More rich, more wife; but who infers from hence If all are equal in their Happiness : But mutual wants this Happiness increase; All Nature's difference keeps all Nature's peace. In who obtain defence, or who defend, In him who is, or him who finds a friend: 55 60 Heaven breathes through every member of the whole 65 But VARIATIONS. After ver. 52. in the MS. Say not, "Heaven's here profufe, there poorly faves, "And for one Monarch makes a thousand flaves." You'll find, when Caufes and their Ends are known, 'Twas for the thousand Heaven has made that one. After ver. 66. in the MS. 'Tis peace of mind alone is at a stay: The reft mad Fortune gives or takes away. And more is relish'd as the more diftreft. But Heaven's juft balance equal will appear, While thofe are plac'd in Hope, and these in Fear: 79 Not prefent good or ill, the joy or curfe, But future views of better, or of worse. 75 Oh, fons of earth! attempt ye still to rife, By mountains pil'd on mountains, to the skies? Heaven ftill with laughter the vain toil furveys, And buries madmen in the heaps they raise. Know, all the good that individuals find, Or God and Nature meant to mere Mankind, Reafon's whole pleasure, all the joys of Senfe, Lie in three words, Health, Peace, and Competence. 80 But Health confifts with Temperance alone; And Peace, oh Virtue! Peace is all thy own. The good or bad the gifts of Fortune gain; But thefe lefs tafte them, as they worfe obtain, Say, in purfuit of profit or delight, 85 Who risk the most, that take wrong means, or right? 1 VARIATION. After ver. 92. in the MS. Let fober Moralifts correct their speech, 90 95 But But fools, the Good alone, unhappy call, See Falkland dies, the virtuous and the just! There deviates Nature, and here wanders will. Or Change admits, or Nature lets it fall, When his lewd father gave the dire disease. 100 105 110 115 120 Think we, like fome weak Prince, th' Eternal Caufe Prone for his favourites to reverfe his laws? Shall VARIATION. After ver. 116. in the MS. Of every evil, fince the world began, Shall burning Etna, if a fage requires, 125 Or fome old temple, nodding to its fall, For Chartres' head referve the hanging wall? 130 But ftill this world (fo fitted for the knave) Contents us not. A better fhall we have? A kingdom of the just then let it be: The good muft merit God's peculiar care! 135 But who, but God, can tell us who they are? One thinks on Calvin Heaven's own Spirit fell; This cries there is, and that, there is no God. 140 Nor with one fyftem can they all be bleft. The very best will variously incline, And what rewards your Virtue, punish mine. WHATEVER IS, IS RIGHT.This world, 'tis true, Was made for Cæfar-but for Titus too; And VARIATION. After ver. 142. in fome Editions, Give each a System, all must be at ftrife; The joke, though lively, was ill placed, and therefore ftruck out of the text. And which more bleft? who chain'd his country, fay, Or he whofe Virtue figh'd to lofe a day? "But fometimes Virtue ftarves, while Vice is fed." What then? Is the reward of Virtue bread? That, Vice may merit, 'tis the price of toil; 150 155 "No-fhall the good want Health, the good want "Power?" Add Health and Power, and every earthly thing, Why bounded Power? why private? why no king?" Nay, why external for internal given? Why is not Man a God, and Earth a Heaven? What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy, The foul's calm fun-fhine, and the heart-felt joy, Juftice a Conqueror's fword, or Truth a gown, VARIATION. After ver. 172. in the MS. Say, what rewards this idle world imparts, 170 Weak, |