Sanier.ympas there are, too conscious of their | Repairs her smiles, awakens every grace, face, And calls forth all the wonders of her face : For life predestin'd to the gnomes embrace. 80 Şees by degrees a purer blush arise, These fwell their profpeas, and exalt their pride, And keener lightnings quicken in her eyes. When offers are disdain'd, and love deny'd : The bufy fylphs surround their darling care ; Then gas ideas crowd the vacant brain, These set the head, and those divide the hair; While peers, and dukes, andall their sweeping train, Some sold the flecve, whilst others plait the gown; And garters, stars, and coronets appear, And Betty's prais'd for labours not her own. And in fost sounds, your Grace salutes their car. 'Tis there that early taint the female soul, Instrug the eyes of young coquettes to 10!l, Teach infant cheeks a bidden blush to know, And little hearts to flutter at a beau. go CANTO II. Ofi, when the world imagine women stray, The fylpås throngh mystic mazes guide their way, Not with more glories in th' ethereal plain, Through all the giddy circle they pursue, The sup first sises o'er the purpled main, And old impertinence expel by new, Than, issuing forth, the rival of his beams What tender maid but must a victim fall Launch'd on the bofom of the silver'd Thames. To one man's treat, but for another's ball ? Fair nymphs and well-dress'd youths around her When Florio (peaks, what virgin could withstand, fhone, If gentle Damon did not squecze her hand ? But every eye was fix'd on her alone. With varying vanities, from every part, On her white breast a sparkling cross the wore, They shift the moving toy-shop of their heart; 100 Which Jews might kiss, and Infidels adore. Where wigs with wigs, with sword-knots sword | Her lively looks a sprightly mind disclose, knots Itrive, Quick as her eyes, and as unfix'd as those : Beaux banish beaux, and coaches coaches driye. Favours to gone, to all she smiles extends; Oft fhe rejects, but never once offends. Of these am I, who thy protection claim, And, like the sun, they shine on åll alike. Yet graceful ease, and sweetness void of pride, Late, as I rang'd the crystal wilds of air, Might hide her faults, if belles had saules to hide; In the clear mirror of thy ruling star If to her share some female errors fall, I saw, alas ! fume dread event impend, Look on her face, and you'll forget them all. Ere to the main this morning sun descend; 110 This nymph, to the destruction of mankind, But heaven reveals not what, or how, or where : Nourishid (wo locks, which graceful hung beWarn'd by the sylph, oh pious maid, beware! hind 20 This to disclose is all thy guardian can; In equal curls, and well conspir'd to deck Beware of all, but most beware of man! With shining ringlets the smooth ivory neck. He said ; whep Shuck, who thought she dept Love in these labyrinths his Naves detains, too long, And mighty hearts are held in Nender chains. Leap'd up, and wak'd his mistress with his congue, With hairy springs we the birds betray; 'Twas then, Belinda, if report say trye, Slight lines of hair surprise the finny prey: Thy eyes first open'd on a billet doux ; Fair trelles man's imperial race insnare, Wcunds, charms, and ardours, were no sooner read, And beauty draws us with a single hair. But all the vision vanilh'd from thy head, 1 20 Th' adventurous baron the bright locks ad. And now, unveil'd, the toilet stands display'd, mir'd; Each filver sale in myftic order laid. He faw, he wish'd, and to the prize aspir'd. 30 For when success a lovers toil attends, For this, ere Phæbus rose, he had implor'd 40 This casket India's glowing gems unlocks, and all Arabia breathes from yonder box. The tortoisc here and elephant unite, Transform’d to combs, the speckled and the white. Here files of pins extend their shining rows, Ver. 4. Launch'd on the bosom] From hence Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux. the poem continues, in the first edition to ver. 46. Now awful beauty puts on all its arms; The rest the winds dispers’d in empty air; The fair each moment rises in her charms, 140 all after, to the end of this canto, being additional VARIATIONS. 