Alas what wonder! Man's fuperior part Uncheck'd may rise, and climb from art to art; 40 Or tricks to fhew the ftretch of human brain, 45 highest appearance of truth, that Comets revolve perpetually round the Sun, in ellipfes vaftly eccentrical, and very nearly approaching to parabolas. In which he was greatly confirmed, in obferving between two Comets a coincidence in their perihelions, and a perfect agreement in their velocities. VER. 45.-Vanity, or Dress,] These are the first parts of what the Poet, in the preceding line, calls the scholar's equipage of Pride. By vanity, is meant that luxuriancy of thought and expreffion in which a writer indulges himfelf, to thew the fruitfulness of his fancy or invention. By drefs, is to be understood a lower degree of that practice, in amplification of thought and ornamental expreffion, to give force to what the writer would convey :, but even this, the poet, in a severe search after truth, condemns! and with great judgment. Concifenefs of thought and fimplicity of expreffion, being as well the beft inftruments, as the best vehicles of Truth. VER. 46. Or Learning's Luxury, or Idlenefs;] The Luxury of Learning confifts in dreffing up and difguifing old notions in a new way, fo as to make them more fashionable and palateable; instead of examining and fcrutinizing their truth. As this is often done for pomp and fhew, it is called luxury; as it is often done too to fave pains and labour, it is called idleness. VER. 47. Or tricks to fhew the strength of human brain,] Such Expunge the whole, or lop th' excrescent parts Of all our Vices have created Arts; Then fee how little the remaining fum, 50 Which ferv'd the past, and must the times to come! Self-love, the spring of motion, acts the foul; Moft ftrength the moving principle requires ; 55 60 65 то as the mathematical demonftrations concerning the small quantity of matter, the endless divifibility of it, etc. VER. 48. Mere curious pleasure, or ingenious pain;] That is, when Admiration fets the mind on the rack. VER. 49. Expunge the whole, or lop th' excrefcent parts — Of all our vices have created Arts;] i. e. Those parts of natural Philofophy, Logic, Rhetoric, Poetry, etc. that administer to Iuxury, deceit, ambition, effeminaey, etc. 7 Self-love, still stronger, as its objects nigh; At best more watchful this, but that more strong. Reafon ftill ufe, to Reafon ftill attend. 75 Each ftrengthens Reason, and Self-love reftrains. So And Grace and Virtue, Senfe and Reason split, 85 Wits, juft like Fools, at war about a name, Our greatest evil, or our greateft good. VER. 74. Reason, the future and the confequence.] i. e. By experience Reafon collects the future; and by argumentation, the confequence. VARIATIONS. After ver. 86. in the MS. Of good and evil Gods what frighted Fools, Of good and evil Reafon puzzled Schoo.s, Deceiv'd, deceiving, taught - 95 III. Modes of Self-love the Paffions we may call : Their Virtue fix'd; 'tis fix'd as in a froft ; But ftrength of mind is Exercise, not Reft: 105 He mounts the storm, and walks upon the wind. 110 Yet, mix'd and foften'd, in his work unite: VARIATIONS. After ver. 108. in the MS. A tedious Voyage! where how ufelefs lies The foft reward the virtuous, or invite; 115 120 Suffice that Reafon keep to Nature's road, The whole employ of body and of mind. 125 130 As Man, perhaps, the moment of his breath, Receives the lurking principle of death; The young disease, that muft fubdue at length, 135 Grows with his growth, and ftrengthens with his ftrength: VER. 133. As man perhaps, etc.]“ Antipater Sidonius Poeta "omnibus annis uno die natali tantum corripiebatur febre, et eo confumptus eft fatis longa senecta." Plin. lib. vii. Nat. Hift. This Antipater was in the times of Crafsus, and is celebrated for the quickness of his parts by Cicero. |