The Works of Alexander Pope, Volume 2 (of 10): Poetry - Volume 2Pope, Alexander
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The Works of Alexander Pope, Volume 2 (of 10): Poetry - Volume 2
Pope, Alexander
English poetry -- 18th century
The poet proceeds to unfold more particularly "what the happiness of
individuals is, as far as is consistent with the constitution of this
world."[899] All the good that God meant for mankind, "all the joys of
sense, all the pleasures of reason, lie in three words,--health, peace,
and competence."[900] The passage was versified from Bolingbroke, who
for "health" has "health of body," for "peace" has "tranquillity of
mind," and for "competence" has "competency of wealth."[901] Social
intercourse and liberty must be added to the list, or "all the joys of
sense," and all "the pleasures of reason" are compatible with solitary
confinement. Pope flings aside his previous doctrines. Four lines
earlier every individual who had the misfortune to possess "all the joys
of sense" was the slave of fear. Now these accompaniments are pronounced
essential to happiness. Lately happiness was independent of externals,
and now health of body and competency of wealth are declared to be
indispensable. Pope's change of front did not strengthen his position.
As health, peace, and competence are necessary to happiness they must be
constant attendants on worth, or his paradox that happiness is
proportioned to virtue falls to the ground. He accordingly affirmed, in
a suppressed couplet, that "the blessings were only denied to error,
pride, or vice," and the language in the text, to have any pertinency,
must bear the same construction. But will virtue secure health? Yes,
replies Pope, for "health consists with temperance alone," which, for
the purpose of his argument, must mean that all the temperate are
healthy. Safe from casualties, infection, and every other disorder, they
bear about with them a charmed life, and die at last in a good old age.
The poet passes over "competence," and in a subsequent part of his
epistle allows that "virtue sometimes starves."[902]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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