2 I20 With tender billet-doux he lights the pyre, Some dire disaster, or by force, or Night; night. But now secure the painted vessel glides, Forget her prayers, or miss a masquerade ; Or whether Heaven has deem'd that Shock must fall. Do thou, Crispisa, çend her favourite Lock; whale. Their fluid bodies half diffolv'd in light. Form a strong line about the silver bound, Whatever spirit, careless of his charge, Or wedg'd whole ages in a bodkin's eye: Gums and pomatums shall his flight restrain, Sperior by the head was Ariel plac'd ; 70 While cloga'd he beats his Ulken wings in His purple pinions opening to the sun, vain ; 139 He rais' a his azure wand and thus begun : Os alum ftyptics with contracting power Ye fylp: s and fylphids, to your chief give ear; Shrink his thin essence like a shrivel'd flower : In fumes of burning chocolate shall glow, And tremble at the sea that froths below! And back and whiten in the blaze of day; He spoke; the spirits from the fails descend : Some guide the course of wondering orbs on Some, orb in orb, around the nymph extend ; high, Some thrid the mazy ringlets of her hair; CANTO III. flowers, (towers, And guard with arms divine the British throne. 90 Where Thames with pride surveys his rising Our humbler province is to tend the fair, There stands a structure of majestic frame, Here Britain's statesmen oft the fall foredoom Dost sometimes counsel take--and sometimes tea. VARIATIONS. Ver. 1. Cloe by thosc meads,] The first edi. tion continues from this line to ver 24. of this name. Ico ΙΟ 20 Hither the heroes and the nymphs resort, Puts forth one manly leg, to fight reveald, Totalte awhile the pleasures of a court; The rest, his many-colour'd robe conceald. In various talk th' instructive hours they past. The rebel Knave, who dares his prince engage, Who gave the ball, or paid the visit last; Proves the just victim of his royal rage. 60 One speaks the glory of the British queen, Ev'n mighty Pam, that Kings and Queens o'ero And one describes a charming Indian screen ; threw, A third interprets motions, looks, and eyes; And mow'd down armies in the fights of Lu, At every word a reputation dies. Sad chance of war! now deftitute of aid, Meanwhile, declining from the noon of day, Now to the Baron fate inclines the field. What boots the regal circle on his head. His giant limbs in fate unwieldy spread; Belinda now, whom thirst of fame invites, That long behind he trails his pompous robe, Burns to encouuter two adventurous knights, And, of all monarchs, only grasps the globe? At Ombre lingly to decide their doom; The Baron now his Diamonds pours apace ; And swells her breast with conquests yet to Th' embroider'd King who shows but half his come. face, Strait che three bands prepare in arms to join, And his refulgent Queen with powers combin'd, Each band the number of the sacred nine, 30 of broken troops an easy conqueft find. Soon as she spreads her hand, th' aërial guard Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, in wild disorder seen, Descend, and lie on each important card : With throngs promiscuous trow the level green. Se First Ariel perch'd upon a Matadore, Thus when dispers'd a routed army runs, Behold, four Kings in majesty rever'd, The pierc'd battalions disunited fall, Io heaps on heaps ; one fate o'ewhelms them all. And four fair Queens, whose hands sustain a The Knave of Diamonds tries his wily arts, flower, And wins (oh shameful chance!) the Queen of Th' exprelive emblem of their softer power; Hearts. Fuur Koaves in garbs succina, a trusty band; At this, the blood the virgin's face forsook, Caps on their heads, and halberts in their hand; A livid paleness spreads o'er all her look; And party-coloured troops, a shining train, She sees, and trembles at th' approaching ill, Drawn forth to combat on the velvet plain. Just in the jaws of ruin, and codille. The skilful nymph reviews her force with And now (as oft in some distemper's state) On one nice trick depends the general fate, Let Spades be trumps! The said, and trumps they An Ace of Hearts steps forth : the King unseen Lurk’d in her hand, and mourn'd his captive Now move to war her fable Matadores, Queen : In show like leaders of the swarthy Moors. He springs to vengeance with an eager pace, Spadiilio fird, unconquerable Lord ! And falls like thunder on the prostrate Ace. Led off two captive crumps, and swept the The nym;h exulting fills with shouts the sky; board. so The walls, the woods, and long canals reply. 