first estate, began his being under the especial direction of a revelation; but, rather, that Το copy instinct then was reason's part.' And he sends our early progenitors to learn arts and sciences from the animal world, sooner than we can think the animal world could be so considered as to afford them this knowledge." In like manner, he appears to think, that sacrifices of the living Pope's Essay upon Man, Ep. iii. ver. 171. m Solomon, indeed, bids his sluggard go to the ant, consider her ways, and be wise, Prov. vi. 6. And it is natural to think, that Solomon, who had searched deep into nature, (see 1 Kings iv. 33,) should offer this instruction. But to think that mankind had not sought out many inventions; but were without work, device, and contrivance of their own, until they had observed the instinct of the creatures, is extremely improbable. That he, who "primus per artem movit agros," (Virgil); "learned of the mole to plough," (Pope's Essay, ver. 178); or that Cain formed the plan or building of his city, Enoch, (Gen. iv. 17,) from any observations of the bee, her little cells, lodgements, and structures, is a wild imagination: and, I dare say, had creatures were not offered in the first times. He represents, that "the shrine" was now "with gore unstained,"" that " unbloody stood the harmless priest." He has these and some other sentiments in the third epistle, which, to me, do not seem entirely to accord with other parts of his poem. might guess from one maxim hinted go, and thus o'er all the creatures sway, Thus let the wiser make the rest obey;" If I he seems to suppose, that a superior under Solomon had no ships to send to Ophir, until men had learned of the little Nautilus to sail, Spread the thin oar, and catch the driving gale, POPE'S Essay, ver. 179. he would have brought no gold to Jerusalem. Men had invented a great many arts of their own, before they could observe what, in any wise, corresponded with them in the creatures: though we may perhaps well allow, that when they thus came to look from themselves to the creatures, reflections might arise to teach them to correct art by nature, and to add to their own inventions a regularity and improvement which otherwise they might not have thought of. Pope's Essay, ver. 157. • Ver. 158. standing gives a right of dominion; a thought diffused so largely in the 'imagi Lord Bolingbroke hints to us, that "the author of nature has mingled among the societies of men, a few, and but a few of those, on whom he is graciously pleased to bestow a larger proportion of the ethereal spirit, than is given in the ordinary course of his providence to the sons of men. These are they, who ingross almost the whole reason of the species; who are born to instruct, to guide, and to preserve; who are design. ed to be the tutors and the guardians of human kind.” See Letter on the Spirit of Patriotism, p. 10. I am at a loss what to say of this random sentiment. It seems to me to want more explication, and the application of it to be guarded and regulated, beyond what one would expect of any thing said by a wise man. If the ethereal genii of the age happen in any country not to have either the reins of government, nor the chair, seat, or bench, to guide, direct, and give law to mankind; and surely many of them often have not; and I can apprehend it sometimes for the good of the world that they have not; there is a far more useful principle to be thought of, than that these wise should try to make the rest obey; namely, that every one should study to be quiet, and mind his own business, in the duties of that station in life which happens to belong to him. It must undoubtedly be a great blessing to the world, when those, who have the power over others, are the truly wise; but the happiness of mankind can never have nation of his admired statesman, whom he stiles His friend, his genius. Master of the poet, and the song, r that I should think, much of what we find any permanency, unless those, who cannot attain what they happen to think their genius most fit for, know how to govern themselves wisely, and be patterns to others to teach them the same thing. These ethereal gentlemen, acting otherwise, have often occasioned great convulsions in the world; and many times, when they get that power for which they strive, and make the rest obey; they are neither the public blessing they think, nor perhaps do they perform any great and real good even to themselves. Our author's sentiment. seems no better, than a not well digested refinement of a notion found amongst the heathen disputants; viz. that mankind are born, some with endowments to rule and govern, others with capacities fit for servitude only: that where the rulers of states find such, as, though born for servitude, will not submit to it; a war upon these is but a lawful hunting, to take men, as we do, by a like exercise, the beasts of the field, to sort and reduce them to their proper application. Nimrod was perhaps a mighty hunter of this sort, and hereby raised himself to a kingdom, Gen. x. 9. But how far any thing of his nature can be useful or right, I shall submit to further consideration. Pope's Essay, Ep. iv. ver. 368. from about the 147th line of the third epistle, to the 216th, was written upon anecdotes given to the poet, and in respect to him, who gave them, well ornamented; but they have not that firmness and stability, which can be given to nothing but what is true. It would be going absolutely from the subject, in which I am engaged, to examine all Mr. Pope's positions, which might be here stated. One of them, indeed, I am more particularly concerned in, namely, the Origin of Sacrifices. I have supposed that sacrifices of the living creatures had been appointed from the time of our first parents' transgression; and what I have offered upon this topic has been replied to at large. I hope I shall not mispend a few pages, if I endeavour to clear this matter. |