That mine to speak, and theirs was to obey; 685 Mofes eclips'd, and Jeffe's fon excell'd. Humble a second bow'd, and took the word; 690 O live, faid he, thou wifeft of the wife; Parent of wicked, bane of honeft deeds, 695 700 All veil of doubt apart, the dullest see ! My prophets and my fophifts finish'd here 705 The civil efforts of the verbal war : Divide the fimple, and the plain define; 710 Fix Fix fancy'd laws, and form imagin'd rules, Soon their crude notions with each other fought O wretched impotence of human mind! Why doft thou strive the conscious shame to hide With outward fmiles their flattery I receiv'd; : 730 715 720 } 725 735 Light flew the knowing fcale; the doubtful heavy weigh'd. Forc'd by reflective reason, I confess, That human fcience is uncertain guefs. 740 Alas! Alas! we grafp at clouds, and beat the air, Can thought beyond the bounds of matter climb ? To what our Maker to their ken denies : The fearcher follows faft; the object fafter flies. 745 745} 750 How narrow limits were to wisdom given! And from the fummit of a pathlefs coaft Remember, that the curs'd defire to know, Which flaming fwords and angry cherubs guard? 760 765 TEXTS CHIEFLY ALLUDED TO IN BOOK II. "I faid in my own heart, Go to now, I will prove thee “with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure.” Eccl. ii. 1. "I made me great works, I builded me houses, I "planted me vineyards." Ver. 4. "I made me gardens and orchards; and I planted trees "in them of all kind of fruits." Ver. 5. "I made me pools of water, to water therewith the "wood that bringeth forth trees." Ver. 6. "Then I looked on all the works that my hands had "wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: "And behold all was vanity, and vexation of spirit; " and there was no profit under the fun.” Ver. 11. "I gat me men-fingers and women-fingers, and the de"lights of the fons of men, as musical instruments, " and that of all forts." Ver. 8. "I fought in mine heart to give myself unto wine (yet "acquainting mine heart with wisdom) and to lay "hold on folly, till I might fee what was that good "for the fons of men, which they fhould do under "Heaven, all the days of their life.” Ver. 3. "Then I faid in my heart, As it happeneth unto the fool, fo it happeneth even unto me; and why was "I then more wife? Then I faid in my heart, that "this alfo is vanity.” Ver. 15. "Therefore I hated life, because the work that is wrought "under the fun is grievous unto me." Ch. ii. ver. 27. "Dead flies cause the ointment to fend forth a stinking "favour: fo doth the little folly him that is in repu"tation for wisdom and honour." Chap. x. ver. 1. The memory of the just is blessed, but the memory of the wicked fhall rot." Proverbs, ch. x. ver. 7. PLEA ASURE: THE SECOND BOOK. THE ARGUMENT. Solomon, again feeking happinefs, enquires if wealth and greatness can produce it: begins with the magnificence of gardens and buildings, the luxury of mufick and feafting; and proceeds to the hopes and defires of Love. In two epifodes are fhewn the follies and troubles of that paffion. Solomon, ftill difappointed, falls under the temptations of Libertinifm and Idolatry; recovers his thought; reafons aright; and concludes, that, as to the pursuit of pleasure and sensual delight, All is Vanity and Vexation of Spirit. RY then, O man, the moments to deceive, TR That from the womb attend thee to the grave: For weary'd nature find some apter fcheme : Health be thy hope; and Pleasure be thy theme. Where ftudy brings thee; from the endless maze, 5 Το |