10 As many more Manillio forc'd to yield, thoughtless mortals! ever blind to face, And march'd a victor from the verdant field. Too soon dejected, and too soon clate. Him Balto follow'd, but his fate more hard Sudden, these honours shall be laatch'd away, Gain'd but one trump, and one Plebeian card. And curs'd for ever this victorious day. With his broad sabre next, a chief in years, For lo! the board with cups and spoons is The hoary Majesty of Spades appears, crown'd, On fining altars of Japan they raise The fiiver lamp; the siery spirits blaze : While China's earth receives the smoking Of, who was bit, or who capotted latt. Ver. 24. And the lorg labours of the toilet ceale.] All that follows of the game at Ombre, was added fince the firit edition, tiil ver. 105, which connected thus : Ver. 103. Sudden the board, &c.) From hence Sadden the board with cups and spoons is crown'd. I the first edition continues to ver. 134. care: were. tide: IIO VARIATIONS. I 20 At once they gratify their scent and taste, While fish in streams, or birds delight in air, When numerous wax-lights in bright order blaze, Coffee (which makes the politician wise, While nymphs take treats, or allignations give, And see through all things with his half-shut eyes) so long my honour, name, and praise, shall live! 170 Sent up in vapours to the Baron's brain What time would spare, from Iteel receives its date, New stratagems, the radiant Lock to gain, And monuments, like njen, submit to fate! Ah cease, ralh youth! delia eru 'tis too late, Steel could the labour o. the gods deftrøy. Fear the just gods, and think of Scylla's fate! And strike to daft th' imperial powers of Troy ; Chang'd to a bird, and sent to fit in air, Steel could the works of niortal pride confound, She dearly pays for Nisus injured hair! And hew triumphal arches to the ground. feel CANTO Iv. But anxious cares the penfive nymph oppress’d, And fecret paflions labour'd in her brealt. Not youthful kings in battle seiz'd alive, Not ancient ladies when refus'd a difs, Not tyrants fierce that unrepenting die, Just in that instant, anxious Ariel fought Not Cynthia when her mancau's pinn'd awry, The close recesses of the virgin's thought; 140 E'er felt fuch rage, resentment, and despair, As on the nosegay in her breast reclin'd, He watch'd tho ideas rising in her mind, As thou, fad virgin ! for thy ravith'd hair. id Sudden he view'd, in spite of all her art, For, that Tad moment, when the fylphs with drew, An earthly lover lurking at her hcart, And Ariel weeping from Belinda flew, Umbriel, a dusky, melancholy sprite, As ever sully'd the fair face of light, Repair'd to search the gloomy cave of 1pleen. T'inclose the Lock; now joins it, to divide. Świft on his footy pinions flits the goome, Ev'n then, before the fatal engine clos'd, A wretched fylph too fondly interpos'd; And in a vapour reach'd the difinal dome. 150 No cheerful breeze this fullen region knows, Fate urg'd the sheers, and cut the lylph in twain The dreaded east is all the wind that blows. (But airy substance soon unites again) Here in a grotto, shelter'd close from air, The meeting points the facred hair diffever And screen'd in shades from day's detelted glare, From the fair head, for ever, and for ever! Then flath'd the living lightning from her eyes, Pain at her side, and Megrim at her bead. She fighs for ever on her penlive bed, And screams of horror rend th'affrighted kics. Two handmaids wait the throne : alike in Not louder fhrieks to pitying heaven are calt, place, When hufbands, or when lap-dogs, breathe their But differing far in figure and in face. laft! Here stood ill-nature like an ancient maid, Or when rich China vesels, fallin from high, In glittering dutt and painted fragments lie? 160 Her wrinkled form in black and white array'd; With fore of prayers, for mornings, nights, and Let wreaths of triumph now my temples twine noons, (The victor cry'd), the glorious prize is mine! Her band is fill'd; her bosom with lampoons. 3o 20 VARIATIONS. VARJATIONS. Ver. 134. In the first edition it was thus : Ver. 11. For, that fad moment, &c.) All the As o'er the fragrant Atream fhe bends her head, lincs from hence to the 94h verse, describe the First he expands che glittering forfex wide house of Spleen, and are not in the first edition ; T'enclose the Lock; then joins it to divide : instead of them followed only thefc: The meeting points the sacred hair diflever While her rack'd foul repose and peace requires, From the fair head, for ever and for ever. Ver. 154. The fierce Thalestris fans the riling fires ; All that is between was added afterwards. and continued at the 94th vesse of this Cauto. IIO There Affectation, with a fickly mien, Belinda' burns with more than mortal ire, Shows in her cheek the roles of eighteen, And fierce Thaleltris fans the rigug fire. Pradis'd to lisp, and hang the head afide. O wretched maid! the spread her hands, and Faints into airs, and fanguishes with pride, cry'd, On the rich quilt finks with becoming wo, (While Hampton's echoes, wretched maid! rel'rapt in a gown, for lickness, and for thow. ply'd) The fair ones feel such maladies as these, Was it for this you took such constant care When each uew night-dress gives a new disease. The bodkin, comb, and effence, to prepare ? A constant vapour o'er ske palace flies; for this your locks in paper durance bound, Strange phantoms rifing as the mists arisc; 40 For this with torturing irons wreath'd around? 