Originally meant to be a part of a larger work, including some of its author's Imitations of Horace, its author claims to be "opening the fountains" in the introduction, and references Milton in his wish to "vindicate the ways of God to man."  
The first three sections of this four-part work were published anonymously after poor reviews of the author's previous work addressed to Burlington.  Originally meant to be a part of a larger work, including some of its author's Imitations of Horace, its author claims to be "opening the fountains" in the introduction, and references Milton in his wish to "vindicate the ways of God to man."  Dedicated to Henry St. John, Lord Bolingbroke, its third and fourth sections deal with society and happiness, and its first section, dealing with the universe, evokes the Great Chain of Being and famously declares "whatever is, is right."  FTP name this philosophical poem consisting of four epistles written in heroic couplets by Alexander Pope discussing the human situation.
The first three sections of this four-part work were published anonymously after poor reviews of the author's previous work addressed to Burlington.  
An Essay on Man