A PopeEssay on Criticism16pWord文档格式.docx
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MosthavetheSeedsofJudgmentintheirMind;
Natureaffordsatleastaglimm’ringLight;
TheLines,tho’touch’dbutfaintly,aredrawnright.
ButastheslightestSketch,ifjustlytrac’d,
IsbyillColouringbutthemoredisgrac’d,
SobyfalseLearningisgoodSensedefac’d.
Somearebewilder’dintheMazeofSchools,
AndsomemadeCoxcombsNaturemeantbutFools.
InsearchofWittheselosetheircommonSense,
AndthenturnCriticksintheirownDefence.
Eachburnsalike,whocan,orcannotwrite,
OrwithaRival’soranEunuch’sspite.
AllFoolshavestillanItchingtoderide,
Andfainwou’dbeupontheLaughingSide;
IfMaeviusScribbleinApollo’sspight,
Thereare,whojudgestillworsethanhecanwrite.
SomehaveatfirstforWits,thenPoetspast,
Turn’dCriticksnext,andprov’dplainFoolsatlast;
SomeneithercanforWitsnorCritickspass,
AsheavyMulesareneitherHorseorAss.
Thosehalf-learn’dWitlings,num’rousinourIsle,
Ashalf-form’dInsectsontheBanksofNile:
Unfinish’dThings,oneknowsnowwhattocall,
TheirGeneration’ssoequivocal:
Totell‘em,wou’dahundredTonguesrequire,
OronevainWit’s,thatmightahundredtire.
ButyouwhoseektogiveandmeritFame,
AndjustlybearaCritick’snobleName,
BesureyourselfandyourownReachtoknow.
HowfaryourGenius,Taste,andLearninggo;
LaunchnotbeyondyourDepth,butbediscreet,
AndmarkthatPointwhereSenseandDulnessmeet.
Naturetoallthingsfix’dtheLimitsfit,
Andwiselycurb’dproudMan’spretendingWit:
AsontheLandwhileheretheOceangains,
InotherPartsitleaveswidesandyPlains;
ThusintheSoulwhileMemoryprevails,
ThesolidPow’rofUnderstandingfails;
WhereBeamsofwarmImaginationplay,
TheMemory’ssoftFiguresmeltaway.
OneScienceonlywilloneGeniusfit;
SovastisArt,sonarrowHumanWit;
NotonlyboundedtopeculiarArts,
Butoftinthose,confin’dtosingleParts.
LikeKingswelosetheConquestsgain’dbefore,
ByvainAmbitionstilltomakethemmore:
Eachmighthissev’ralProvincewellcommand,
Wou’dallbutstooptowhattheyunderstand.
FirstfollowNATURE,andyourJudgmentframe
ByherjustStandard,whichisstillthesame:
UnerringNature,stilldivinelybright,
Oneclear,unchang’dandUniversalLight,
Life,Force,andBeauty,musttoallimpart,
AtoncetheSource,andEnd,andTestofArt
ArtfromthatFundeachjustSupplyprovides,
WorkswithoutShow,andwithoutPomppresides:
InsomefairBodythusth’informingSoul
WithSpiritsfeeds,withVigourfillsthewhole,
EachMotionguides,andev’ryNervesustains;
Itselfunseen,butinth’Effects,remains.
Some,towhomHeav’ninWithasbeenprofuse.
Wantasmuchmore,toturnittoitsuse,
ForWitandJudgmentoftenareatstrife,
Tho’meanteachother’sAid,likeManandWife.
‘TismoretoguidethanspurtheMuse’sSteed;
RestrainhisFury,thanprovokehisSpeed;
ThewingedCourser,likeagen’rousHorse,
ShowsmosttrueMettlewhenyoucheckhisCourse.
ThoseRULESofolddiscover’d,notdevis’d,
AreNaturestill,butNatureMethodiz’d;
Nature,likeLiberty,isbutrestrain’d
BythesameLawswhichfirstherselfordain’d.
Hearhowlearn’dGreeceherusefulRulesindites,
Whentorepress,andwhenindulgeourFlights:
HighonParnassus’TopherSonssheshow’d,
AndpointedoutthosearduousPathstheytrod,
Heldfromafar,aloft,th’ImmortalPrize,
Andurg’dtherestbyequalStepstorise;
JustPreceptsthusfromgreatExamplesgiv’n,
Shedrewfromthemwhattheyderiv’dfromHeav’n
Thegen’rousCritickfann’dthePoet’sFire,
AndtaughttheWorld,withReasontoAdmire.
ThenCriticismtheMuse’sHandmaidprov’d,
TodressherCharms,andmakehermorebelov’d;
ButfollowingWitsfromthatIntentionstray’d;
Whocou’dnotwintheMistress,woo’dtheMaid;
AgainstthePoetstheirownArmstheyturn’d,
SuretohatemosttheMenfromwhomtheylearn’d
SomodernPothecaries,taughttheArt
ByDoctor’sBillstoplaytheDoctor’sPart,
BoldinthePracticeofmistakenRules,
Prescribe,apply,andcalltheirMastersFools.
SomeontheLeavesofancientAuthorsprey,
NorTimenorMothse’erspoil’dsomuchasthey:
Somedrylyplain,withoutInvention’sAid,
WritedullReceitshowPoemsmaybemade:
TheseleavetheSense,theirLearningtodisplay,
AndthemeexplaintheMeaningquiteaway
YouthenwhoseJudgmenttherightCoursewou’dsteer,
KnowwelleachANCIENT’sproperCharacter,
HisFable,Subject,Scopeinev’ryPage,
Religion,Country,GeniusofhisAge:
WithoutalltheseatoncebeforeyourEyes,
Cavilyoumay,butneverCriticize.
