NOTES. "So Man, who here feems principal alone, But without any regard to the evidence of this illustration, M. de Croufaz exclaims: "See the general conclufion, All "that is, is right. So that at the fight of Charles the first "losing his head on the scaffold, we must have faid, this is right; at the fight too of his judges condemning him, we "must have faid, this is right; at the fight of fome of thefe "judges, taken and condemned for the action which he had "owned to be right, we must have cried out, this is doubly " right." Never was any thing more amazing than that the abfurdities arising from the fenfe in which this critic takes the great principle, of whatever is, is right, did not shew him his miftake: For could any one in his fenfes employ a propofition in a meaning from whence fuch evident abfurdities immediately arife? I have obferved, that this conclufion, whatever is, is right, is a confequence of these premises, that partial evil tends to univerfal Good; which the Author employs as a principle to humble the pride of Man, who would impiously make God accountable for his creation. What then does common sense teach us to understand by whatever is, is right? Did the Poet mean right with regard to Man, or right with regard to God; right with regard to itself, or right with regard to its ultimate tendency? Surely, WITH REGARD TO GOD; for he tells us his defign is to vindicate the ways of God to Man. Surely, with regard to its ULTIMATE TENDENCY; for he tells us again, all partial ill is univerfal Good, Ver. 291. Now is this any encouragement to Vice? Or does it take off from the crime of him who commits it, that God providentially produces Good out of Evil? Had Mr. Pope abruptly faid in his conclufion, the refult of all is, that whatever is, is right, the objector had even then been inexcufable for putting fo abfurd a fenfe upon the words, when he might have feen that it was a conclufion from the general principle abovementioned; and therefore must neceffarily have another meaning. But what muft we think of him, when the Poet, to prevent mistakes, had delivered, in this very place, the prin NOTES. ciple itself, together with this conclufion as the confequence of it? "All Discord, Harmony not understood; "And, fpite of Pride, in erring Reafon's fpite, He could not have told his Reader plainer that his conclufion was the confequence of that principle, unless he had written THEREFORE in great Church letters. C ARGUMENT O EPISTLE II. Of the Nature and State of Man with respect to I. THE bufinefs of Man not to pry into God, but to Study himself. His Middle Nature; bis Powers and Frailties, Ver. 1 to 19. The Limits of his Capacity, Ver. 19, &c. II. The two Principles of Man, Selflove and Reason, both neceffary, Ver. 53, &c. Selflove the ftronger, and why, Ver. 67, &c. Their end the fame, Ver. 81, &c. III. The PASSIONS, and their ufe, Ver. 93 to 130. The Predominant Passion, and its force, Ver. 132 to 160. Its Neceffity, in directing Men to different purposes, Ver. 165, &c. Its providential Ufe, in fixing our Principle, and ascertaining our Virtue, Ver. 177. IV. Virtue and Vice joined in our mixed Nature; the limits near, yet the things feparate and evident: What is the Office of Reafon, Ver. 202 to 216. V. How odious Vice in itfelf, and bow we deceive ourselves into it, Ver. 217. VI. That, however, the Ends of Providence and general Good are answered in our Paffions and Imperfections, Ver. 238, &c. How ufefully thefe are diftributed to all Orders of Men, Ver. 241. How ufeful they are to Society, Ver. 251. And to Individuals, Ver. 263. In every state, and every age of life, Ver. 273, &c. |