Some nymphs there are, too confcious of their face,
For life predeftin'd to the gnomes embrace. Thefe fwell their profpects, and exalt their pride, When offers are difdain'd, and love deny'd: Then gay ideas crowd the vacant brain, While peers, and dukes, and all their fweeping train, And garters, ftars, and coronets appear, And in foft founds, your Grace falutes their ear. 'Tis these that early taint the female foul, Inftru& the eyes of young coquettes to roll, Teach infant cheeks a bidden blush to know, And little hearts to flutter at a beau.
Of., when the world imagine women stray, The fylphs through myftic mazes guide their way, Through all the giddy circle they pursue, And old impertinence expel by new, What tender maid but must a victim fall To one man's treat, but for another's ball? When Florio speaks, what virgin could withstand, If gentle Damon did not fquecze her hand? With varying vanities, from every part, They shift the moving toy-fhop of their heart; 100 Where wigs with wigs, with fword-knots fword knots ftrive,
Beaux banish beaux, and coaches coaches driye. This erring mortals levity may call ; Oh, blind to truth! the fylphs contrive it all.
Of these am I, who thy protection claim, A watchfal fprite, and Ariel is my name. late, as I rang'd the cryftal wilds of air, In the clear mirror of thy ruling star I faw, alas! fome dread event impend, Ere to the main this morning fun defcend; Bat heaven reveals not what, or how, or where: Warn'd by the fylph, oh pious maid, beware! This to difclofe is all thy guardian can; Beware of all, but most beware of man!
He faid; when Shock, who thought the slept too long,
Leap'd up, and wak'd his miftrefs with his tongue, 'Twas then, Belinda, if report say trye, Thy eyes first open'd on a billet doux ; Wounds, charms, and ardours, were no fooner read, But all the vifion vanish'd from thy head,
And now, unveil'd, the toilet stands display'd, Fach filver vafe in myftic order laid. First, rob'd in white, the nymph intent adores, With head uncover'd, the cosmetic powers. A heavenly image in the glass appears, To that the bends, to that her eyes the rears; Th' inferior priestess, at her altar fide, Trembling, begins the facred rites of pride. L'anumber'd treasures ope at once, and here The various offerings of the world appear; From each the nicely culls with curious toil, And decks the goddefs with the glittering spoil. This cafket India's glowing gems unlocks, And all Arabia breathes from yonder box. The tortoise here and elephant unite, Transform'd to combs, the fpeckled and the white. Here files of pins extend their fhining rows, Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux. Now awful beauty puts on all its arms; The fair each moment rifes in her charms,
Nor with more glories in th' ethereal plain, The fun first rises o'er the purpled main, Than, iffuing forth, the rival of his beams Launch'd on the bofom of the filver'd Thames. Fair nymphs and well-drefs'd youths around her fhone,
But every eye was fix'd on her alone. On her white breast a sparkling crofs fhe wore, Which Jews might kifs, and Infidels adore. Her lively looks a sprightly mind disclose, Quick as her eyes, and as unfix'd as those : Favours to none, to all fhe fmiles extends; Oft fhe rejects, but never once offends. Bright as the fun, her eyes the gazers strike, And, like the fun, they shine on all alike. Yet graceful eafe, and fweetnefs void of pride, Might hide her faults, if belles had faults to hide: If to her fhare fome female errors fall, Look on her face, and you'll forget them all. This nymph, to the deftruction of mankind, Nourish'd two locks, which graceful hung be-
In equal curls, and well confpir'd to deck Love in thefe labyrinths his flaves detains, With fhining ringlets the fmooth ivory neck. And mighty hearts are held in flender chains. With hairy fprings we the birds betray; Slight lines of hair surprise the finny prey; Fair treffes man's imperial race infnare, And beauty draws us with a fingle hair.
Th' adventurous baron the bright locks admir'd;
He faw, he wish'd, and to the prize aspir'd, Refolv'd to win, he meditates the way, By force to ravish, or by fraud betray; For when fuccefs a lovers toil attends, Few afk, if fraud or force attain'd his ends.
For this, ere Phoebus rofe, he had implor'd Propitious heav'n, and every power ador'd; But chiefly Love-to Love an altar built, Of twelve vast French romances neatly gilt. There lay three garters, half a pair of gloves, And all the trophies of his former loves.
Ver. 4. Launch'd on the bofom] From hence the poem continues, in the first edition to ver. 46. The reft the winds difpers'd in empty air; all after, to the end of this canto, being additional
With tender billet-doux he lights the pyre, And breathes three amorous fighs to raise the fire. Then proftrate falls, and begs with ardent eyes Soon to obtain, and long poffefs the prize: The powers gave ear, and granted half his prayer; The reft, the winds difpers'd in empty air.
