The poet next turns toward another fort of cavillers, who murmur at the difpenfations of providence, because the juft are not better rewarded. To thefe he answers, that God only can tell who those just are; and with the most exquifite feeling, he again points out the ineftimable reward of Virtue. "What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy, "The foul's calin fun-fhine, and the heart-felt "joy, "Is Virtue's prize." He then proceeds to fhew, that without virtue, no externals whatever can make men happy; which he inftances in riches, honours, nobility, greatness, and fame. The false pretenfions of greatnefs are admirably expofed in the characters of the hero and politician. "Look next onGreatnefs; fay where Greatness "lies? "Where, but among the Heroes and the Wife? "Heroes are much the fame, the point's "agreed, "From Macedonia's madman to the Swede; "The whole ftrange purpose of their lives, to "find "Or make, an enemy of all mankind *! "No * These two lines which immediately follow- are "No lefs alike the Politic and Wife; All fly flow things, with circumfpective eyes: "Men in their loofe unguarded hours they "take, "Not that themselves are wife, but others "weak. "But grant that thofe can conquer, these can "cheat; " 'Tis phrase abfurd, to call a Villain Great: "Who wickedly is wife, or madly brave, "Is but the more a fool, the more a knave. "Who noble ends by noble means obtains, "Or failing, fmiles in exile or in chains, "Like good Aurelius let him reign, or bleed "Like Socrates, that man is great indeed." It is obfervable, that the writer on no occafion fhews a more indignant fpirit, than where he points his fatire againft Machiavelian policy and circumventing craft. I make this remark with the greater pleasure, as it goes in commendation of the man, and as fociety is more interested to have a juft account of his moral character, than of his literary capacity. The following eftimate of fame, is extreamly juft and beautiful. are by no means fuitable to the dignity of the subject. There is fomething fo familiar, nay even vulgar in them, as renders them not only very unequal to the reft, but very unworthy of our author, "What's "What's Fame? a fancy'd life in others "breath, "A thing beyond us, ev'n before our death. "All that we feel of it begins and ends "A Wit's a feather, and a Chief a rod; * A great lawyer, who had a profligate fon, bequeathed him a trifling legacy, together with this verse of Mr. POPE's, defiring him to reflect on it often. Nevertheless, this fentiment has been cenfured by a very ingenious writer, who observes, that “if honefty had been POPE'S "noblest quality, he would never have gained public admi"ration." But the critic feems to give this fentiment too confined a construction. The poet here does not use the word honeft in its popular fenfe, but in its philofophical fignification in which the idea of an honeft man includes a certain liberality and elevation of mind, which is not to be attained without the concurrence of many noble qualities. Thofe talents which we exercife in the eye of the public are, it is true, more likely to draw admiration; but they are not therefore more noble. The man who can fuffer with fortitude, and act with dignity, is a much more noble object, than he who can exprefs the fublimeft ideas. Befides, it is material to add, that the poet is here decrying that public admiration, which the critic, by this strange argument, not only fuppofes was his general aim, but was his particular purpofe in this place to recommend. Having expofed this fantastic fame, he fhews the foundation of real fame. "All Fame is foreign, but of true defert; Plays round the head, but comes not to the "heart: "One felf-approving hour whole years out"weighs "Of ftupid ftarers, and of loud huzzas; "And more true joy Marcellus exil'd feels, "Than Caefar with a fenate at his heels." Nothing can be more juft than these fentiments, or more beautifully expreffed. The image of fantastic Fame playing round the head without reaching the heart, is happily conceived; it is apt and ftriking. A man of found judgment and nice feelings must be frequently offended by the flutter of mistaken applause, which buzzes about his head, but makes no impreffion on his heart. The poet proceeds to fhew, that not only external goods are incapable of procuring happinefs, but that all internal have not that efficacy, which he inftances in the advantage of fuperior parts. "In Parts fuperior what advantage lies? "Tell (for You can) what is it to be wife? "'Tis but to know how little can be known; "To fee all others faults, and feel our own: "Condemn'd in bufinefs or in arts to drudge, "Without a fecond, or without a judge: "Truths "Truths would you teach, or fave a finking "All fear, none aid you, and few understand. How feelingly does the poet defcribe the unenviable fituation of those who poffefs excelling talents! And yet he has only sketched the outlines had he filled the canvas, what a picture of folitary dejection * would a pencil like his have exhibited! The man of fuperior parts can but seldom relish the true delights of fociety, because he can find but few with whom he can affimilate And alas! even among those few, he too often finds a rival, where he expected a companion. As his merit excites jealoufy in his equals, fo it begets diftruft in those of inferior talents. Such, for want of the fame quickness of apprehenfion and depth of penetration, being unable to difcern the true principles which direct him, are too apt to fufpect him of defign, even when he is moft ingenuous; and he has fometimes the mortification of being prevented from conferring a benefit, by the unjuft fufpicion of the very man whom he means to ferve. How deplorable then The reader will obferve that we are here fpeaking of Knowledge, independant of Virtue. muft |
