ARGUMENT OF EPISTLE III.

Of the Nature and State of Man with respect to Society.

I. THE whole Universe one system of Society, ver. 7, etc. Nothing made wholly for itself, nor yet wholly for another, ver. 27. The happiness of Animals mutual, ver. 49. II. Reason or Instinct operate alike to the good of each Individual, ver. 79. Reafon or Instinct operate also to Society in all animals, ver. 109. III. How far Society carried by instinct, ver. 115. How much farther by Reafon, ver. 128. IV. Of that which is called the State of Nature, ver. 144. Reason instructed by Instinct in the Invention of Arts, ver. 166, and in the Forms of Society, ver. 176. V. Origin of Political Societies, ver. 196. Origin of monarchy, ver. 207. Patriarchat Government, ver. 212. VI. Origin of true Religion and Government, from the same principle of Love, 231, etc. Origin of Superstition and Tyranny, from the same principle of Fear, ver. 237, etc. Influence of Self-love operating to the social and public Good, ver. 266. Restoration of true Religion and Government on their first Principle, ver. 285. Mixt Government, ver. 288. Various Forms of each, and the true end of all, ver. 300, etc.

The

Vol.II.facino p. 69.

See some fit Passion every Age supply. Hope travels through,nor-quits as when we die.

H

EPISTLE

III.

ERE then we rest: "The Universal Cause

Acts to one end, but acts by various laws."

In all the madness of superfluous health,

The train of pride, the impudence of wealth,
Let this great truth be present night and day;

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But most be present, if we preach or pray.

Look round our World; behold the chain of Love

Combining all below and all above.

See plastic Nature working to this end,
The single atoms each to other tend,
Attract, attracted to, the next in place
Form'd and impell'd its neighbour to embrace.

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See matter next, with various life endu'd,

Press to one centre still, the gen'ral Good.

See dying Vegetables life sustain,

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See life dissolving vegetate again:
All forms that perish other forms supply,

(By turns we catch the vital breath, and die)

WE are now come to the third epistle of the Essay on Man. It having been shewn, in explaining the origin, use, and end of the Paffions, in the second epistle, that Man hath social as well as selfish paffions, that doctrine naturally introduceth the third, which treats of Man as a social animal; and connects it with the second, which confidered him as an INDIVIDUAL.

VER. 12. Form'd and impelld, etc.] To make Matter so cohere as to fit it for the uses intended by its Creator, a proper configuration of its insensible parts, is as necessary as that quality so equally and universally conferred upon it, called Attraction. To express the first part of this thought, our Author says form'd; and to express the better, impell'd.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 1. In feveral Edit. in 4to.

Learn, Dulness, learn!" The Universal Cause," etc.

Like bubbles on the sea of Matter borne,
They rife, they break, and to that sea return.
Nothing is foreign; Parts relate to whole;
One all-extending, all-preserving Soul
Connects each being, greatest with the least;
Made Beast in aid of Man, and Man of Beast;
All ferv'd, all ferving: nothing stands alone;
The chain holds on, and where it ends, unknown.

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25

Has God, thou fool! work'd folely for thy good,
Thy joy, thy pastime, thy attire, thy food?
Who for thy table feeds the wanton fawn,
For him as kindly spread the flow'ry lawn:
Is it for thee the lark afcends and fings?
Joy tunes his voice, joy elevates his wings.
Is it for thee the linnet pours his throat ?
Loves of his own and raptures swell the note.
The bounding steed you pompously bestride,
Shares with his lord the pleasure and the pride.
Is thine alone the feed that strews the plain ?
The birds of heav'n shall vindicate their grain.
Thine the full harvest of the golden year?
Part pays, and justly, the deserving steer :
The hog, that plows not, nor obeys thy call,
Lives on the labours of this Lord of all.

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Know, Nature's children shall divide her care;

The fur that warms a monarch, warm'd a bear.

VER. 22. One all-extending, all-preferving Soul] Which, in the language of Sir Ifaac Newton, is, " Deus omnipræsens est, non per " virtutem solam, fed etiam per substantiam: nam virtus fine fub" stantia subsistere non potest." Newt. Princ.fcbol. gen. fub finem.

VER. 23. Greatest with the leaft;) As acting more strongly and immediately in beasts, whose instinct is plainly an external reason; which made an old school-man say, with great elegance, " Deus " est anima brutorum:"

In this 'tis God directs