Ζευς πυθμην γαίης τε και έρανε αστεροειλος: Ζευς αρσην γενείο, Ζευς αμβροτος επλέίο νύμφη. Ζευς βασιλευς, Ζευς αρκος · άπανων αρχικέραυνος. Πανίας γαρ κρυψας αυλις φαος ες πολυγηθες, NOR have we a lefs example of fublimity in the three preceding lines, which describe the univerfal confufion that must enfue, upon any alteration made in the entire and coherent plan of the creation. Let earth unbalanced from her orbit fly, It is very obfervable that these noble lines were added after the first edition. It is a pleasing amusement to trace out the alterations that a * Αρισοτέλης Περι Κοσμο, pag. 52. edit. Glafguz, 1745. + Ver. 251. great great writer gradually makes in his works. Many other parts of this epiftle have been judiciously amended and improved. At first it ran, How instinct varies! what a hog may want And again; What the advantage, if his finer eyes Which lines at present stand thus, How instinct varies in the grovling swine, Formerly it stood, No felf-confounding faculties to share; At present, No pow'rs of body or of foul to share, It appeared at first, Expatiate free o'er all this scene of man We read at prefent, A mighty maze! but not without a plan. 19. Submit. In this, or any other sphere, Or in the natal, or the mortal hour. * I cannot refift the pleasure of illustrating this fentiment in the words of a writer, whose friendship I esteem to be no small happiness and honour." Teach us each to regard himself, but as a part of this great whole; a part which for its welfare we are as patiently to refign, as we refign a fingle limb for the welfare of our whole body. Let our life be a continued scene of acquiefcence and of gratitude, for what we enjoy; of acquiefcence, in what we fuffer; as both can only be referable to that concatenated order of events, which cannot but be beft, as being by thee approved and chofen *." 20. All nature is but art, unknown to thee; All chance, direction which thou canst not fee; THIS is the doctrine that reigns throughout the lofty hymn of Cleanthes the Stoic, particularly in these beautiful and masculine verses. Ουδε τι γιγνείαι εργον επι χθονι σε διχα Δαίμων, Και κοσμειν τα ακοσμα και 8 φίλα σου φίλα εστιν. συνηρμονας εσθλα κακοίσιν, Ωσθ' ενα γιγνεσθαι πανίων λόγον αιεν ενίων δε 21. Chaos of thought and paffion, all confus'd; * Three Treatifes by James Harris, Efq; pag. 231. 9. Hymn. apud Hen. Steph. pag. 49. Created ; Created half to rife, and half to fall Ir was remarked long ago in the Adventurer *, that these reflexions were minutely copied from Pascal, who fays; "What a chimera then is man! what a confufed chaos! what a fubject of contradiction! a professed judge of all things, and yet a feeble worm of the earth! The great depofitary and guardian of truth, and yet a mere huddle of uncertainty! the glory and the scandal of the universe." 22. Superior beings when of late they saw A mortal man unfold all natures law, THE author of the letter on the Marks of imitation, is induced to think, from the fingularity of this fentiment, that the great poet had his eye on Plato ; ότι ανθρωπων ὁ σοφωλαίος προς θεον πίθηκος φανείται. But I am more in + Epift. ii. v. 13. * No. 63. + Ver. 34. |