;

Inftruct the planets in what orbs to run,
Correct old Time, and regulate the Sun
Go, foar with Plato to th' empyreal sphere,
To the first good, first perfect, and first fair ;
Or tread the mazy round his follow'rs trod,
And quitting fenfe call imitating God;
As Eastern priests in giddy circles run,
And turn their heads to imitate the Sun.
Go, teach Eternal Wisdom how to rule
Then drop into thyfelf, and be a fool!

VARIATIONS.

VER. 21. Ed. 4th and 5th.

Show by what rules the wand'ring planets ftray,
Correct old time, and teach the Sun his Way.

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Chronology, which he reformed on those two sublime conceptions, the difference between the reigns of kings, and the generations of men; and the pofition of the colures of the equinoxes and folftices at the time of the Argonautic expedition.

Superior beings, when of late they faw

A mortal Man unfold all Nature's law,
Admir'd fuch wisdom in an earthly shape,
And fhew'd a NEWTON as we fhew an Ape.

Could he, whose rules the rapid Comet bind, 35 Defcribe or fix one movement of his Mind? Who faw it's fires here rife, and there defcend, Explain his own beginning, or his end? Alas what wonder! Man's fuperior part Uncheck'd may rife, and climb from art to art;

VARIATIONS.

VER. 35. Ed. Ift.

Could he, who taught each Planet where to roll,
Describe or fix one movement of the Soul?
Who mark'd their points to rife or to descend,
Explain his own beginning or his end?

NOTES.

VEI. 37. Who faw it's fires here rife, &c.] Sir Ifaac Newton, in calculating the velocity of a Comet's motion, and the course it defcribes, when it becomes vifible in it's defcent to, and afcent from, the Sun, conjectured, with the highest appearance of truth, that Comets revolve perpetually

40

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.

But when his own great work is but begun,
What Reason weaves, by Paffion is undone.
Trace Science then, with Modesty thy guide;
First strip off all her equipage of Pride;
Deduct what is but Vanity, or Dress,

Or Learning's Luxury, or Idlenefs;

NOTES.

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45

VER. 45-Vanity, or | Spear touches upon this latdress,] Thefe are the firft ter advantage with great parts of what the Poet, in force and humour. The the preceding line, calls the Flatterer fays to Timon in Scholar's equipage of Pride. distress, "I cannot cover By vanity, is meant that "the monftrous bulk of luxuriancy of thought and "their ingratitude, with expreffion in which a writer" any fize of words." The indulges himfelf, to fhew the other replies, "Let it go fruitfulness of his fancy or naked, men may fee't the invention. By dress, is to "better." be understood a lower degree of that practice, in amplification of thought and ornamented expreffion, to give force to what the writer would convey: but even this, the Poet, in a fevere fearch after truth, condemns; and with great judgment. Concifenefs of thought and fimplicity of expreffion, being as well the best inftruments, as the best vehicles of Truth. Shake

VER. 46. Or Learning's Luxury, or Idleness;] 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 ; inftead 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.

Or tricks to fhew the ftretch of human brain,
Mere curious pleasure, or ingenious pain;
Expunge the whole, or lop th' excrescent parts
Of all our Vices have created Arts;

Then fee how little the remaining fum,

Which ferv'd the past, and must the times to come!

II. Two Principles in human nature reign;
Self-love, to urge, and Reason, to restrain;
Nor this a good, nor that a bad we call,
Each works it's end, to move or govern all :
And to their proper operation still,

Afcribe all Good; to their improper, Ill.

Self-love, the fpring of motion, acts the foul; Reafon's comparing balance rules the whole. Man, but for that, no action could attend, And, but for this, were active to no end:

NOTES.

VER. 47. Or tricks to fhew the stretch of human brain,] Such as the mathematical demonftrations concerning the small quantity of matter; the endless divifibility of it, &c.

VER. 48. Mere curious pleafure, or ingenious pain ;] That is, when Admiration fets the mind on the rack.

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60

VER. 49, 50. Expunge the whole, or lop th excrefcent parts Of all our Vices have created Arts;]

i. e. Thofe parts of natural Philofophy, Logic, Rhetoric, Poetry, &c. that adminifter to luxury, deceit, ambition, effeminacy, &c.

Fix'd like a plant on his peculiar spot,

To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot;

Or, meteor-like, flame lawless thro' the void, 65 Destroying others, by himself deftroy'd.

Moft ftrength the moving principle requires ;
Active its task, it prompts, impels, inspires.
Sedate and quiet the comparing lies,

Form'd but to check, delib'rate, and advife.
Self-love still stronger, as its objects nigh;
Reafon's at diftance, and in profpect lie:
That fees immediate good by present sense;
Reason, the future and the confequence.
Thicker than arguments, temptations throng,
At beft more watchful this, but that more ftrong.
The action of the ftronger to fufpend

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75

Reason still use, to Reason ftill attend.
Attention, habit and experience gains ;

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Each ftrengthens Reason, and Self-love reftrains. Let fubtle schoolmen teach these friends to fight,

More ftudious to divide than to unite ;

And Grace and Virtue, Sense and Reason split,
With all the rafh dexterity of wit.

NOTES.

VER. 74. Reafon, the fu- | the future; and by argumenture and the confequence.]i. e. tation, the confequence. By experience Reafon collects

C