ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Effay on Man was intended to have been

comprised in Four Books:

The First of which, the Author has given us under that title, in four Epiftles.

The Second was to have confifted of the fame number: 1. Of the extent and limits of human Reason. 2. Of thofe Arts and Sciences, and of the parts of them, which are useful and therefore attainable, together with those which are unuseful, and therefore unattainable. 3. Of the Nature, Ends, Ufe, and Application of the different Capacities of Men. 4. Of the Ufe of Learning, of the Science of the World, and of Wit; concluding with a Satire against a Mifapplication of them illuftrated by Pictures, Characters, and Examples.

The Third Book regarded Civil Regimen, or the Science of Politics, in which the feveral forms of a Republic were to be examined and explained; together with the feveral Modes of Religious Worship, as far forth as they affect Society; between which the Author always fuppofed there was the most interesting relation, and clofeft connection; fo that this part would have treated of Civil and Religious Society in their full extent.

The Fourth and laft Book concerned private Ethics, or practical Morality, confidered

in all the Circumstances, Orders, Professions, and Stations of human Life.

The Scheme of all this had been maturely digefted, and communicated to L. Bolingbroke, Dr. Swift, and one or two more, and was intended for the only work of his riper Years but was, partly, through ill health, partly, through difcouragements from the depravity of the times, and partly, on prudential and other confiderations, interruptad, poftponed, and, lastly, in a manner, laid

afide.

:

But as this was the Author's favourite Work, which more exactly reflected the Image of his ftrong capacious Mind, and as we can have but a very imperfect idea of it from the disjećta membra Poet& that now remain, it may not be amils to be a little more particular concerning each of thefe projected books.

The First, as it treats of Man in the abstract, and confiders him in general under every of his relations, becomes the foundation and furnishes out the subjects, of the three following; fo that:

The Second Book was to take up again the Firft and Second Epiftles of the first Book, and treats of Man in his intellectual Capacity at large, as has been explained above. Of this, only a fmall part of the conclufion (which, as we faid, was to have contained a Satire against the mifapplication of Wit and Learning) may be found in the Fourth Book of the Dunciad,

and up and down, occafionally, in the other three.

The Third Book, in like manner, was to reaffume the fubject of the Third Epistle of the First, which treats of Man in his Social, Political, and Religious Capacity. But this part the Poet afterwards conceived might be best executed in an Epic Poem; as the Action would make it more animated, and the Fable less invidious; in which all the great Principles of true and falfe Governments and Religions should be chiefly delivered in feigned Examples.

The Fourth and laft Book was to pursue the fubject of the Fourth Epistle of the First, and treats of Ethics, or practical Morality; and would have confifted of many members; of which the four following Epiftles were detached Portions: the two first, on the Characters of Men and Women, being the introductory part of this concluding Book.

ARGUMENT
K;

MORAL ESSAYS.

EPISTLE I

то

Sir Richard Temple, L. Cobham.

ARGUMENT.

Of the Knowledege and Characters of Men.

THAT it is not fufficient for this knowledge to confider Man in the Abstract: Books will not ferve the purpose, nor yet our own Experience fingly, ver. 1. General maxims, unless they be formed upon both, will be but notional, ver. 10. Some Peculiarity in every Man, characteristic to himfelf, yet varying from himself, ver. 15. Difficulties arising from our own Paffions, Fancies, Faculties etc. ver. 31. The Shortness of Life to obferve in, and

the Uncertainty of the Principles of Action in Men to obferve by, ver. 37, etc. Our own Principle of Action often hid from ourfelves, ver. 41. Some few Characters plain, but in general confounded, diffembled, or inconfiftent, ver. 51. The fame Man utterly different in different places and seasons, ver. 71. Unimaginable weaknesses in the greateft, ver. 77, etc. Nothing conftant and certain but God and Nature, ver. 95. No judging of the Motives from the Actions; the fame Actions proceeding from contrary Motives, and the fame Motives influencing contrary Actions, ver. 100. II. Yet to form Characters, we can only take the strongeft actions of a Man's life, and try to make them agree: The utter uncertainty of this, from Nature itfelf, and from Policy, ver. 120. Characters given acording to the rank of Men of the world, ver. 135. And fome reafon for it, ver. 140. Education alters the Nature or at leaft Character, of many ver. 149, Actions, Paffions, Opi nions, Manners, Humours, or Principles, all fubject to change. No judging by Nature, from ver. 158. to ver. 174 III. It only remains to find (if we can) his Ruling Paffion That will certainly influence all the reft, and can reconcile the seeming or real inconfiftency of all his Actions, ver. 175. Inftanced in the extraordinary character of Wharton,ver. 179,A caution against mistak