All that we feel of it begins and ends
In the fmall circle of our foes or friends;
To all befide as much an empty fhade
An Eugene living, as a Cæfar dead;

Alike or when, or where, they fhone, or shine, 245
Or on the Rubicon, or on the Rhine.

A Wit's a feather, and a Chief a rod;

An honeft Man's the noble work of God.

Fame but from death a villain's name can fave,
As Juftice tears his body from the grave;
When what t'oblivion better were refign'd,
Ishung on high to poison half mankind.
All fame is foreign, but of true defert;

250

Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart:
One felf-approving hour whole years outweighs 255
Offtupid ftarers, and of loud huzzas;

And more true joy Marcellus exil'd feels,
Than Cæfar with a fenate at his heels.

In Parts fuperior what advantage lies?
Tell (for You can) what is it to be wife?
Tis but to know how little can be known:
To fee all others faults and feel our own:
Condemn'd in bus'nefs or in arts to drudge,
Without a second, or without a judge:

260

Truths would you teach, or fave a finking land? 265 All fear, none aid you, and few underftand.

Painful Preheminence! yourself to view
Above life's weaknefs, and its comforts too.

Bring then these bleffings to a ftrict account; Make fair deductions; fee to what they mount: 270 How much of other each is fure to cost;

How each for other oft is wholly loft;
How inconfiftent greater goods with these;
How fometimes life is rifqu'd, and always cafe:
Think, and if still the things they envy call, 275
Say, would't thou be the man to whom they fall?
To figh for ribbands if thou art fo filly,
Mark how they grace Lord Umbra, or Sir Billy.

NOTES.

VER. 267. Painful prebeminence, &c.] The most plaufible rival of Virtue is knowledge gained by superior parts: yet even this is fo far from giving any degree of real Happiness, that it deprives man of thofe common comforts of life, which are a kind of fupport to us under the want of Happiness. Such as the more innocent of those delufions which he fpeaks of in the fecond Epiftle.

Thofe painted clouds that beautify our days, &c.

Now Knowledge deftroyeth all thofe comforts by fetting man above Life's weakneffes: So that he who has difcarded Virtue, and thinks to attain Happiness by Knowledge alone, reverses the fable; and in a prepofterous attempt to gain the fubftance, lofeth even the fhadow. This I take to be the fenfe of this fine ftroke of fatire; and the truth conveyed under it the author had feen exemplified.

Is yellow dirt the paffion of thy life?

Look but on Gripus, or on Gripus' wife.
If parts allure thee, think how Bacon fhin'd,
The wifeft, brightest, meaneft of mankind:
Or ravish'd with the whistling of a Name,
See Cromwell damn'd to everlafting fame!

NOTES.

280

VER. 281, 283. If parts allure thee,-Or ravish'd with the whifiling of a Name,] Thefe two inftances are chofen with great judgment: the world, perhaps, doth not afford two other fuch. Bacon difcovered and laid down those principles, by whofe affiftance Newton was enabled to unfold the whole law of Nature. He was no lefs eminent for the creative power of his imagination, the brightness of his conceptions, and the force of his expreffion: Yet being legally convicted for bribery and corruption in the adminiftration of Juftice, while he prefided in the fupreme Court of Equity, he endeavoured to repair his ruined fortunes by the most profligate flattery to the Court: Which, from his very first entrance into it, he had accustomed himfelf to practise, with a prostitution that difgraceth the very profeffion of letters.

Cromwell feemeth to be diftinguished in the most eminent manner, with regard to his abilities, from all other great and wicked men, who have overturned the Liberties of their Country. The times, in which others fucceeded in this attempt, were fuch as faw the spirit of Liberty fuppreffed and ftifled by a general luxury and venality: But Cromwell fubdued his country, when this spirit was at its height, by a fuccefsful ftruggle against court-oppreffion; and while it was conducted and fupported by a fet of the greatest Geniuses for Government the world ever faw embarked together in one common cause.

VER. 283. Or ravish'd with the whistling of a Name,]

5

If all, united, thy ambition call,

285

From ancient story learn to fcorn them all.

There, in the rich, the honour'd, fam'd and great,
See the falfe fcale of happiness complete!

290

In hearts of Kings, or arms of Queens who lay,
How happy those to ruin, these betray !
Mark by what wretched steps their glory grows,
From dirt and fea-weed as proud Venice rose.
In each how guilt and greatness equal ran,
And all that rais'd the Hero, funk the Man:
Now Europe's laurels on their brows behold, 295
But ftain'd with blood, or ill exchang'd for gold:
Then fee them broke with toils, or funk in ease,
Or infamous for plunder'd provinces.

Oh wealth ill-fated! which no act of fame

E'er taught to fhine, or fanctify'd from shame! 300

NOTES.

And even this fantastick Glory fometimes fuffers a terrible reverfe.-Sacheverell, in his Voyage to Icolumbkill, defcribing the church there, tells us, that In one corner is a pecu"liar inclosure, in which were the monuments of the "kings of many different nations, as Scotland, Ireland,

66

66

Norway, and the Isle of Man. THIS (faid the perfon "who fhewed me the place, pointing to a plain ftone) was the monument of the Great TEAGUE, king of Ire"land. I had never heard of him, and could not but "reflect of now little value is Greatness, that has barely " left a name fcandalous to a nation, and a grave, which "the meanest of Mankind would never envy."

What greater bliss attends their close of life?
Some greedy minion, or imperious, wife,
The trophy'd arches, ftory'd halls invade,
And haunt their flumbers in the
pompous fhade.
Alas! not dazzled with their noon-tide ray,
Compute the morn and ev'ning to the day;
The whole amount of that enormous fame,

305

A Tale, that blends their glory with their shame! Know then this truth (enough for man to know) "Virtue alone is Happiness below."

The only point where human bliss stands ftill,
And tastes that good without the fall to ill;
Where only Merit conftant pay receives,
Is bleft in what it takes, and what it gives;
The joy unequal'd, if its end it gain,
And if it lofe, attended with no pain:

VARIATIONS.

After ver. 316. in the MS.

Ev'n while it seems unequal to dispose,

And chequers all the good Man's joys with woes,
'Tis but to teach him to support each flate,
With patience this, with moderation that:

NOTES.

310

315

VER. 311. The only point where human blifs flands ftill, &c.] Hitherto the poet had proved, NEGATIVELY, that Happiness confifts in Virtue, by fhewing it confifted not in any other thing. He now proves the fame POSITIVELY