fpoke in fuch contra-natural and monftrous Terms, that Mr. Pope gave her an Epithet, when it was retold him, which Decency forbids us to repeat here, tho' fhe deferv'd it.

To this Inftance of Mr. Pope's Compaffion and Generofity many more might be added, tho' it cannot be denied that he was of a Temper easily provok'd, and not foon brought to any Terms of Reconciliation. But I fhall leave difcourfing on this Head, to make Way for a Subject of greater Importance, and well worthy the most serious Attention and Confideration.

It will be observed in the foregoing Sheets, I did but lightly touch on Mr. Pope's Ethicks, thinking it a Field too large for me to enter in and pass gradually through; but I have been fince given to understand, that it is pofitively expected of me, and that to drop it fo would be in a Manner overlooking the most confiderable of Mr. Pope's Works, and what better than any Thing else can difcover the Receffes of his Mind; for having wrote them feveral Years before his Death, and confidered them also many Years before their Publication, he had not feen Reason to alter one Sentiment, or be mov'd with any Arguments which were ever urg'd against it, fo that they are to be look'd upon as his philofophical Creed, and first what he thinks of the Nature and State of Man with Refpect to the Universe :

Say firft of God above, or Man below,
What can we reason but from what we know?

Than which nothing can be more juft; nay, should we attempt to difcourfe of Things concerning which we know nothing, which is too often the Cafe, such unprofitable Waste of the Understanding, is hardly worthy to be called Reason: When I difcours'd of X 3

Mr.

Mr. Pope as a Satirift, I did not think it foreign to the Subject, to compare him with Mr. Dryden, to whom he was very much obliged, and like an honeft Perfon who has receiv'd a Benefit, fails not to acknowledge it: Now let us fee whether the Parallel will not hold good in Philofophy; nay, were it wanting in Religion it might be supplied, for Mr. Dryden died a Papift; but before the last Change of his Religion, he wrote a Sort of An Effay on Man, but called it Religio Laici, in which are many Arguments and Affertions nearly refembling those in Mr. Pope's Ethicks. Who in his first Epistle fays:

Of Man, what fee we but his Station here, From which to reason, or to which refer? Thro' Worlds unnumber'd tho' the God be known, 'Tis ours to trace him, only in our own; He who thro' vaft Immenfity can pierce, See Worlds on Worlds compofe one Universe, Obferve how Syftem into Syftem runs, What other Planets, and what other Suns: What vary'd Being peoples ev'ry Star : May tell, why Heaven made all Things as they are. But of this Frame the Bearings, and the Ties, The strong Connections, nice Dependencies, Gradations juft, has thy pervading Soul Look'd thro'? Or can a Part contain the Whole? Is the great Chain that draws all to agree, And drawn fupports, upheld by God, or thee?.

In thefe Lines and the two first quoted, Mr. Pope conceals, or but faintly fhows, the narrow Limits of human Knowledge; it is the fame as if he had faid, though you should be ever fo anxious to know the Reafons for the Nature of Things, it is an abfolute Impaffibility; for though the Deity inhabits all Space and all

all Subftance, Man can only trace him in the human Mind, and the external Objects that surround him, the only Matter that Mind has to work upon.

This is defign'd to obviate the Question of Why are thefe Things fo? And support Mr. Pope's great Argument, THAT WHATEVER IS, IS RIGHT. This, Mr. Warburton a Commentator on thefe Ethicks, fays has been misunderstood; for (fays the Reverend Commentator) the dull Breath of Malice has attempted to defile its Purity, and by staining it with the black Imputation of FATALISM, to tarnish every Virtue it reflected-In the Name of PAUL, what shall deliver us from the Body of this Fate?-I anfwer, the Religion of JESUS. Thus far the learned Expofitor. It is known, that from the Beginning of Chriftianity, a great Body of the Profeffors of it have been Fatalifts, that as many Books have been wrote by Chriftians on this Argument, as perhaps would take up a Man's Life-time to read; that St. Paul himself declares, whom he did foreknow, them he did predeftinate and next Verfe, moreover, whom he did predeftinate, them he also called: And whom he called, them he also justified: And whom he justified, them he alfo glorified: And in the next Chapter yet more fully for the Children not being yet born, neither having done either Good or Evil, that the Purpose of God according to Election might ftand, not of Works, but of him that calleth; it was faid the Elder shall Serve the Yonnger, as it is written, Jacob have I lov'd but Efau have I hated. For he faith to Mofes, I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy, and I will havé Compaffion on whom I will have Compaffion-For the Scripture faith to Pharaoh, for this Caufe have I raifed thee up-Therefore hatb he Mercy on whom he will have Mercy, and whom he will be hardneth.

X 4

This

This is the Religion of Jefus through that great Apoftle; this is the Weapon with which we are to overcome the Body of this Fate: Though Mr. Pope himself neither made or infinuated any fuch Reference; Mr. Pope fays:

What can we reafon but from what we know?

He does not seem here to beg any Afsent from Faith, or expect that Grace muft be given to Nature to make his Philofophy understood and relif'd, he has contracted 'tis true this Sentiment of St. Paul into a very narrow Compafs, and only fays:

Whatever is, is right,

And that all Enquiry after Reafons why Things are form'd, difpos'd, and govern'd as they are, as it is vain, fo it is foolish to attempt to know, what he declares to be out of the Extent of human Knowledge.

Mr. Dryden fpeaks much after the fame Manner of the Shortnefs of all human Views, and the little that it is poffible for us to know.

Some few, whofe Lamp fhone brighter, have been From Caufe to Caufe, to Nature's fecret Head; [led And found that one firft Principle must be: But what, or who, that UNIVERSAL HE; Whether fome Soul incompaffing this Ball' Unmade, unmov'd; yet making moving All; Or various Atoms interfering dance Leapt into Form (the noble Work of Chance ;) Or this great All was from Eternity; Not ev'n the Stagirite himself could fee; And Epicurus guefs'd as well as he : As blindly grop'd they for a future State; As rafhly judg'd of Providence and Fate.

Thus

Thus, anxious Thoughts in endless Circles roul,
Without a Centre where to fix the Soul:
In this wild Maze their vain Endeavours end,
How can the Lefs the Greater comprehend?
Or finite Reason reach Infinity?
For what cou'd fathom GOD were more than he,

If by this the two Poets mean, that what is hid from us, is hid from us at beft, and endeavour to perfwade us not to waste our Thought about Things out of our Reach, it is certainly an excellent Leffon, and condemns the ridiculous Pretenfions of all thofe who boaft of Difcoveries out of the Reach of the rational Faculties.

In reas'ning Pride (my Friend) our Error lies;
All quit their Sphere, and rush into the Skies.
Pride ftill is aiming at the bleft Abodes,
Men would be Angels, Angels would be Gods
Afpiring to be Gods, if Angels fell,
Afpiring to be Angels, Men rebel:
And who but wishes to invert the Laws
Of Order, fins against th' eternal Cause.

What would this Man? now upward will he foar, And little less than Angel, would be more ; Now looking downward, just as griev'd appears To want the Strength of Bulls, the Fur of Bears, Made for his Ufe all Creatures if he call, Say what their Ufe, had he the Pow'rs of all?

The Blifs of Man (could Pride that Bleffing find) Is, not to think, or act beyond Mankind; No Pow'rs of Body, or of Soul to share, But what his Nature, and his State can bear. Why has not Man a microscopick Sight? For this plain Reafon, Man is not a Mite:

Say,