100 Dreadful, as hermits dreams in haunted shades, For this with fillets (train'd your tender head, Or bright, as visions of expiring maids. And bravely bore che double loads of lead ? Now glaring fiends, and snakes on solling spires, Cods : shall the ravilher display your hair, Pale Spedres, gaping tombs, and purple fires: While the fops envy, and the ladies stare? Now lakes of liquid gold, Elyfian scenes, Honour forbid ! at whose unrival'd shrine And crystal domes, and angels in machines. Eafe, pleasure, virtue, all our sex resign, Vanumber'd throngs on every side are seen, Methinks atready I your tears survey, Safe past the gnome through this fantaftic band, And heightend by the diamond's circling rays, And wits take lodgings in the sound of Bow? Who rule the fex to fifty from fifteen : Sooner let earth, air, sea, to chaos fall, Parent of vapours, and of female wit, Men, monkeys, lap-dogs, parrots, perith all! 120 Who give the hysteric, or poetic fit, 60 She said ; then raging to Sir Plume repairs, On various tempers act by various ways, And bids her beau demand the precious hairs! Make some take phyfie, others scribble plays; (Sir Plume of amber snuff-box juftly vain, Who caose the proud their visits to delay, And the nice conduct of a clouded cane) And íen the godly in a pet to pray. With earnel eyes, and round unthinking face, A nymph there is, that all thy power disdains, He first the frull-box open'd, then the case, And thousands more in equal mirth maintains. And thus broke out My Lord, why, what the But oh: if e'er thy gncine could spoil a giace, « devil? Or raise a pimple on a beauteous face, u Zods: damn the Lock! 'fore Gad, you must Like citron-waters matrons cheeks inflame, “ be civil: Or chang'd complexions at a loging game; 70 “ Plague on't ! 'tis past a jeit-nag prythee, pox! If e'er with airy horas I planted heads, “ Give her the hair”-he spoke, and rapp'd his Or rumpled petticoats, or tumbled beds, box. 180 Or caus'd fufpicion where no foul was rude, It grieves me much (reply'd the peer again) Or discompos'd the head-dress of a prude, Who speaks so well should ever speak in vain ; Or c'er to coltive lap-dog gave disease, But by thuis Lock, this sacred Lock, I swear, Which not the tears of brightest eyes could ease : j ( Which never more shall join its parted hair; Hear me, and touch Belinda with chagrin ; Which never more its honour shall renew, That single act gives half the world the fpleen, Clipp'd from the lovely head where late it grew) The goddess with a discontented air, That while my nostrils draw the vital air, Seems to rejea him, though the grants his This hand, which won it, shall for ever weár. prayer. 80 He spoke, and speaking, in proud triumph fpread A wonderous bag with both her hands the binds, The long-contended honours of her head. 140 Like that where once Ulyffes held the winds ; But Umbriel, hateful gnome! forbears not so ; There the collects the force of female lungs, He breaks the vial whence the sorrows How. Sighs, lobs, and paflions, and the war of tongues. Then fee! the nymph in beauteous grief appears, A vial next the fills with fainting fears, Her eyes half languishing, half drown'd in tears; Soft Sorrows, melting griefs, and flowing tears. On her heav'd bosom hung her drooping head, The gnome rejoicing bears her gifts away, Which, with a ligh, she rais'd; and thus the said: Spreads his black wings, and dowly mounts to For ever cursed be this decefted day, day. Which snatch'd my beft, my favourite curl away! Sunk in Thaletris' arms the nymph he found, Happy: ah, ten times happy had I been, Her eyes dejected, and her hair unbound. go If Hampton-court these eyes had never seen! 150 Full o'er their beads the swelling bag hc rent, Yet am not I the first mistaken maid And all the furies issued as the venit. By love of courts to numerous ills betray'do |