Alexander Pope

Essay on Man Alexander Pope

Book Excerpt: ...part contain the whole?Is the great chain, that draws all to agree, And drawn supports, upheld by God, or thee?II. Presumptuous man! the reason wouldst thou find, Why formed so weak, so little, and so blind?First, if thou canst, the harder reason guess, Why formed no weaker, blinder, and no less; Ask of thy mother earth, why oaks are madeTaller or stronger than the weeds they shade?Or ask of yonder argent fields above, Why Jove's satellites are less than Jove?Of systems possible, if 'tis confestThat wisdom infinite must form the best, Where all must full or not coherent be, And all that rises, rise in due degree; Then in the scale of reasoning life, 'tis plain, There must be, somewhere, such a rank as man: And all the question (wrangle e'er so long) Is only this, if God has placed him wrong?Respecting man, whatever wrong we call, May, must be right, as relative to all. In human works, though laboured