But now fecure the painted veffel glides, The fun-beams trembling on the floating tides: While melting mufic fteals upon the sky, And foften'd founds along the waters die; Smooth flow the waves, the zephers gently play, Belinda fmil'd, and all the world was gay, All but the fylph--with careful thoughts oppreft, Th' impending wo fat heavy on his breast. He fummons ftrait his denizens of air; The lucid fquadrons round the fails repair; Soft o'er the fhroud aerial whifpers breathe, That feem'd but zephyrs to the train beneath. Some to the fun their infect wings unfold, Waft on the breeze, or fink in clouds of gold; Tranfparent forms, too fine for mortal fight, Their fluid bodies half diffolv'd in light. Loofe to the v ind their airy garments flew, Thin glittering textures of the filmy dew, Dipp'd in the richest tinctures of the skies, Where light difports in ever-mingling dyes, While every beam new tranfient colours flings, Colours that change whene'er they wave their wings.
Some dire difafter, or by force, or flight; But what, or where, the fates have wrapp'd in night.
Whether the nymph fhall break Diana's law, Or fome frail China-jar receive a flaw; Or ftain her honour, or her new brocade; Forget her prayers, or miss a masquerade; Or lofe her heart, or necklace at a ball;
Or whether Heaven has deem'd that Shock muft fall. 110 Hafte then, ye fpirits! to your charge repair: The fluttering fan be Zephyretta's care; The drops to thee, Brillante, we confign; And, Momentilla, let the watch be thine; Do thou, Crifpiffa, tend her favourite Lock; Ariel himself shall be the guard of Shock.
To fifty chofen fylphs, of fpecial note, We trust th' important charge, the petticoat: Oft have we known that seven-fold fence to fail, Though ftiff with hoops, and arm'd with ribs of
Form a ftrong line about the filver bound, And guard the wide circumference around.
Whatever fpirit, carelefs of his charge, His poft neglects, or leaves the fair at large, Shall feel fharp vengeance foon o'ertake his fins Be stopp'd in vials, or tranfix'd with pins; Or plung'd in lakes of bitter washes lie, Or wedg'd whole ages in a bodkin's eye : Gums and pomatums fhall his flight restrain,
70 While clogg'd he beats his filken wings in vain; 139
Amid the circle on the gilded maft, Superior by the head was Ariel plac'd ; His purple pinions opening to the fun, He rais'd his azure wand and thus begun : Ye fylp: s and fylphids, to your chief give ear; Fays, fairies, genii, elves, and dæmons, hear! Ye know the spheres, and various tasks affign'd By laws eternal to th' aërial kind. Some in the fields of pureft æther play, And bask and whiten in the blaze of day; Some guide the courfe of wondering orbs on high,
Or roll the planets through the boundless sky; 80 Some lefs refin'd, beneath the moon's pale light Purfue the ftars that shoot athwart the night, Or fuck the mifts in groffer air below, Or dip their pinions in the painted bow, Or brew fierce tempefts on the wintery main, Or o'er the gl be dittil the kindly rain. Others on earth o'er human race prefide, Watch all their ways, and all their actions guide: Of these the chief the care of nations own, And guard with arms divine the British throne. 90 Our humbler province is to tend the fair, Not a lefs pleafing, though lefs glorious care; To fave the powder from too rude a gale, Nor let th' imprifon'd effences exhale;
To draw fresh colours from the vernal flowers; To teal from rainbows, ere they drop in fhowers, A brighter wafh; to curl their waving hairs, Affift their blushes, and infpire their airs; Nay oft, in dreams, invention we beflow, To change a flounce, or add a furbelow. This day, black omens threat the brightest
That e'er deferv'd a watchful fpirits's care;
Or alum ftyptics with contracting power Shrink his thin effence like a fhrivel'd flower : Or, as Ixion fix'd, the wretch fhall feel The giddy motion of the whirling mill, In fumes of burning chocolate fhall glow, And tremble at the fea that froths below!
He fpoke; the fpirits from the fails defcend: Some, orb in orb, around the nymph extend; Some thrid the mazy ringlets of her hair; Some hang upon the pendents of her ear; With beating hearts the dire event they wait, Anxious, and trembling for the birth of fate.
Hither the heroes and the nymphs refort, To tafte awhile the pleasures of a court; In various talk th' inftructive hours they past. Who gave the ball, or paid the vifit last; One fpeaks the glory of the British queen, And one defcribes a charming Indian fcreen; A third interprets motions, looks, and eyes; At every word a reputation dies.