BeHomer’sWorksyourStudy,andDelight,
ReadthembyDay,andmeditatebyNight,
ThenceformyourJudgment,thenceyourMaximsbring,
AndtracetheMusesupwardtotheirSpring;
StillwithItselfcompar’d,hisTextperuse;
AndletyourCommentbetheMantuanMuse.
WhenfirstyoungMaroinhisboundlessMind
AWorkt’outlastImmortalRomedesign’d,
Perhapsheseem’dabovetheCritick’sLaw,
AndbutfromNature’sFountainsscorn’dtodraw:
Butwhent’examineev’ryParthecame,
NatureandHomerwere,hefound,thesame:
Convinc’d,amaz’d,hecheckstheboldDesign,
AndRulesasstricthislabour’dWorkconfine,
AsiftheStagyriteo’erlookedeachLine.
LearnhenceforAncientRulesajustEsteem;
TocopyNatureistocopyThem.
SomeBeautiesyet,noPreceptscandeclare,
Forthere’saHappinessaswellasCare.
MusickresemblesPoetry,ineach
ArenamelessGraceswhichnoMethodsteach,
AndwhichaMaster-Handalonecanreach.
If,wheretheRulesnotfarenoughextend,
(SinceRulesweremadebuttopromotetheirEnd)
SomeLuckyLICENCEanswerstothefull
Th’Intentpropos’d,thatLicenceisaRule.
ThusPegasus,anearerwaytotake,
MayboldlydeviatefromthecommonTrack.
GreatWitssometimesmaygloriouslyoffend,
AndrisetoFaultstrueCriticksdarenotmend;
FromvulgarBoundswithbraveDisorderpart,
AndsnatchaGracebeyondtheReachofArt,
Which,withoutpassingthro’theJudgment,gains
TheHeart,andallitsEndatonceattains.
InProspects,thus,someObjectspleaseourEyes,
WhichoutofNature’scommonOrderrise,
TheshapelessRock,orhangingPrecipice.
Buttho’theAncientsthustheirRulesinvade,
(AsKingsdispensewithLawsThemselveshavemade)
Moderns,beware!
Orifyoumustoffend
AgainstthePrecept,ne’ertransgressitsEnd,
Letitbeseldom,andcompell’dbyNeed,
Andhave,atleast,TheirPrecedenttoplead.
TheCritickelseproceedswithoutRemorse,
SeizesyourFame,andputshisLawsinforce.
Iknowthereare,towhosepresumptuousThoughts
ThoseFreerBeauties,ev’ninThem,seemFaults:
SomeFiguresmonstrousandmis-shap’dappear,
Consider’dsingly,orbeheldtoonear,
Which,butproportion’dtotheirLight,orPlace,
DueDistancereconcilestoFormandGrace.
AprudentChiefnotalwaysmustdisplay
HisPow’rsinequalRanks,andfairArray,
Butwithth’OccasionandthePlacecomply,
ConcealhisForce,nayseemsometimestoFly.
ThoseoftareStratagemswhichErrorsseem,
NorisitHomerNods,butWethatDream.
StillgreenwithBayseachancientAltarstands,
AbovethereachofSacrilegiousHands,
SecurefromFlames,fromEnvy’sfiercerRage,
DestructiveWar,andall-involvingAge.
See,fromeachClimetheLearn’dtheirIncensebring;
Hear,inallTonguesconsentingPaeansring!
InPraisesojust,letev’ryVoicebejoin’d,
AndfilltheGen’ralChorusofMankind!
HailBardsTriumphant!
borninhappierDays;
ImmortalHeirsofUniversalPraise!
WhoseHonourswithIncreaseofAgesgrow,
Asstreamsrolldown,enlargingastheyflow!
NationsunbornyourmightyNamesshallsound,
AndWorldsapplaudthatmustnotyetbefound!
OhmaysomeSparkofyourCoelestialFire
Thelast,themeanestofyourSonsinspire,
(ThatonweakWings,fromfar,pursuesyourFlights;
Glowswhilehereads,buttremblesashewrites)
ToteachvainWitsaSciencelittleknown,
T’admireSuperiorSense,anddoubttheirown!
OfalltheCauseswhichconspiretoblind
Man’serringJudgment,andmisguidetheMind,
WhattheweakHeadwithstrongestByassrules,
IsPride,thenever-failingViceofFools.
WhateverNaturehasinWorthdeny’d,
ShegivesinlargeRecruitsofneedfulPride;
ForasinBodies,thusinSouls,wefind
WhatwantsinBloodandSpirits,swell’dwithWind;
Pride,whereWitfails,stepsintoourDefence,
AndfillsupallthemightyVoidofSense!
IfoncerightReasondrivesthatCloudaway,
TruthbreaksuponuswithresistlessDay;
Trustnotyourself;
butyourDefectstoknow,
Makeuseofev’ryFriend--andev’ryFoe.
AlittleLearningisadang’rousThing;
Drinkdeep,ortastenotthePierianSpring:
ThereshallowDraughtsintoxicatetheBrain,
Anddrinkinglargelysobersusagain.
Fir’datfirstSightwithwhattheMuseimparts,
InfearlessYouthwete