The young difeafe, which muft fubdue at length, 135 Grows with his growth, and ftrengthens with his ftrength: So, caft and mingled with his very frame, The Mind's disease, its ruling Paffion came; Each vital humour, which should feed the whole, Soon flows to this, in body and in foul: Whatever warms the heart, or fills the head, As Heaven's bleft beam turns vinegar more four. 140 145 150 Or from a judge turn pleader, to perfuade 155 Proud of an easy conqueft all along, She but removes weak paffions for the ftrong: So, when small humours gather to a gout, 160 The doctor fancies he has driv'n them out. And treat this paffion more as friend than foe; A mightier A mightier Power the ftrong direction fends, The merchant's toil, the fage's indolence, The monk's humility, the hero's pride, Th' Eternal Art, educing good from ill, As fruits, ungrateful to the planter's care, crops 165 176 175 180 185 From fpleen, from obftinacy, hate, or fear! See anger, zeal and fortitude supply; Ev'n avarice, prudence; floth, philosophy; Luft, through fome certain ftrainers well refin'd, 190 Nor Nor Virtue, male or female, can we name, But what will grow on Pride, or grow on Shame. Thus Nature gives us (let it check our pride) 195 The virtue nearest to our vice ally'd: Reason the byas turns to good from ill, This light and darkness in our chaos join'd, 200 VARIATIONS. After ver. 194, in the MS. How oft, with Paffion, Virtue points her Charms! For right or wrong, have mortals fuffer'd more? B His, who would fave a Sixpence, or his Soul? VOL. XLVI. E Extremes Extremes in Nature equal ends produce, In man they join to fome mysterious ufe; Though each by turns the other's bound invade, Where ends the Virtue, or begins the Vice. Fools! who from hence into the notion fall, As, to be hated, needs but to be feen; 205 210 215 Yet feen too oft, familiar with her face, 220 But where th' Extreme of Vice, was ne'er agreed: Afk where's the North? at York, 'tis on the Tweed; In Scotland, at the Orcades; and there, At Greenland, Zembla, or the Lord knows where. No creature owns it in the first degree, 225 But thinks his neighbour further gone than he: Ev'n VARIATIONS. After ver. 220, in the first Edition followed these : A Cheat! A Whore! who ftarts not at the name, The Colonel fwears the Agent is a dog; The Scrivener vows th' Attorney is a rogue. Against Ev'n those who dwell beneath its very zone, 230 Virtuous and vicious every Man must be, Few in th' extreme, but all in the degree; The rogue and fool by fits is fair and wife; And ev❜n the beft, by fits, what they despise. 'Tis but by parts we follow good or ill; 235 For, Vice or Virtue, Self directs it ftill; Each individual feeks a feveral goal; But Heaven's great view, is One, and that the Whole. That counter-works each folly and caprice; That disappoints th' effect of every vice: 240 That, happy frailties to all ranks apply'd; Shame to the virgin, to the matron pride; The joy, the peace, the glory of Mankind. VARIATIONS. Against the Thief th' Attorney loud inveighs, E 2 245 250 Bids |