To Him no high, no low, no great, no small;
He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all.*

Whilst I am transcribing this exalted description of the omnipresence of the Deity, I feel myself almost tempted to retract an assertion in { the beginning of this work, that there is nothing transcendently sublime in POPE. These lines have all the energy and harmony that can be given to rhyme. They bear so marvellous a similitude to the old Orphic verses quoted in the

1

valuable treatise Пeg Korus, that I cannot forbear Περι Κοσμs, introducing them, as they are curious and sublime:

Ζευς πρώτος γένετο, Ζευς σιαλος αρχικέραυνος

Ζευς κεφαλη, Ζευς μεσσα • Διος δ' εκ παντα τελυκται.

Ζευς πυθμην γαίης τε και ερανε αστερόεντος

Ζευς αρσην γενείο, Ζευς αμβροτος επλείο νύμφη.
Ζευς πνοιή πάνίων, Ζευς ακαμας πυρος ορμη
Ζευς πολλές ρίζα, Ζευς ήλιος, ηδε σεληνη
Ζευς βασιλευς, Ζευς αρχος ἁπανίων αρχικέραυνος.
Πανίας γαρ κρύψας αυλις φαος ες πολυγηθες
Εξ ἱερης κραδίης ανενεγκαίο μέρμερα ρεζων. *

Nor have we a less example of sublimity in of the following extact

the three preceding lines, which describe the

universal

*

* Ver. 267.

Apigoreλns Nepi Kooμs, pag. 378, edit. Lugduni. fol. 1590.

universal confusion that must ensue, upon any alteration made in the entire and coherent plan of the creation:

Let earth unbalanc'd from her orbit fly,
Planets and suns rush lawless thro' 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,
And nature tremble to the throne of God.*

It is very observable that these noble lines were added after the first edition. It is a pleasing amusement to trace out the alterations that a great writer gradually makes in his works. Many other parts of this epistle have been judiciously amended and improved. At first it ran,

How instinct varies! what a hog may want
Compar'd with thine, half-reas'ning elephant.

And again;

What the advantage, if his finer eyes
Study a mite, not comprehend the skies!

Which lines at present stand thus:

* Ver. 251.

How

How instinct varies in the grov❜ling swine,
Compar'd, half-reas'ning elephant, with thine!
Say, what the use, were finer optics giv'n,
T'inspect a mite, not comprehend the heav'n?

Formerly it stood,

No self-confounding faculties to share ;
No senses stronger than his brain can bear.

At present,

No pow'rs of body or of soul to share,
But what his nature and his state can bear.

It appeared at first,

Expatiate free o'er all this scene of man,
A mighty maze! of walks without a plan.

We read at present,

A mighty maze! but not without a plan.

19. Submit.In this, or any other sphere,
Secure to be as blest as thou canst bear :
Safe in the hand of one disposing pow'r,
Or in the natal, or the mortal hour.*

* Ver. 285.

I cannot

nour.

I cannot resist the pleasure of illustrating this sentiment in the words of a writer, whose friendship I esteem to be no small happiness and ho"Teach us each to regard himself, but as a part of this great whole; a part which, for its welfare, we are as patiently to resign, as we resign a single limb for the welfare of our whole body. Let our life be a continued scene of acquiescence and of gratitude; of gratitude, for what we enjoy; of acquiescence, in what we suffer; as both can only be referable to that concatenated order of events, which cannot but be best, as being by thee approved and chosen."*

20. All nature is but art, unknown to thee;

All chance, direction which thou canst not see;
All discord, harmony not understood;

All partial evil, universal good.†

This is the doctrine that reigns throughout the lofty hymn of Cleanthes the Stoic, particularly in these beautiful and masculine verses:

* Three Treatises by James Harris, Esq. pag. 231.

† Ver. 289.

Ουδε

Ουδε τι γιγνείαι εργον επι χθονι σε διχα Δαίμων,

Ουδε κατ' αιθέριον θείον πολον, ετ' επι ποίω,
Πλην όποσα ρεζεσι κακοι σφετέρησιν ανοιαις,

Αλλα συ και τα περίσσα επίσίασαι αργια θείναι,
Και κοσμείν τα ακοσμα " και ο φίλα τοι φίλα εστια
Ωδε

γαρ εἰς ἐν ἁπανία συνηρμοκας εσθλα κακοισιν,

Ωσθ' ένα γιγνεσθαι πανίων λόγον αιεν εονίων. *

Thus translated by Mr. West:

For nor in earth, nor earth-encircling floods,
Nor you æthereal pole, the seat of gods,

Is aught perform'd without thy aid divine;
Strength, wisdom, virtue, mighty Jove, are thine!

Vice is the act of man, by passion tost,

And in the shoreless sea of Folly lost;
But thou what vice disorders canst compose,
And profit by the malice of thy foes;
So blending good with evil, fair with foul,
As thence to model one harmonious wнOLE.

21. Chaos of thought and passion, all confus'd;
Still by himself abus'd, or disabus'd;
Created half to rise, and half to fall:
Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all;
Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl❜d:
The glory, jest, and riddle, of the world !+

* Hymn. apud Hen. Steph. pag. 49.

It

See to this purpose, a fine passage in Plutarch de Animi Tranquillit. in vol. ii. pag. 473, 404. fol. Francfurti, 1620. Particularly the passage of Euripides there quoted.

+ Epist. ii. v. 13.