Of hearing, from the life that fills the flood, To that which warbles through the vernal wood? Feels at each thread, and lives along the line: In the nice bee, what sense so subtly true 215 From pois'nous herbs extracts the healing dew? 220 Remembrance and reflection, how ally'd; What thin partitions sense from thought divide? Yet never pass th' insuperable line! Without this just gradation, could they be 225 230 The pow'rs of all subdu'd by thee alone, Is not thy reason all these pow'rs in one? VIII. See, thro' this air, this ocean, and this earth, All matter quick, and bursting into birth. Above, how high, progressive life may go! 235 Around, how wide, how deep extend below! Vast chain of being! which from God began, Beast, bird, fish, insect, what no eye can see, 240 No glass can reach; from infinite to thee, VER. 238. Ed. Ist. Ethereal essence, spirit, substance, man. Or Or in the full creation leave a void, Where, one step broken, the great scale's destroy'd: 245 250 And, if each system in gradation roll Alike essential to th' amazing whole, The least confusion but in one, not all That system only, but the whole must fall. Let earth unbalanc'd from her orbit fly, Planets and stars run lawless through the sky; Let ruling angels from their spheres be hurl❜d, Being on being wreck'd, and world on world; Heav'n's whole foundations to their centre nod, 255 And nature trembles to the throne of God. All this dread ORDER break-for whom? for thee? Vile worm!-oh madness! pride! impiety! IX. What if the foot, ordain'd the dust to tread, Or hand, to toil, aspir'd to be the head? What if the head, the eye, or ear repin'd 260 Just as absurd, to mourn the tasks or pains, 265 All are but parts of one stupendous whole, 270 Warms Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze, Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees, Breathes in our soul, informs our mortal part, X. Cease then, nor ORDER imperfection name: Secure to be as blest as thou canst bear: All nature is but art, unknown to thee; 275 280 285 All chance, direction, which thou canst not see; 290 All discord, harmony not understood; All partial evil, universal good: And, spite of pride, in erring reason's spite, One truth is clear, WHATEVER IS, IS RIGHT. After ver. 282. in the MS. Reason, to think of God when she pretends, ARGUMENT OF EPISTLE II. Of the Nature and State of Man, with respect to Himself, as an Individual. I. THE business of Man not to pry into God, but to study himself. His Middle Nature; bis Powers and Frailties, ver. I to 19. The Limits of his Capacity, ver. 19, &c. II. The two principles of Man, Self-love and Reason, both necessary, ver. 53, &c. Self-love the stronger, and why, ver. 67, &c. Their End the same, ver. 81, &c. III. The PASSIONS, and their use, ver. 93 to 130. The predominant Passion, and its force, ver. 132 to 160. Its necessity, in directing men to different purposes, ver. 165, &c. Its providential use, in fixing our Principle, and ascertaining our Virtue, ver. 177. IV. Virtue and Vice joined in our mixed nature; the limits near, yet the things separate and evident. What is the office of Reason, ver. 202 to 216. V. How odious Vice in itself, and how we deceive ourselves in it, ver. 217. VI. That, however, the ends of Providence and general good are answered in our Passions and Imperfections, ver. 238, &c. How usefully these are distributed to all orders of men, ver. 241. How usefu! they are to Society, ver. 251. And to Individuals, ver. 263. In every state, and every age of life, ver. 273,&c. |