Page:An Essay on Man - Pope (1751).pdf/54

 But health consists with temperance alone, And peace, oh virtue! peace is all thy own. The good or bad the gifts of fortune gain, But these less taste them, as they worse obtain. Say, in pursuit of profit or delight, Who risk the most, that take wrong means or right? Of vice, or virtue, whether bless'd, or curs'd, Which meets contempt, or which compassion first? Count all th' advantage prosp'rous vice attains, 'Tis but what virtue flies from and disdains: And grant the bad what happiness they wou'd, One they must want, which is, to pass for good. blind to truth, and whole scheme below, Who fancy bliss to vice, to virtue woe! Who sees and follows that great scheme the best, Best knows the blessing, and will most be bless'd. But fools the good alone unhappy call, For ills or accidents that chance to all. See dies, the virtuous and the just! See god-like prostrate on the dust! See bleeds amid the martial strife! Was this their virtue, or contempt of life? Say, was it virtue, more tho' heav'n ne'er gave, Lamented ! sunk thee to the grave? Tell me, if virtue made the son expire, Why, full of days and honour, lives the fire? Why drew ' good bishop purer breath, When nature sicken'd, and each gale was death?