Infer the Motive from the Deed, and fhew,

ΙΟΙ

That what we chanc'd was what we meant to do.
Behold! If Fortune or a Mistress frowns,
Some plunge in bus'ness, others fhave their crowns:
To ease the Soul of one oppreffive weight,
This quits an Empire, that embroils a State:
The same aduft complexion has impeli'd
Charles to the Convent, Philip to the Field.

COMMENTARY.

105

have employed in furmounting those difficulties. He had, in the Introduction, fpoken of the abfurd conduct of both, in defpifing the affiftance of each other: He now juftifies his cenfure by an examination of their peculiar doctrines; and, to take them in their own way, confiders them, as they would be confidered, Separately. And first, of the Philofopher, whose principal miftake is in fuppofing that Actions beft decipher the Motive of the actor. This he confutes (from 98 to 109) by fhewing that different Actions proceed often from the fame motive; whether of accident, as difappointed views; or of temperature, as an adust complexion; which he thus illuftrates,

Behold! If Fortune or a Mistress frowns, &c.

In judging therefore of Motives by Actions, the Philofopher must needs be frequently mifled; because the paffion or appetite, which, when impelling to Action, we call the Motive, may be equally gratified in the pursuit of quite different measures.

110

Not always Actions fhew the man: we find Who does a kindness, is not therefore kind; Perhaps Prosperity becalm'd his breast, Perhaps the Wind just shifted from the east : Not therefore humble he who seeks retreat, Pride guides his steps, and bids him shun the great Who combats bravely is not therefore brave, 115 He dreads a death-bed like the meanest slave:

COMMENTARY.

VER. 109. Not always Actions fhew the man: &c.] The Philofopher's fecond mistake is, that Actions decipher the Character of the actor. This too, the author confutes (from 108 to 135) and, as in correcting the foregoing mistake, he proved, that different Actions often proceed from the fame Motive; fo here he proves, that the fame Action often proceeds from different Motives; thus a kind Action, he obferves, as commonly arifes from the accidents of profperity or fine weather, as from a natural difpofition to humanity; a modest Action, as well from pride, as humility; a brave Action, as eafily from habit or fashion, as magnanimity; and a prudent Action as often from vanity, as wifdom. Now the Character being really determined by the Motives, and various, nay contrary Motives producing the fame Action, the Action can never decipher the Character of the actor. But further (continues the poet) if we attend to what has been said, we shall difcover another circumftance in the cafe, that will not only make it extremely difficult, but abfolutely impracticable to decipher the Character by the Action; and that is, the difcordancy of Action in the fame Character; a neceffary consequence of the two principles proved above, that different Actions proceed from the fame Motive, and that the fame Action proceeds from different Motives.

NOTES.

contrary to their Character; Charles, who was an active man, when he retired into a

Convent; Philip, who was a man of the Closet, when he gave the battle of St. Quintin.

Who reasons wifely is not therefore wife,

His pride in Reas'ning, not in Acting lies.

But grant that Actions best discover man; 119 Take the most strong, and fort them as you can. The few that glare each character must mark, You balance not the many in the dark. What will you do with fuch as difagree? Suppress them, or mifcall them Policy? Must then at once (the character to fave) The plain rough Hero turn a crafty Knave?

COMMENTARY.

125

VER. 119. But grant that Actions &c.] If you will judge of man by his Actions, you are not to felect fuch only as you like, or can manage, you must fairly take all you find: But, when you have got these together, they will prove fo very difcordant that no confiftent Character can poffibly be made out of them. What is then to be done? Will you fupprefs all those you cannot reconcile to the few capital Actions which you chuse for the foundation of your Character? But this the laws of truth will not permit. Will you then miscall them? and fay they were not the natural workings of the man, but the disguises of the politician? But what will you get by that, but reverfing the best known Character, and making the owner of it the direct oppofite of himfelf? And this (fays our author) the reasoning and philofophic hiftorian has been always ready to do with the Actions of great men; of which he gives two famous inftances in the life of Cæfar. The conclufion, from the whole, is, that Actions do not fhew the Man.

NOTES.

VER.117. Who reafons wife- | ly &c.] By reasoning is not here meant fpeculating; but deliberating and refoving in

public counfels; for this inftance is given as one, of a variety of actions.

Alas! in truth the man but chang'd his mind,
Perhaps was fick, in love, or had not din'd.
Afk why from Britain Cæfar would retreat?
Cæfar himself might whisper he was beat.
Why risk the world's great empire for a Punk?
Cæfar perhaps might answer he was drunk.
task to prove

But, fage historians! 'tis your

One action Conduct; one, heroic Love.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 129. in the former Editions,

Afk why from Britain Cæfar made retreat?
Cæfar himself would tell you he was beat.
The mighty Czar what mov'd to wed a Punk?

The mighty Czar would tell you he was drunk.

130

Alter'd as above, because Cæfar wrote his Commentaries of this war, and does not tell you he was beat. As Cæfar too afforded an inftance of both cafes, it was thought better to make him the fingle Example.

NOTES.

VER. 130. Cafar himself | world's great empire for a might whisper he was beat.] Cæfar wrote his Commentaries, in imitation of the Greek Generals, for the entertainment of the world: But had his friend afked him, in his ear, the reafon of his fudden retreat from Britain, after so many fignal victories, we have caufe to fufpect, even from his own public relation of that matter, that he would have whiffer'd he was beat.

VER. 131. Why rifque the

Punk?] After the battle of Pharfalia, Cæfar pursued his enemy to Alexandria, where being infatuated with the charms of Cleopatra, instead of pushing his advantages, and difperfing the relicks of the Pharfalian quarrel, having narrowly efcaped the violence of an enraged people, he brought upon himself an unneceffary war, at a time his arms were most wanted elsewhere.

;

'Tis from high Life high Characters are drawn
A Saint in Crape is twice a Saint in Lawn; 136
A Judge is juft, a Chanc'lor jufter ftill;
A Gownman, learn'd; a Bishop, what you will;
Wife, if a Minister; but, if a King,

More wife, more learn'd, more juft, more ev'ry thing.
Court-virtues bear, like Gems,the highest rate, 141
Born where Heav'n's influence fcarce can penetrate:
In life's low vale, the foil the Virtues like,
They please as beauties, here as wonders strike.

COMMENTARY.

VER. 135. 'Tis from high Life, &c.] The poet having done with the Philofopher, now turns to the Man of the world; whose first mistake is in fuppofing men's true Characters may be known by their ftation. This, tho' a mere mob-opinion, is the opinion in fashion, and cherished by the Mob of all ranks; therefore, tho' beneath the poet's reafoning, he thought it deferving of his ridicule; and the strongest was what he gives (from 134 to 141) a naked expofition of the fact; to which he has fubjoined (from 140 to 149) an ironical apology, that, as Virtue is cultivated with infinitely more labour in Courts than in

Gem is for its durability. But does he not fee it is equally for its rarity; and that when once a Court-virtue rifes and comes in the way of fuch a lover of it as our poet, it feldom fets again, but bids fair for being immortal?