This is Pope’s observations and description of man (from an introspective manor) and mankind (in an aggregate view). These observations are an attempt to give insight to the purpose of mankind, which I interpret (maybe by design) as an unsolvable riddle.
My personal takeaway: Don’t take life so ser...
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 sceptic 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 and body to prefer;
Born but to die, and reas'ning but to err;
Alike in ignorance, his reason such,
Whether he thinks to little, or too much;
Chaos of thought and passion, all confus'd;
Still by himself, abus'd or disabus'd;
Created half to rise and half to fall;
Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all,
Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurl'd;
The glory, jest and riddle of the world.
Riddle of the World was written by Alexander Pope.
Riddle of the World was produced by Alexander Pope.
Alexander Pope released Riddle of the World on Fri Jan 01 1734.