WHILST I am tranfcribing this exalted defcription of the omniprefence of the Deity, I feel myself almost tempted to retract an affertion in the beginning of this work, that there is nothing transcendently fublime in POPE. These lines have all the energy and harmony that can be given to rhyme. They bear fo marvellous a fimilitude to the old Orphic verfes quoted in the valuable treatile Περι Κοσμο, that I cannot forbear introducing them, as they are curious and fublime.

Ζευς τρόζος γενίτο, Ζευς ύδατος αρχικέραυνος -
Ζευς κεφαλη, Ζευς μεσσα· Διος δ' εκ παντα τελυκλα
Ζευς πυθμην γαίης τε και κρασι αστερούντος

Ζευς αρσην γενείο, Ζευς αμβροτος επλέζο νύμφη.
Ζευς που παίζων, Ζευς αναμαζε πυρος ορμπ
Ζευς πουλι ρίζα, Ζευς ήλιος, ηδε σελήνη·
Ζευς βασιλευς, Ζευς αρχος άπανων αρχικέραυνος.
Πανίας γαρ κρυψας αύζις φάος ες πολυγηθες
Εξ ἱερης κραδώς ανενεγκάτο μερμέρα ρέζων.

NOR have we a lefs example of fublimity in the three preceding lines, which defcribe the universal confufion that must enfue,

Aptrarians Tepi Korμs, pag. 378. edit. Lugduni. fol. 1590.

upon

upon any alteration made in the entire and coherent plan of the creation.

Let earth unbalanced from her orbit fy,
Planets and funs rush lawless thro” the (ky
Let ruling angels from their fphere's be hun;
Being on being wreck'd, and world on world
CHAISTO JA
Heav'n's whole foundations to their centre nod
And nature tremble to the throne of God •;

It is very obfervable that these noble lines were added after the first edition. It is a pleafing amufement to trace qut the alterations that a great writer gradually makes in his works. Many other parts of this epiftle have been judiciously amended and improved. At first it ran,

How inftinct varies! what a hog may want
Compar’d with thine, half-reas?ning elephant:

And again;

What the advantage, if his finer eyes I
Study a mite, not comprehend: the skies.
Which lines at prefent ftand thus,

How inftinct varies in the grovling swine.
Compar'd, half-reas'ning elephant, with thine,

Say what the use, were finer optics giv❜n,
T' infpect a mite, not comprehend the heav'n.

Formerly it flood,

No. Glf.confounding faculties to share;
No fenfes ftronger than his brain can bear.

At prefent,

No pow'rs of body or of foul to share,
But what his nature and his state can bear.

It appeared at first,

Expatiate free o'er all this scene of man,
A mighty maze! of walks without a plan.

We read at prefent,

A mighty maze! but not without a plan. 19. Submit. In this, or any other sphere. Secure to be as blest as thou canst bear : Safe in the band of one disposing pow'r Or in the natal, or the mortal hour*

I cannot refift the pleasure of illuftrating this fentiment in the words of a writer, whofe friendship I esteem to be no fmall happiness and honour. "Teach us each to regard himself, but as a part of this

• Ver. 285.

great

great whole; a part which for its welfarè 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; 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 best, as being by thee approved and chofen."

20. All nature is but art, unknown to thee;

All chance, direction which thou canst not fee;
All difcord, harmony not underflood

All partial evil, universal good †.

THIS is the doctrine that reigns throughout the lofty hymn of Cleanthes the Stoic, particularly in these beautiful and mafculine verfes,

Ουδε τι γιγνεται έργον επι χθονι σε διχα Δαίμων,
Ουδε κατ' αιθεριου θείον πολοι, ετ' επι πολω,
Πλην όποσα ριζεσι κακοί σφετέρησιν ανοίαις,

Αλλά συ και τα περισσα επίστασαι αργία θείναι,
Και κοσμείν τα ακοσμα και η φίλα σαι φίλα εστιτό

• Three Treatifes by James Harris, Efq; pag. 231

+ Ver 289

ΩΛ

Ο' Α' γαρ εἷς ἂν ἀπάντα συνηρμοκας εσθλα κακοισιν,
Ωσθ' ένα γιγνεσθαι παίζων λόγον αιεν εοντων.
Thus tranflated by Mr. Weft ;

For nor in earth, nor earth-encircling floods,
Nor yon æthereal pole, the feat of gods,
Is aught performed without thy aid divine,
Strength, wisdom, virtue, mighty Jove, are thine.!
Vice is the act of man, by paffion toft,
And in the thoreless sea of folly loft ;
But thou, what vice disorders, canst compose,
And profit by the malice of thy focs;
So blending good with evil, fair with foul,
As thence to model one harmonious WHOLE.

21. Chaos of thought and paffion, all confus'd;
Still by himself abus’d, or disabus'd;

Created half to rife, and half to fall;
Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all;
Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl'd:
The glory, jeft and riddle of the world + !

Ir was remarked long ago in the Adventurer, that these reflexions were minutely copied from Pascal, who says

• Hymn. apud Hen. Steph. pag. 49.

See to this purpose a fine paffage in Plutarch de Animi Tranquillit. in vol. ii. pag. 473.474. fol. Francfourti, 1620. Particularly the paffage of Euripides there quoted.

+ Epift. ii. v. 13.

VOL. II.

* No. 63.

G

" What