The Works of Alexander Pope, Volume 2 (of 10)

book constitutes a complete Essay on Man, written for the best purpose,

to vindicate the ways of God.

Ver. 17. _Say first, of God above, or man below, &c._] The poet having declared his subject; his end of writing; and the quality of his adversaries, proceeds, from ver. 16 to 23, to instruct us, from whence he intends to draw his arguments; namely, from the visible things ...