Twin'd with the wreaths Parnaffian lawrels yield, Or reap'd in iron harvefts of the field? Where grows?-where grows it not? If vain our toil, "Tis no where to be found, or ev'ry where : 15 And fled from monarchs, ST. JOHN! dwells with thee. Afk of the Learn'd the way? The Learn'd are blind; This bids to ferve, and that to fhun mankind, 20 Some place the blifs in action, fome in ease, Those call it Pleasure, and Contentment thefe ; VER. 21. Some place the bliss in action,-Some funk to beafts, etc.] 1. Those who place Happiness, or the fummum bonum, in Pleasure, 'Hoovn, fuch as the Cyrenaic fect, called on that account the Hedonic. 2. Those who place it in a certain tranquillity or calmnefs of Mind, which they call Etvuía, such as the Democritic fect. 3. The Epicurean. 4. The Stoic. 5. The Protagorean, which held that Man was πάντων χρημάτων Mergov, the measure of all things; for that all things which appear to him are, and thofe things which appear not to any Man are not; fo that every imagination or opinion of every man was true, 6. The Sceptic: Whofe abfolute Doubt is with great judgment faid to be the effect of Indolence, as well as the abfolute Truft of the Protagorean: For the fame dread of labour attending the fearch of truth, which makes the Protagorean prefume it to be always at hand, makes the Sceptic conclude it is never to be found. The only difference is, that the laziness of the one is defponding, and the laziness of the other fanguine; yet both can give it a good name, and call it Happiness. Some funk to Beafts, find pleasure end in pain; Some fwell'd to Gods, confefs ev'n Virtue vain; Or indolent, to each extreme they fall, To truft in ev'ry thing, or doubt of all. Who thus define it, fay they more or lefs Than this, that Happiness is Happiness ? 25 Take Nature's path, and mad Opinion's leave; All states can reach it, and all heads conceive; 30 Obvious her goods, in no extreme they dwell; There needs but thinking right, and meaning well; And mourn our various portions as we please, Equal is Common Senfe, and Common Ease. Remember, Man," the Universal Caufe "Acts not by partial, but by gen'ral laws;" And makes what Happiness we juftly call Subfift not in the good of one, but all. There's not a bleffing Individuals find, 35 But fome way leans and hearkens to the kind: 49 VER. 23. Some funk to Beafts, etc.] These four lines added in the laft Edition, as neceffary to complete the fummary of the falfe pursuits after happiness amongst the Greek philofophers. Each has his share; and who would more obtain, Shall find, the pleasure pays not half the pain. ORDER is Heav'n's first law; and this confeft, 50 Some are, and must be, greater than the rest, More rich, more wife; but who infers from hence That fuch are happier, fhocks all common sense. Heav'n to Mankind impartial we confefs, If all are equal in their Happiness: But mutual wants this Happiness increase; Blifs is the fame in fubje&t or in king, 55 In him who is, or him who finds a friend: Heav'n breathes thro' ev'ry member of the whole If then to all Men Happiness was meant, Say not," Heav'n's here profufe, there poorly faves, After 66. in the MS. 'Tis peace of mind alone is at a stay: The reft mad Fortune gives or takes away. 60 65 Fortune her gifts may variously dispose, And these be happy call'd, unhappy thofe ; But Heav'n's juft balance equal will appear, While thofe are plac'd in Hope, and these in Fear : Not prefent good or ill, the joy or curfe, But future views of better, or of worse. Oh fons of earth! attempt ye ftill to rife, 71 By mountains pil'd on mountains, to the skies? 81 85 Who risk the moft, that take wrong means, or right? VARIATIONS. All other blifs by accident's debar'd; |