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EPISTLE III.

HERE then we reft: "The Universal Cause "Acts to one end, but acts by various laws."

VARIATIONS.

VER. 1. in the feveral Edit. in 4to,

Learn, Dulnefs, learn! "The univerfal Caufe, &c.

NOTES.

EP. III. We are now come to the third Epiftle of the Effay on Man. It having been shewn, in explaining the origin, use, and end of the Paffions, in the second epistle, that Man hath focial as well as selfish paffions, that doctrine naturally introduced the third, which treats of Man as a SOCIAL animal; and connects it with the fecond, which confidered him as an INDIVIDUAL. And as the conclufion from the subject of the first epiftle made the introduction to the second, fo here again, the conclufion of the second,

(Ev'n mean Self-love becomes, by force divine,

The scale to meafure others wants by thine,)

maketh the introduction to the third.

VER. 1. Here then we reft: "The Univerfal Caufe "Acts to one end, but acts by various laws.] The reason of variety in thofe laws, which tend to one and the fame end, the good of the Whole generally, is, because the good of the individual is likewife to be provided for; both which together make up the good of the Whole universally. And this is the caufe, as the poet fays elsewhere, that Each Individual feeks a fev'ral goal.

But to prevent our refting there, God hath made each need the affiftance of another; and fo

In all the madness of fuperfluous health,
The trim of pride, the impudence of wealth,
Let this great truth be present night and day,
But most be present, if we preach or pray.

NOTES.

On mutual wants built mutual happiness.

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It was neceffary to explain thefe two first lines, the better to fee the pertinency and force of what followeth, where the poet warns fuch to take notice of this truth, whofe circumstances placing them in an imaginary ftation of independence, and a real one of infenfibility to mutual Wants (from whence general Happiness refults) make them but too apt to overlook the true fyftem of things; viz. Men in full health and opulence. This caution was neceffary with regard to Society; but ftill more neceffary with regard to Religion. Therefore he efpecially recommends the memory of it both to Clergy and and Laity, when they preach or pray; becaufe the preacher, who doth not confider the firft Cause under this view, as a Being confulting the good of the whole, muft needs give a very unworthy idea of him; and the fupplicant, wha prayeth as one not related to a whole, or as difregarding the happiness of it, will not only pray in vain, but offend his Maker by an impious attempt to counterwork his difpenfation.

VER. 3.-fuperfluous health,] Immoderate labour and fudy are the great impairers of health: They, whose station fets them above both, muft needs have an abundance of health, which, not being employed in the common fervice, but wafted in luxury, the poet properly calls a fuperfluity.

VER. 4.impudence of wealth.] Because wealth pretends to be wisdom, wit, learning, honefty, and, in fhort, all the virtues in their turns.

2

Look round our world behold the chain of Love,
Combining all below and all above.

See plastic Nature working to this end,
The fingle atoms each to other tend,
Attract, attracted to, the next in place
Form'd and impell'd its neighbour to embrace.
See Matter next, with various life endu❜d,

Prefs to one centre ftill, the gen'ral Good.
See dying vegetables life sustain,

See life diffolving vegetate again;

All forms that perifh other forms supply,
(By turns we catch the vital breath, and die)
Like bubbles on the fea of Matter borne,
They rife, they break, and to that sea return.
Nothing is foreign; Parts relate to whole;
One all-extending, all-preferving Soul

NOTES.

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VER. 12. Form'd and impell'd, &c.] To make Matter fo cohere as to fit it for the uses intended by its Creator, a proper configuration of its infenfible parts, is as neceffary as that quality fo equally and univerfally conferred upon it, called Attraction. To exprefs the firft part of this thought, our Author fays form'd, and to exprefs the latter, impell'd.

VER. 22. One all extending, all-prefering foul.] Which, in the language of Sir Ifaac Newton, is, "Deus omni"bus præfens eft, non per virtutem folam, fed etiam per fub"ftantiam: nam virtus fine fubftantia fubfiftere non po "teft." Newt. Princ. schol. gen. füb fin.

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Connects each being, greatest with the least;
Made Beast in aid of Man, and Man of Beast;
All ferv'd all ferving: nothing stands alone!
The chain holds on, and where it ends, unknown.
Has God, thou fool! work'd folely for thy good,
Thy joy, thy paftime, thy attire, thy food?
Who for thy table feeds the wanton fawn,
For him as kindly spread the flow'ry lawn;
Is it for thee the lark afcends and figs in

Joy tunes his voice, joy elevates his wings.
Is it for thee the linnet pours his throat?
Loves of his own and raptures swell the note.
The bounding steed you pompously bestride,
Shares with his lord the pleasure and the pride.
Is thine alone the feed that ftrews the plain!
The birds of heav'n fhall vindicate their grain.
Thine the full harvest of the golden year?
Part pays, and justly, the deserving steer:

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35

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The hog that plows not nor obeys thy call,
Lives on the labours of this lord of all.

NOTES.

VER. 23. Greatest with the leaft;] As acting more ftrongly and immediately in beasts, whofe inftinct is plainly an external reason; which made an old fchool-man fay, with great elegance," Deus eft anima brutorum."

In this 'tis God directs

Know, Nature's children fhall divide her care: The fur that warms the monarch, warm'd a bear. While Man exclaims, "See all things for my ufe! 45 "See man for mine!" replies a pamper'd goofe: And just as short of Reason He must fall, Who thinks all made for one, not one for all. Grant that the pow'rful still the weak controul: Be Man the Wit and Tyrant of the whole: Nature that Tyrant checks; He only knows, And helps, another creature's wants and woes.

VARIATIONS.

After ver. 46. in the former Editions,

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What care to tend, to lodge, to cram, to treat him
All this he knew; but not that 'twas to eat him.
As far as Goose could judge, he reason'd right;
But as to man, mistook the matter quite.

NOTES.

VER. 45. See all things for my ufe.] On the contrary the wife man hath faid, The Lord hath made all things for himself, Prov. xvi. 4.

VER. 50. Be Man the Wit and Tyrant of the whole :] Alluding to the witty fyftem of that Philofopher, which made Animals mere Machines, infenfible of pain or pleafure; and fo encouraged Men in the exercife of that Tyranny over their fellow-creatures, confequent on such a principle.

VER. 51. Nature that Tyrant checks ;] I grant, indeed, fays the Poet, that Man affects to be the Wit and Tyrant of the whole, and would fain shake off