Say, will the falcon, stooping from above, Smit with her varying plumage, spare the dove? Or hears the hawk when Philomela fings? NOTES. that chain of love, Combining all below and all above: 55 60 But Nature, even by the very gift of Reason, checks this Tyrant. For Reafon endowing Man with the ability of fetting together the memory of the paft, with his conjectures about the future; and paft misfortunes making him apprehenfive of more to come, this difpofeth him to pity and relieve others in a state of suffering. And the paffion growing habitual, naturally extendeth its effect to all that have a fenfe of fuffering. Now as brutes have neither Man's Realon, nor his inordinate Self love, to draw them from the fyftem of Benevolence: fo they wanted not, and therefore have not, this human fympathy of another's mifery. By which paffion, we fee thofe qualities, in Man, balance one another; and fo retain him in that general Order, in which Providence hath placed its whole creation. But this is not all; Man's intereft, amusement, vanity, and luxury, tie him ftill clofer to the fyftem of benevolence, by obliging him to provide for the fupport of other animals; and though it be, for the moft part, only to devour them with the greater guft, yet this does not abate the proper happiness of the animals fo preferved, to whom Providence hath not imparted the ufelefs knowledge of their end. All feed on one vain Patron, and enjoy Th' extensive bleffing of his luxury, That very life his learned hunger craves, He faves from famine, from the favage faves; 65 And, 'till he ends the being, makes it bleft; 70 75 II. Whether with Reafon, or with Inftinct bleft, Know, all enjoy that pow'r which suits them beft; 8a To blifs alike by that direction tend, And find the means proportion'd to their end. NOTES. VER. 68. Than favour'd Man, &c.] Several of the ancients, and many of the Orientals fince, efteemed thofe who were struck by lightning as facred perfons, and the particular favourites of Heaven. P. F Say, where full Inftinct is th' unerring guide, Cares not for fervice or but ferves when preft, While ftill too wide or fhort is human Wit; 85 go 95 Who taught the nations of the field and wood To fhun their poison, and to chufe their food? 100 Prefcient, the tides or tempefts to withstand, Build on the wave, or arch beneath the fand? VARIATIONS. After ver. 84. in the MS. While Man, with op'ning views of various ways Who made the fpider parallels defign, Sure as De-moivre, without rule or line? Who bid the ftork, Columbus like, explore 1ος Heav'ns not his own, and worlds unknown before? And creature link'd to creature, man to man. 120 Nor ends the pleasure with the fierce embrace; The link diffolves, each seeks a fresh embrace, A longer care man's helpless kind demands; 130 At once extend the int'reft, and the love; And still new needs, new helps, new habits rise, Still as one brood, and as another rose, These nat❜ral love maintain'd, habitual thofe: 140 [trod; IV. Nor think, in NATURE'S STATE they blindly The ftate of Nature was the reign of god: Self-love and focial at her birth began, Union the bond of all things, and of Man. 150 Pride then was not; nor Arts, that pride to aid; Man walk'd with beaft, joint tenant of the fhade; NOTES. VER. 152. Man walk'd with beaft, joint tenant of the fade] The poet ftill takes his imagery from Platonic |