Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

N. Blakey inv& dolin. 1748.

Ravenet Sculp

Self Love still stronger, as it's Objects nigh, Reason's at distance, and in prospect lieli That sees immediate Good, by present Sense, Reason the future, and the Consequence.

Essay on Man, Ep. II.

[subsumed][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

The proper study of Mankind is Man.
Plac'd on this ifthmus of a middle state,
A Being darkly wife, and rudely great;

VER. 2. Ed. Ift.

VARIATIONS.

The only science of Mankind is Man.

COMMENTARY.

VER. 2. The proper study &c.] The poet having fhewn, in the first epistle, that the Ways of God are too high for our comprehenfion, rightly draws this conclufion: and methodically makes it the fubject of his Introduction to the fecond, which treats of the Nature of Man.

But here immediately the accufers of Providence would be apt to object, and fay, Admit that we had run into an excefs, while we pretended to cenfure or penetrate the defigns of Providence, a matter indeed too high for us; yet have you gone as far into the oppofite extreme, while you only fend us to the

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

reprefented Man as doubting and wavering between the right and wrong object; from which ftate there are great hopes he may be relieved by a careful and circumfpect ufe of Reafon. On the contrary, had he fuppofed Man so blind as to be bufied in chufing, or doubtful in his choice, between

With too much knowledge for the Sceptic fide,
With too much weakness for the Stoic's pride,
He hangs between; in doubt to act, or reft;
In doubt to deem himself a God, or Beast;

COMMENTARY.

knowledge of our own Nature: You must mock us when you talk of this as a study; for fure we are intimately acquainted with OURSELVES. The proper conclufion therefore from your demonftration of our inability to comprehend the ways of God, is, that we should turn ourselves to the study of the frame of NATURE. Thus, I fay, would they be apt to object; for, of all Men, those who call themselves Free-thinkers are most given up to Pride; efpecially that kind of it, which confifts in a boasted knowledge of their own nature, the effects of which are so well

NOTES.

two objects equally wrong, the cafe had appeared defperate, and all Study of Man had been effectually difcouraged. But his Tranflator, M. De Refnel, not seeing the reafon and beauty of this conduct, hath

run into the very abfurdity
which, I have here shewn, Mr.
Pope fo artfully avoided. Of
which, the learned Reader
may take the following exam-
ples. The Poet fays,

Man acts between; in doubt to act, or rest.

Now he tells us 'tis Man's duty to act, not reft, as the Stoics thought; and, to this

fix'd as in a Froft,

their principle the latter word
alludes, whose Virtue, as he
fays afterwards, is

Contracted all, retiring to the breast:

But ftrength of mind is EXERCISE not REST.

Now hear the Tranflator, who is not for mincing matters,

Seroit-il en naiffant au travail condamné ?
Aux douceurs du répos feroit-il deftiné?

and thefe are both wrong, for Man is neither condemned to flavish Toil and Labour, nor

yet indulged in the Luxury of
repofe. Again, the Poet, in a
beautiful allufion to Scripture

E

In doubt his Mind or Body to prefer ;
Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err;

COMMENTARY.

[ocr errors]

expofed in the firft Epiftle. The poet, therefore, to convince them that this ftudy is lefs eafy than they imagine, replies (from 2 to 19) to the first part of the objection, by describing the dark and feeble ftate of the human Understanding, with regard to the knowledge of ourfelyes. And farther, to strengthen this argument, he fhews, in anfwer to the fecond part of the objection (from 18 to 31) that the highest advances in natural knowledge may be eafily acquired, and yet we, all the while, continue very ignorant of ourselves. For that neither the cleareft science, which results from the Newtonian philosophy, nor the moft fublime, which is taught by the Platonic, will at all affift us in this self-study; nay, what is more, that Religion itself, when grown fanatical and enthufiaftic, will be equally useless: Though pure and fober Religion will best instruct us in Man's Nature, that knowledge being effential to Religion, whose subject is Man confidered in all his relations; and, confequently, whofe object is God.

NOTES.

fentiments, breaks out into

this juft and moral reflection

on man's condition here,

Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err.

The Tranflator turns this fine | moft outragious Scepticism; and fober thought into the

Ce n'est que pour mourir, qu'il eft né, qu'il refpire,
Et toute fa raison n'eft prefque qu'un delire.

and fo makes his Author di- he fays of Man, that he hath rectly contradict himself, where

—too much knowledge for the Sceptic fide. VER. 10. Born but to die, &c.] The author's meaning is, that, as we are born to die, and yet enjoy fome small portion of life; fo, though we réafon to err, yet we compre

hend fome few truths. This is the weak state of Reason, in which Error mixes itself with all its true conclufions concerning Man's Nature.

« ПредишнаНапред »