Sauff, or the fan, fupply each paufe of chat, With finging, laughing, ogling, and all that.
Meanwhile, declining from the noon of day, The fun obliquely fhoots his burning ray; The hungry judges foon the sentence fign, And wretches hang, that jurymen may dine; The merchant from th Exchange returns peace,
And the long labours of the toilet cease. Belinda now, whom thirst of fame invites, Burns to encouuter two adventurous knights, At Ombre fingly to decide their doom;
And fwells her breaft with conquests yet to
Strait the three bands prepare in arms to join, Each band the number of the facred nine, Soon as the spreads her hand, th' aërial guard Defcend, and fit on each important card : First Ariel perch'd upon a Matadore, Then each according to the rank they bore: For fylphs, yet mindful of their ancient race, Are, as when women, wondrous fond of place. Behold, four Kings in majefty rever'd, With hoary wifkers and a forky beard; And four fair Queens, whofe hands sustain a flower,
Th' expreffive emblem of their fofter power; Four Knaves in garbs fuccinct, a trusty band; Caps on their heads, and halberts in their hand; And party-coloured troops, a fhining train, Drawn forth to combat on the velvet plain. The fkilful nymph reviews her force with
Let Spades be trumps! she faid, and trumps they
Now move to war her fable Matadores, In fhow like leaders of the swarthy Moors. Spadillio first, unconquerable Lord!
Puts forth one manly leg, to fight reveal'd, The reft, his many-colour'd robe conceal'd. The rebel Knave, who dares his prince engage, Proves the just victim of his royal rage. Ev'n mighty Pam, that Kings and Queens o'er- threw,
And mow'd down armies in the fights of Lu, Sad chance of war! now deftitute of aid, Falls undistinguish'd by the victor Spade!
Thus far both armies to Belinda yield; Now to the Baron fate inclines the field. His warlike Amazon her host invades, Th' imperial confort of the crown of Spades. The Club's black tyrant first her victim dy'd, Spite of his haughty mien, and barbarous pride: 7 What boots the regal circle on his head. His giant limbs in ftate unwieldy spread; That long behind he trails his pompous robe, And, of all monarchs, only grafps the globe?
The Baron now his Diamonds pours apace; Th' embroider'd King who fhows but half his face,
And his refulgent Queen with powers combin'd, Of broken troops an easy conquest find. Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, in wild disorder feen, With throngs promifcuous ftrow the level green. 8 Thus when difpers'd a routed army runs,
Of Afia's troops, and Afric's fable fons, With like confufion different nations fly, Of various habit, and of various dye, The pierc'd battalions difunited fall,
In heaps on heaps; one fate o'ewhelms them all. The Knave of Diamonds tries his wily arts, And wins (oh fhameful chance!) the Queen of Hearts.
At this, the blood the virgin's face forfook, A livid paleness spreads o'er all her look; She fees, and trembles at th' approaching ill, Just in the jaws of ruin, and codille.
And now (as oft in fome diftemper'st state) On one nice trick depends the general fate, An Ace of Hearts fteps forth: the King unfeen Lurk'd in her hand, and mourn'd his captive Queen :
He fprings to vengeance with an eager pace, And falls like thunder on the proftrate Ace.
Led off two captive trumps, and fwept the The nymph exulting fills with fhouts the fky;
As many more Manillio forc'd to yield, And march'd a victor from the verdant field. Him Bafto follow'd, but his fate more hard Gain'd but one trump, and one Plebeian card. With his broad fabre next, a chief in years, The hoary Majesty of Spades appears,
Ver. 11, 12. Originally in the first edition, In various talk the cheerfui hours they past, Of, who was bit, or who capotted last.
Ver. 24. And the long labours of the toilet ceafe.] All that follows of the game at Ombre, was added fince the first edition, till ver. 105, which connected thus:
The walls, the woods, and long canals reply. ro O thoughtless mortals! ever blind to fate, Too foon dejected, and too soon elate. Sudden, thefe honours fhall be faatch'd away, And curs'd for ever this victorious day.
For lo! the board with cups and fpoons is crown'd,
The berries crackle, and the mill turns round: On fhining altars of Japan they raife. The filver lamp; the tiery fpirits blaze: From filver fpouts the grateful liquors glide, While China's earth receives the fmoking
Ver. 103. Sudden the board, &c.] From hence
Sadden the board with cups and spoons is crown'd. the first edition continues to ver. 134.
