An Essay on Man


Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; 
 The proper study of mankind is man.  
Placed on this isthmus of a middle state,
 A being darkly wise, and rudely great:
 With too much knowledge for the skeptic side,
 With too much weakness for the stoic's pride, 
He hangs between;  in doubt to act, or rest;
  In doubt to deem himself a god, or beast;
  In doubt his mind or body to prefer; 
 Born but to die and reasoning but to err; 
Alike in ignorance, his reason such,
Whether he thinks too little, or too much:  
Chaos of thought and passion, all confused;
  Still by himself, or disabused;
Created half to rise, half to fall;
Great Lord of all things, yet a prey to all;
Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurled:
The glory, jest, and riddle of the world!