nefs is this! oppose another equally short, What Prejudices are here!

THE Peculiarity of this Syftem, and what feems, I confefs, the very Height of Abfurdity, is, that God is equally the Author of these Ideas, however contrary, and of thefe mutual Reproaches. And when thefe mutual Reproaches are carried to Infults, these reciprocal Infults, and the Steps which precede and follow them, are the inevitable Confequences of the Conftruction of the Universe, of that of all its Parts, and of the firft Impulfe that, the Creator impreffed on them.

"Do not you suspect your Zeal? (would "I fay to a Leibnitzian) are you not a"fraid of deceiving yourself? According

to you, your Thoughts upon this Sy"stem are the, Effects of a long Conca"tenation directed by the firft Cause.

Mine too, according to the fundamen❝tal Principle of your Syftem, are the "Effects of another Concatenation, di

rected by the fame Wifdom, and the fame Power. Upon what Grounds "would you have me believe, that it has deceived me rather than you?"

COULD

COULD Mr Pope have chofen a more proper Subject for a fatirick Poem? He undermines this Syftem in an oblique manner, but he undermines it effectually. This Satire moreover attacks a very ancient Error. All thofe who have mix'd their empty Imaginations with the Purity and Simplicity of Religion, have never fail'd to exclaim against the Prefumption of Men who refufe to adopt them; but it never enter'd their Thoughts to suspect, that the Prefumption might be on their Side who would impose upon others what they could not prove to them; and in the Age wherein we live, Children lay up in their Memories the Cenfures which they hear thrown upon Reason, and refpect them. But in a more advanc'd Age, when the Yoke of Religion begins to grow heavy to them, and their Reafon itfelf fhews them the Importance of living well, and the Neceffity of abftaining from Vice, they recall thofe Declarations against Reafon, which they had formerly adopted without understanding them, in order to affift their Libertinism, and make that, which had been recommended

H 2

mended to them as one of the greatest Supports of Faith, fubfervient to their Unbelief.

HOMER never quits the Wrath of Achilles, and Mr Pope continually returns to the Pride of Man; Verfe 119, &c.

In reas'ning Pride (my Friend) our Error lies: All quit their Sphere, and rush into the Skies. Pride ftill is aiming at the bleft Abodes, Men would be Angels, Angels would be Gods. And who but wishes to invert the Laws Of Order, fins against th’Eternal Cause.

THERE are but few Periods in this ingenious Work, but what feem to be to me fufceptible of a double Sense. Perhaps this is my Fault: But am I in the wrong, with regard to that which I have just now cited? I make you the Judge. Pride may cause a Perfon to afpire after Elevation, and Pride may make him refuse it. A Man, who is never eafy till he is arriv'd at the first Employments of a Court, is fufpected of Pride, and his Behaviour afterwards proves that this Sufpicion was not a Miftake. The Prince offers Preferments to another, who refuses,

and

and defires to be excus'd accepting them. People admire his Modefty, and they do him Justice. He is not thoroughly acquainted with his own Capacity, and fears the Contagion of bad Examples. But there may be found others, whose Motive for a Refufal, fo feldom to be met with, would be Pride. A Love of Independence is, with fome People, their ftrongest Inclination. The leaft Subjection is odious to them, and the very Notion of a Master gives them an Uneafinefs.

MAN is a Creature capable of Knowledge and Reflexion: He reflects, and 'tis with Joy he is convinced that he is the Work of the eternal and perfect Be-ing. He is tranfported with this Difcovery, and concludes from it, that he is permitted to love, esteem, and revere himfelf, fince all that he poffeffes he holds from an adorable Hand. Nor are thefe Sentiments only permitted him,they are requir'd from him, and he cannot refuse them without Ingratitude. What ought he to do? And what can he do better than to give Thanks, with all

his Powers, to his adorable Creator? This Confequence is evident, nor is that which follows lefs fo. He ought to neglect no Means of being affured of the Will of his Creator, in order to conform his own to it. His Defires ought.continually to be bent on improving himself more and more (a), and rend'ring himself every Day more virtuous. He receiv'd thefe Talents from the Author of his Life. Wou'd this infinitely wife Author, and who never acts cafually, and without an End, have given him Leave to make no use of them? At feeing fuch a Refolution, fhall we cry out,

Man is never content.

What Pride! This

Will

you criticife, too, the following Anfwer which he will

make you :

IT

(a) Mr Croufaz certainly argues very juftly, upon the Neceffity of Men's improving the Talents which they have received from their Creator; but there does not feem to be any thing in the Paffage he cited from Mr Pope, that at all contradicts this. For does his exclaiming against the Pride and Folly of Mortals, in afpiring to the Perfection of Angels, at all imply that they are not to look upon themselves as Men? and act agreeably to that Rank in the Creation wherein they are placed?