-love; as the Mystic, would ftifle Reafon; and both, on the abfurd fancy of their being moral, not natural principles. VER. 59. Self-love, the fpring of motion, acts the foul;] The poet proceeds (from y 58 to 67) more minutely to mark out the diftinct offices of these two principles, which he had before affigned only in general; and here he fhews their neceffity; for without Self-love, as the spring, Man would be unactive; and without Reason, as the balance, active to no purpose. Most strength the moving principle requires; Active its task, it prompts, impels, inspires. Sedate and quiet, the comparing lies, Form'd but to check, delib'rate, and advife.. 79 Reason's at diftance, and in profpect lie: Thicker than arguments, temptations throng, 75 COMMENTARY. VER. 67. Moft ftrength the moving principle requires ;] Having thus explained the ends and offices of each principle, he goes on (from y 66 to 79) to fpeak of their qualities; and fhews how they are fitted to difcharge thofe functions, and answer their refpective intentions. The bufinefs of Self-love being to excite to action, it is quick and impetuous; and moving inftinctively, has, like attraction, its force prodigioufly increased as the object approaches, and proportionably leffened as that recedes. On the contrary, Reason, like the Author of attraction, is always calm and fedate, and equally preferves itself, whether the object be near or far off. Hence the moving principle is made more strong, though the restraining be more quick-fighted. The confequence he draws from this is, that if we would not be carried away to our destruction, we must always keep Reafon upon guard. NOTES. VER. 74. Reafon, the future and the confequence.] i. e. By experience Reafon collects the future; and by argumentation, the confequence. 79 Attention, habit and experience gains; Each strengthens Reafon, and Self-love reftrains. Let fubtle schoolmen teach these friends to fight, More ftudious to divide than to unite; And Grace and Virtue, Senfe and Reafon fplit, Wits, just like Fools, at war about a name, VARIATIONS. After 86. in the MS. Of good and evil Gods what frighted Fools, COMMENTARY. 8.5 VER. 79. Attention, &c,] But it would be objected, that, if this account were true, human life would be most miserable; and, even in the wifeft, a perpetual conflict between Reason and the Paffions. To this, therefore, the poet replies (from 78 to 81) firft, that Providence has fo gracioufly contrived, that even in the voluntary exercise of Reafon, as in the mere mechanic motion of a limb, Habit makes what was at firft done with pain, eafy and natural. And, fecondly, that the experience gained by the long exercife of Reafon, goes a great way towards eluding the force of Self-love. Now the attending to Reason, as here recommended, will gain us this habit. and experience. Hence it appears, that this flation, in which Reafon is to be kept conftantly upon guard, is not fo uneafy a one as may be at first imagined. VER. 81. Let fubtle fchoolmen, &c.] From this defcription of Self-love and Reafon it follows, as the poet obferves (from v 80 to 93) that both confpire to one end, namely, human happinefs, though they be not equally expert in the choice of he means; the difference being this, that the first haftily fci.es |