must be set right by Matters of Fact, and without this we may juftly be accused of Obftinacy and Infatuation. Mr Pope (Epift. I. Verse 134) had propofed this Objection, But errs not Nature from this gracious End, From burning Suns when livid Deaths defcend? * &c. Na ('tis reply'd) the first almighty Caufe THE very fame Maxim that he commands us, in an imperiousStrain, to receive (Ep. IV. V. 32.) is the Voice of Pride in this Place. When an Author does not clearly explain his own Meaning, a Reader does not think himfelf obliged to take the trouble of finding it out. Can Mr Pope have fallen into that Fault, which the celebrated Moliere has turn'd into ridicule ? And can he think that 'tis impoffible for any to have good Senfe and Judgment but the Perfons of his Society, and those who favour his Hypothefes? If he makes an Objection, muft it be unar.fwerable? But But Fortunes Gifts if each alike poffeft, And each were equal, must not all conteft? V.61.. And why fo? Every one would have" what was neceffary, and more? Why then fhou'd he disorder his own Quiet, in order to disturb that of others? An Equality of Poffeffions caufed no Difturbance among the Lacedemonians. The Ufe of Divisions, and that Inequality which is the Confequence of them, is established uponother Principles. If then to all Men Happiness was meant, THE Principle proves only that Exter-. nal Bleffings are not the only Happiness, and that the Degree of Happiness is not neceffarily proportioned to the Degree of thefe, and that thus we may supply the Defect of them by other Means. Mr Pope's Eloquence often perplexes his Senfe, and 'tis difficult for us to be certain whether we exactly hit it. Fortune her Gifts may variously difpofe. Ver. 65. WHAT does he mean by the Word Fortune? Is it the firft Univerfat Caufe, and which which he often feems to lay down as the only Caufe? Or is it fome particular Cause, that diverts the Impreffions of the univer fal one? This is one of thofe Places which 'tis not eafy to reconcile. But Heav'n's just Balance equal will appear, While thofe are plac'd in Hope, and thefe in Fears Ver. 67. But I am of Opinion, that thefe two Means are very far from reducing Thing to an Equality, and they who will take the Pains to confider what paffes in the World, will find this Antithefis carried too far: THERE are rich Men, who are easy by an Effect of their Conftitution; there are yet more who live without Fear, from the Opinion they have of their own Capa. city. On the other hand, we fee Perfons of a fearful Temper, who dare not flatter themselves that it is poffible for them to better their Condition, which is even be low a moderate one; and if they by Care and Pains shou'd come to double what they poffeffed at firft, yet how far inferior would they be to that Son of Fortune, who can spend four times as much as thofe poo Peo yet People can get, without giving himself the least trouble about it, fince what he has remaining so far exceeds what he has squander'd away. The Question about the Equality of Happiness cannot be decided by the different Senfations of different Perfons. You seem to me to eat with a good Appetite; pray explain to me the Quickness of that Senfation it gives you. He cannot make me understand it, any more than I on my Part can give him an exact Idea of the Quickness of mine. The Question then can be decided only by Conjecture, and certainly Conjectures will not favour this Suppofition of Equality; what we hear and fee every Day is too contrary to it. A CERTAIN Father, poffefs'd of great. Riches, and very covetous, marries his Son, who is young, and a little prejudic'd himself in favour of Wealth, to a rich Heiress, who is proud, whimsical, contradicting, a Coquet, &c. At the fame Time another Father, who is a wife Man, marries a well-educated Son to the Heirefs of a moderate Eftate, but endued with a well-form'd Understanding, a com complaifant Temper, a good Conftituti on, and stedfast Virtue. Shall we fay that Heaven, which Breaths thro' every Member of the Whole One common Bleffing, as one common Soul, has shed too a common Bleffing on thefe two Marriages? and that, by an Effect of this Bleffing, the one is as peaceful as the other? I confefs, Sir, that Happiness must be establish'd and divided amongst Ment upon this Footing, if it be fuppofed that every thing that befalls them, either externally or internally, is a Refult of the Construction of the whole Universe, and of a firft Impulse impreffed on all its Parts by the univerfal Cause, whose Plans are all executed in an inevitable Manner. IN confequence of this Suppofition, it must be said that every thing is paffive in Reality, and active only in Appearance. From whence it plainly follows, that no one Man has more Merit than another, as, in like manner, no one is more culpable than another: Their Equality being. fuch, it would not be fit that their Hap . piness |