Moral Essays continued.] Odious! in woollen! 't would a saint provoke, Were the last words that poor Narcissa spoke. Epistle i. Line 246. And you, brave Cobham! to the latest breath Whether the charmer sinner it, or saint it, Epistle ii. Line 15. Choose a firm cloud before it fall, and in it Catch, ere she change, the Cynthia of this minute. Epistle ii. Line 19. Fine by defect, and delicately weak.1 Epistle ii. Line 43. With too much quickness ever to be taught; With too much thinking to have common thought. Epistle ii. Line 97. To heirs unknown descends th' unguarded store, Or wanders, heaven-directed, to the poor. Epistle ii. Line 149. Virtue she finds too painful an endeavour, Content to dwell in decencies forever. Epistle ii. Line 163. Men, some to business, some to pleasure take; But every woman is at heart a rake. Epistle ii. Line 215. 1 Fine by degrees, and beautifully less. Prior, Henry and Emma. [Moral Essays continued. See how the world its veterans rewards! A youth of frolics, an old age of cards. Epistle ii. Line 243. O! bless'd with temper, whose unclouded ray She who ne'er answers till a husband cools, Epistle ii. Line 261. And mistress of herself, though china fall. Epistle ii. Line 268. Epistle ii. Line 270. Woman's at best a contradiction still. Who shall decide, when doctors disagree, Blest paper-credit! last and best supply! Epistle iii. Line 39. But thousands die without or this or that, Epistle iii. Line 95. The ruling passion, be it what it will, Epistle iii. Line 153. Extremes in nature equal good produce; Epistle iii. Line 161. Moral Essays continued.] Rise, honest muse! and sing The Man of Ross. Epistle iii. Line 250. Epistle iii. Line 282. Ye little stars! hide your diminish'd rays.1 Who builds a church to God, and not to fame, Will never mark the marble with his name. Epistle iii. Line 285. In the worst inn's worst room, with mat half hung. Where London's column, pointing at the skies, Good sense, which only is the gift of Heaven, To rest, the cushion and soft dean invite, Epistle iv. Line 149. Statesman, yet friend to truth! of soul sincere, Epistle to Mr. Addison, Line 67. 1 See Milton, Par. Lost, Book iv. Line 34. 2 In the reign of Charles II. a certain worthy divine at Whitehall thus addressed himself to the auditory at the conclusion of his sermon : — "In short, if you don't live up to the precepts of the Gospel, but abandon yourselves to your irregular appetites, you must expect to receive your reward in a certain place which 't is not good manners to mention here." - Tom Brown, Laconics. AN ESSAY ON CRITICISM. "T is with our judgments as our watches, none Go just alike, yet each believes his own.1 Parti. Line 9. One Science only will one genius fit; Part i. Line 60. From vulgar bounds with brave disorder part, And snatch a grace beyond the reach of art. Parti. Line 152. Of all the causes which conspire to blind Man's erring judgment, and misguide the mind, What the weak head with strongest bias rules, Is pride, the never failing vice of fools. Part ii. Line 1. A little learning is a dangerous thing; Part ii. Line 15. Hills peep o'er hills, and Alps on Alps arise! Part ii. Line 32. 1 But as when an authentic watch is shown, Each man winds up and rectifies his own, So in our very judgments, &c. Suckling, Epilogue to Aglaura. 2 Compare Bacon, Essay xvi. Atheism. Essay on Criticism continued.] Whoever thinks a faultless piece to see, Thinks what ne'er was, nor is, nor e'er shall be.1 Part ii. Line 53. True wit is nature to advantage dress'd, What oft was thought, but ne'er so well express'd. Part ii. Line 97. Words are like leaves; and where they most abound, Much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found. Part ii. Line 109. Such labour'd nothings, in so strange a style, Amaze th' unlearn'd, and make the learned smile. Part ii. Line 126. In words, as fashions, the same rule will hold, Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Part ii. Line 133. Some to church repair, Nor for the doctrine, but the music there. 1 "High characters," cries one, and he would see |