THOUGHTS

ON

VARIOUS SUBJECTS.

BY MR. POPE.*

Party is the madness of many, for the gain of a few.

There never was any party, faction, sect, or cabal whatsoever, in which the most ignorant were not the most violent; for a bee is not a busier animal than a blockhead. However, such instruments are necessary to politicians; and perhaps it may be with states as withi clocks, which must have some dead weiglit hanging at them to help and regulate the motion of the finer and more useful parts.

To endeavour to work upon the vulgar with fine sense, is like altempting to hew blocks with a razor. Fipe seuse apd exalted sense are not half so useful ag common sense : there are forty men of wit to one man of seuse : and he that will carry nothing about him but gold, will be every day at a loss for want of readier change.

Learning is like mercury, one of the most powerful and excellent things in the world in skilsul hands: in upskilful, the most mischievous.

The nicest constitations of goverument are often like the finest pieces of clockwork; which, depending on so many motions, are therefore more subject to be out of order.

Every man has just as much vanity as he wants understanding

Modesty, if it were to be recommended for nothing else; this were enough, that the pretending to little, leaves a man at ease; whereas boasting requires perpetual labour to appear what he is not. If we have sense, modesty best proves it to others: if we have none, it best hides our want of it. For, as blushing will sometimes make a whore pass for a virtuous woman, so modesty may make a fool seem a man of seuse.

It is not so much the being exempt from faults, as the having overcome them, that is an advantage to us: it being with the follies of the mind, as with the seeds of a field, which, if destroyed and consumed upon the place of their birth, eorich and improve it more than if bone had ever sprung there.

To pardon those absurdities in ourselves, which we cannot suffer in others, is neither better por worse than to be more willing to be fools ourselves than to have others so.

A man sliould never be ashamed to owo he has been in the wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that he is wiser to-day than he was yesterday.

Our passions are like convulsion fits, which, though they make us stronger for the time, leave us weaker ever after.

To be angry, is to revenge the fault of others upok ourselves.

A brave man thiuks no one his superior who does him an injury; for he has it then in his power to make himself superior to the other, by forgiving it.

To relieve the oppressed, is the most glorious act a man is capable of; it is in some measure doing the business of God and Providence.

Superstition is the spleen of the soul.

Atheists put on a false courage and alacrity in the midst of their darkness and apprehensions : like children, who, when they go in the dark, will sing for fear.

An athiest is but a mad, ridiculous. derider of piety : but a hypocrite makes a sober jest of God and religion. He finds it easier to be upon his knees, than to rise to do a good action ; like an impudent debtor, who goes every day and talks familiarly to his creditor, without ever paying what he owes.

What Tully says of war, may be applied to disputing; it should be always so managed as to remember, that the only end of it is peace : but generally true disputants are like true sportsmen, their whole delight is in the pursuit: and a disputant no more cares for the truth, than the sportsman for the hare. - The scripture, in time of disputes, is like an open town in time of war, which serves iodifferently the occasions of both parties : each makes use of it for the present turn, and then resigns it to the next comer to do the same.

Such as are still observing upon others, are like those who are always abroad at other men's houses, reforming every thing there, while their own rug to ruin.

When men grow virtuous in their old age, they only make a sacrifice to God of the devil's leavings.

When we are young, we are slavishly employed in procuring something whereby we may live comfortably when we grow old ; and when we are old we perceive it is too late to live as we proposed.

People are scandalized, if one laughs at what they call a serious thing. Suppose I were to have my head

cut off tomorrow, and all the world were talking of it to-day, yet why might not I laugh to think, what a bus tle is there about my head ?

The greatest advantage I know of being thought a wit by the world, is, that it gives one the greater freedom of playing the fool.

We ought, in humanity, no more to despise a man for the misfortunes of the mind, than for those of the body, when they are such as he cannot help. Were this thoFoughly considered, we should no more laugh at one for having his brains cracked, than for having his head broke.

A man of wit is not incapable of business, but above it. A sprightly generous horse is able to carry a packsaddle as well as an ass, but he is too good to be put to the drudgery.

Wherever I find a great deal of gratitude in a poor man, I take it for granted, there would be as much ge nerosity if he were a rich man.

Flowers of rhetoric, in sermons and serious discourses, are like the blue and red flowers in corn, pleas ing to them who come only for amusement, but prejudicial to him who would reap the profit.

When two people complimevt each other with the choice of any thing, each of them generally gets that which he likes least.

He who tells a lie is not sensible how great a task he undertakes; for he must be forced to invent twenty more to maintain that one.

Giving advice is, many times, only the privilege of saying a foolish thing one's self, under pretence of hindering another from doing one.

It is with followers at court as with followers on the road, who first bespatter those that go before, and then tread on their heels.

False happiness is like false money ; it passes for a time as well as the true, and serves some ordinary oecasions : but when it is brought to the touch, we find the lightness and allay, and feel the loss.

Dastardly men are like 'sorry horses, who have but just spirit and mettle enough left to be mischievous.

Some people will never learn any thing, for this reason, because they understand every thing too soon. A

person who is too nice an observer of the business of the crowd, like one who is too curious in observing the labour of the bees, will often be stung for bis curiosity.

A man of business may talk of philosophy, a man who has none may practise it.*

There are some solitary wretches, who seem to have left the rest of mankind, only as Eve left Adam, to meet the devil in private.

The vanity of human life is like a river, constantly passing away, and yet constantly coming on.

I seldom see a noble building, or any great piece of magnificence and pomp, but I thiok, how little is all this to satisfy the ambition, or to fill the idea, of an immortal soul !

It is a certain truth, that a man is never so easy, ok so little imposed upon, as among people of the best sense : it costs far more trouble to be admitted or continued ia ill company than in good ; as the former have less understanding to be employed, so they have more vanity to be pleased ; and to keep a fool constantly in good humour with himself, and with others, is so very easy task.

The difference between what is commonly called ordinary company and good company, is only hearing the