At once they gratify their fcent and taste, And frequent cups prolong the rich repast. Strait hover round the fair her airy band; Some, as the fipp'd, the fuming liquor fann'd; Some o'er her lap their careful plumes display'd, Trembling, and confcious of the rich brocade. Coffee (which makes the politician wife, And fee through all things with his half-fhut eyes) Sent up in vapours to the Baron's brain New ftratagems, the radiant Lock to gain, Ah cease, rash youth! defif ere 'tis too late, Fear the juft gods, and think of Scylla's fate! Chang'd to a bird, and fent to flit in air, She dearly pays for Nifus injured hair!
But when to mischief mortals bend their will, How foon they find fit inftruments of ill! Just then, Clariffa drew with tempting grace A two-edg'd weapon from her fhining cafe: So ladies, in romance, aflift their knight, Prefent the fpear, and arm him for the fight. 30 He takes the gift with reverence, and extends The little engine on his fingers ends; This juft behind Belinda's neck he spread, As o'er the fragrant fteands the bends her head. Swift to the Lock a thousand fprites repair, A thousand wings, by turns, blow back the hair; And thrice they twitch'd the diamond in her ear; Thrice the look'd back, and thrice the foe drew
While fish in ftreams, or birds delight in air, Or in a coach and fix the British fair, As long as Atalantis fhall be read, Or the fmall pillow grace a lady's bed, While vifits fhall be paid on folemn days, When numerous wax-lights in bright order blaze, While nymphs take treats, or affignations give, So long my honour, name, and praife, fhall live! 170 What time would fpare, from steel receives its date, And monuments, like men, fubmit to fate! Steel could the labour o. the gods destroy, And ftrike to duft th' imperial powers of Troy; Steel could the works of mortal pride confound, And hew triumphal arches to the ground. What wonder then, fair nymph! thy hairs should feel
The conquering force of unrefifted feel?
BUT anxious cares the penfive nymph oppress'd,' And fecret paffions labour'd in her breaft. Not youthful kings in battle feiz'd alive, Not icornful virgins who their charms furvive, Not ardent lovers robb'd of all their blifs, Not ancient ladies when refus'd a Bifs, Not tyrants fierce that unrepenting die, Not Cynthia when her mantau's pinn'd awry, 140 E'er felt fuch rage, refentment, and defpair, As thou, fad virgin! for thy ravish'd hair. For, that fad moment, when the fylphs with drew,
The Peer now fpreads the glittering forfex wide,
T' inclofe the Lock; now joins it, to divide. Ev'n then, before the fatal engine clos'd, A wretched fylph too fondly interpos'd; Fate urg'd the fheers, and cut the fylph in twain (But airy fubftance foon unites again) The meeting points the facred hair diffever From the fair head, for ever, and for ever!
Then flafh'd the living lightning from her eyes, And screams of horror rend th' affrighted skies. Not louder fhrieks to pitying heaven are caft, When hufbands, or when lap-dogs, breathe their laft!
Or when rich China veffels, fall'n from high, In glittering duft and painted fragments lie! 160
Let wreaths of triumph now my temples twine (The victor cry'd), the glorious prize is mine!
And Ariel weeping from Belinda flew, Umbriel, a dufky, melancholy fprite, As ever fully'd the fair face of light, Down to the central earth, his proper scene, Repair'd to fearch the gloomy cave of spleen.
Swift on his footy pinions flits the gnome, And in a vapour reach'd the difinal dome. No cheerful breeze this fullen region knows, The dreaded eaft is all the wind that blows. 20 Here in a grotto, fhelter'd clufe from air, And fcreen'd in fhades from day's detefted glare, She fighs for ever on her penfive bed, Pain at her fide, and Megrim at her head.
Two handmaids wait the throne: alike in place,
But differing far in figure and in face. Here ftood Ill-nature like an ancient maid, Her wrinkled form in black and white array'd; With fore of prayers, for mornings, nights, and
Her hand is fill'd; her bofom with lampoons. 30
Ver. 134. In the first edition it was thus: As o'er the fragrant ftream fhe bends her head, First he expands the glittering forfex wide T'enclose the Lock; then joins it to divide : The meeting points the facred hair diffever From the fair head, for ever and for ever. Ver. 154. All that is between was added afterwards.
Ver. 11. For, that fad moment, &c.] All the lines from hence to the 94th verfe, defcribe the houfe of Spleen, and are not in the first edition; inftead of them followed only thefe: While her rack'd foul repofe and peace requires, The fierce Thaleftris fans the rifing fires; and continued at the 94th verfe of this Canto.
