Part 11 (1/2)

_Ingenuas didicisse fideliter artes Emollit mores_

OVID

Those inferior duties of life which the French call _les petites uished by the naeneral notion of it, to be a sort of artificial good sense, adapted to the meanest capacities, and introduced to make mankind easy in their cos, without so into a thousand indecencies and irregularities in behavior; and in their ordinary conversation, fall into the sast them when a debauch hath quite taken away the use of their reason In other instances, it is odd to consider, that for want of co is wholly perverted; and civility, intended tochains and fetters upon us, in debarring us of our wishes, and in crossing our neth chiefly in the country, as I found to my vexation, when I was last there, in a visit I hbor about two miles from my cousin As soon as I entered the parlor, they put e fire, and kept me there by force, until I was alreat hurry to pull offthat I ood lady whispered her eldest daughter, and slipped a key into her hand The girl returned instantly with a beer-glass half full of _aqua illyflowers I took as much as I had a mind for; but madam avowed I should drink it off--for she was sure it would doout of the cold air--and I was forced to obey; which absolutely took away my stomach When dinner came in, I had a mind to sit at a distance from the fire; but they told me it was as ainst it Although one, I resolved to force down asof a pullet ”Indeed, Mr Bickerstaff,” says the lady, ”you e me;” and so put a couple uponthe whole meal As often as I called for sht me a brimmer of October Some time after dinner, I ordered et ready the horses; but it was resolved I should not stir that night; and when I see, they ordered the stable door to be locked; and the children hid my cloak and boots The next question hat I would have for supper I said I never ate anything at night; but was at last, inthat caies forto me, ”that this was the worst tireat distance from any market; that they were afraid I should be starved; and that they knew they kept me to my loss,” the lady went, and left me to her husband--for they took special care I should never be alone As soon as her back was turned, the little misses ran backward and forward every moment; and constantly as they came in, or went out, ood manners, I was forced to return with a bow, and, ”Your huht the mother came up, and discovered by the redness of her face that supper was not far off It ice as large as the dinner, and my persecution doubled in proportion I desired, at o to entleman, his lady, and the whole train of children They i before I went to bed; and upon o_, as they called it, for fear I should wake and be thirsty in the night I was forced in theto rise and dress myself in the dark, because they would not suffer my kinsman's servant to disturb me at the hour I desired to be called I was now resolved to break through alldown to a ues, venison-pasty, and stale-beer, took leave of the faentleman would needs see rounds, which he toldThis last piece of civility had like to have costover his ditches, and at last forced to alight in the dirt; whenslipped his bridle, ran away, and took us up ain It is evident that none of the absurdities I met with in this visit proceeded froment of complaisance, and a misapplication in the rules of it

XVII FROM THE ”ESSAY ON MAN”[B]

ALEXANDER POPE--1688-1744

Heaven froe prescrib'd, their present state; From brutes whathere below?

The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play?

Pleas'd to the last, he crops the flowery food, And licks the hand just rais'd to shed his blood

O blindness to the future! kindly given, That each may fill the circle mark'd by heaven; Who sees with equal eye, as God of all, A hero perish, or a sparrow fall, Atoms or systems into ruin hurl'd, And now a bubble burst, and noorld

Hope hureat teacher Death; and God adore

What future bliss he gives not thee to know, But gives that hope to be thy blessing now

Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be, blest

The soul, uneasy and confin'd from home, Rests and expatiates in a life to come

Lo, the poor Indian! whose untutor'd mind Sees God in clouds, or hears hiht to stray Far as the solar walk, or iven, Behind the cloud-topt hill, an humbler heaven; Some safer world in depth of woods embraced, Some happier island in the watery waste, Where slaves once more their native land behold, No fiends torold

To be, contents his natural desire; He asks no angel's wing, no seraph's fire; But thinks, ad shall bear him company

What if the foot, ordain'd the dust to tread, Or hand, to toil, aspir'd to be the head?

What if the head, the eye, or ear repin'd To servemind?

Just as absurd for any part to claieneral frareat directing Mind of All ordains

All are but parts of one stupendous whole, Whose body Nature is, and God the soul; That changed through all, and yet in all the same, Great in the earth, as in the ethereal frame, Warms in the sun, refreshes in the breeze, Glows in the stars, and blossoh all extent, Spreads undivided, operates unspent; Breathes in our soul, informs our mortal part, As full, as perfect, in a hair as heart; As full, as perfect, in vile man that mourns, As the rapt seraph that adores and burns: To hireat, no small; He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all

All nature is but art unknown to thee; All chance, direction, which thou canst not see; All discord, harood: And spite of pride, in erring reason's spite, One truth is clear, _Whatever is, is right_

Vice is a htful mien, As, to be hated, needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace

Virtuous and vicious every ree: The rogue and fool by fits is fair and wise; And even the best by fits what they despise

Behold the child, by Nature's kindly law, Pleas'd with a rattle, tickled with a straw: Soht, A little louder, but as ee, And beads and prayer-books are the toys of age: Pleas'd with this bauble still, as that before, Till tired he sleeps, and life's poor play is o'er

Has God, thou fool! work'd solely for thy good Thy joy, thy pastime, thy attire, thy food?

Who for thy table feeds the wanton fawn, For him as kindly spreads the flowery lawn

Is it for thee the lark ascends and sings?

Joy tunes his voice, joy elevates his wings

Is it for thee the linnet pours his throat?

Loves of his own and raptures swell the note

The bounding steed you pompously bestride Shares with his lord the pleasure and the pride