Page:An Essay on Man - Pope (1751).pdf/26

 Beast, bird, fish, insect! what no Eye can see, No glass can reach! from infinite to thee, From thee to nothingOn superior pow'rs Were we to press, inferior might on ours; Or in the full creation leave a void, Where, one step broken, the great scale's destroy'd: From nature's chain whatever link you strike, Tenth, or ten thousandth, breaks the chain alike. if each system in gradation roll, Alike essential to th' amazing whole; The least confusion but in one, not all That system only, but the whole must fall. Let earth unbalanc'd from her orbit fly, Planets and suns run lawless thro' the sky, Let ruling angels from their spheres be hurl'd, Being on being wreck'd, and world on world, Heav'n's whole foundations to their centre nod, And nature tremble to the throne of : All this dread order breakFor whom? for thee? Vile worm!oh madness! pride! impiety! if the foot, ordain'd the dust tread, Or hand to toil, aspir'd to be the head? What if the head, the eye or ear repin'd To serve mere engines to the ruling mind? Just as absurd for any part to claim To be another in this general frame: Just as absurd to mourn the tasks or pains, The great directing mind of all ordains.