There Affectation, with a fickly mien, Shows in her cheek the roles of eighteen, Pradis'd to lifp, and hang the head afide. Fains into airs, and languishes with pride, On the rich quilt finks with becoming wo, Wrapt in a gown, for ficknefs, and for thow. The fair ones feel fuch maladies as these, When each new night-drefs gives a new disease. A conftant vapour o'er the palace flies; Strange phantoms rifing as the mists arise; Dreadful, as hermits dreams in haunted shades, Or bright, as vifions of expiring maids. Now glaring fiends, and fnakes on rolling spires, Pale fpedres, gaping tombs, and purple fires: Now lakes of liquid gold, Elyfian fcenes, And cryftal domes, and angels in machines. Unnumber'd throngs on every fide are seen, Of bodies chang'd to varions forms by spleen. Here living tea-pots ftand, one arm held out, One bent; the handle this, and that the spout: 50 A pipkin there, like Homer's tripod, walks; Here fighs a jar, and there a goofe-pye talks; Men prove with chikl, as powerful fancy works, And maids, turn'd bottles, call aloud for corks. Safe paft the gnome through this fantastic band, A branch of healing spleen-wort in his hand, Then thus addrefs'd the power-Fiail, wayward queen!
Who rule the fex to fifty from fifteen : Parent of vapours, and of female wit, Who give th hysteric, or poetic fit, On various tempers act by various ways, Make fome take phyfie, others fcribble plays; Who caufe the proud their vifits to delay, And fend the godly in a pet to pray. Anymph there is, that all thy power difdains, And thousands more in equal mirth maintains. But oh if e'er thy gnome could spoil a grace, Or raise a pimple on a beauteous face, Like citron-waters matrons cheeks inflame, Or chang'd complexions at a lofing game; If e'er with airy horns I planted heads, Or rumpled petticoats, or tumbled beds, Or caus'd fufpicion where no foul was rude, Or difcompos'd the head-drefs of a prude, Or e'er to coflive lap-dog gave disease, Which not the tears of brighteft eyes could eafe : Hear me, and touch Belinda with chagrin ; That fingle act gives half the world the spleen. The goddefs with a difcontented air,
Belinda burns with more than mortal ire, And fierce Thaleftris fans the rifing fire. O wretched maid: the fpread her hands, and cry'd,
(While Hampton's echoes, wretched maid! reply'd)
Was it for this you took fuch conftant care The bodkin, comb, and effence, to prepare? For this your locks in paper durance bound, For this with torturing irons wreath'd around? 10 For this with fillets ftrain'd your tender head, And bravely bore the double loads of lead? Gods fhall the ravisher display your hair, While the fops envy, and the ladies stare? Honour forbid at whofe unrival'd fhrine Eafe, pleasure, virtue, all our fex refign. Methinks already I your tears survey, Already hear the horrid things they fay, Already fee you a degraded toast, And all your honour in a whisper loft! How fhall I, then, your helpless fame defend? 'Twill then be infamy to feem your friend! And fhall this prize, th' ineftimable prize, Expos'd through crystal to the gazing eyes, And heighten'd by the diamond's circling rays, On that rapacious hand for ever blaze! Sooner fhall grafs in Hyde Park circus grow, And wits take lodgings in the found of Bow? Sooner let earth, air, fea, to chaos fall, Men, monkeys, lap-dogs, parrots, perifh all! 120 She faid; then raging to Sir Plume repairs, And bids her beau demand the precious hairs! (Sir Plume of amber snuff-box justly vain, And the nice conduct of a clouded cane) With earneft eyes, and round unthinking face, He first the fnuff-box open'd, then the cafe, And thus broke out-" My Lord, why, what the "devil?
"Z-ds! damn the Lock! 'fore Gad, you must "be civil!
"Plague on't! 'tis paft a jeft-nay prythee, pox! "Give her the hair"-he spoke, and rapp'd his
It grieves me much (reply'd the peer again) Who fpeaks fo well fhould ever fpeak in vain; But by this Lock, this facred Lock, I fwear, (Which never more shall join its parted hair; Which never more its honour shall renew, Clipp'd from the lovely head where late it grew} That while my noftrils draw the vital air, This hand, which won it, fhall for ever wear. He spoke, and speaking, in proud triumph fpread The long-contended honours of her head.
But Umbriel, hateful gnome! forbears not fo; He breaks the vial whence the forrows How. Then fee! the nymph in beauteous grief appears, Her eyes half languifhing, half drown'd in tears; On her heav'd bofom hung her drooping head, Which, with a figh, the rais'd; and thus the faid:
For ever curfed be this detefted day, Which fnatch'd my beft, my favourite curl away! Happy ah, ten times happy had I been,
If Hampton-court these eyes had never feen! 150 Yet am not I the first mistaken maid
By love of courts to numerous ills betray'ds
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