OT with more glories in th' etherial plain,
The fun first rifes o'er the purpled main,
Than issuing forth, the rival of his beams
Lanch'd on the bosom of the filver Thames.
Fair nymphs, and well-drest youths around her shone,
But ev'ry eye was fix'd on her alone.
On her white breast a sparkling cross she wore,,
Which Jews might kiss, and Infidels adore.
Her lively looks a sprightly mind difclose,
Quick as her eyes, and as unfix'd as those:
Favours to none, to all she smiles extends,
Oft' she 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 sweetness void of pride,
Might hide her faults, if Belles had faults to hide:
If to her share some female errors fall,
Look on her face, and you'll forget 'em all.
This nymph, to the destruction of mankind,
Nourish'd two locks, which graceful hung behind
In equal curls, and well conspir'd to deck
With shining ringlets her smooth iv'ry neck:
Love in these labyrinths his slaves detains,
And mighty hearts are held in flender chains.
With hairy springes we the birds betray,
Slight lines of hair furprize the finny prey,
Fair treffes man's imperial race insnare,
And beauty draws us with a single hair.
Th' advent'rous Baron the bright locks admir'd
He saw, he wish'd, and to the prize afpir'd:
Refolv'd to win, he meditates the way,
By force to ravish, or by fraud betray;
For when fuccess a lover's toil attends,
Few ask, if fraud or force attain'd his ends.
For this, e'er Phœbus rose, he had implor'd
There lay three garters, half a pair of gloves;
And all the trophies of his former loves.
With tender billet-doux he lights the pyre,
And breathes three am'rous fighs to raise the fire.
Then proftrate falls, and begs with ardent eyes
Soon to obtain, and long possess the prize:
The pow'rs gave ear, and granted half his pray'r,
The reft, the winds difpers'd in empty air.
But now fecure the painted vessel glides,
The fun-beams trembling on the floating tydes,
While melting music steals upon the sky,
And soften'd founds along the waters die.
Smooth flow the waves, the zephyrs gently play,
Belinda smil'd, and all the world was gay.
All but the Sylph with careful thoughts opprest:
Th' impending woe fate heavy on his breast.
He summons strait his denizens of air;
The lucid squadrons round the fails repair:
Soft o'er the shrouds aerial whispers breath,
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.
Transparent forms, too fine for mortal fight,
Their fluid bodies half dissolv'd in light.
Loose to the wind their airy garments flew,
Thin glitt'ring textures of the filmy dew;
Dipt in the richest tincture of the skies,
Where light disports in ever-mingling dies,
While ev'ry beam new tranfient colours flings,
Colours that change whene'er they wave their wings.
Amid the circle, on the gilded mast,
Superior by the head, was Ariel plac'd;
His purple pinions op'ning to the fun,
He rais'd his azure wand, and thus begun.
Ye Sylphs and Sylphids, to your chief give ear,
Fays, Fairies, Genii, Elves, and Damons hear!
Ye know the spheres and various tasks affign'd,
By laws eternal, to th' aerial kind.
Some in the fields of pureft Æther play,
And bask and whiten in the blaze of day.
Some guide the course of wandring orbs on high,
Or roll the planets thro' the boundless sky.
Some less refin'd, beneath the moon's pale light
Hover, and catch the shooting stars by night;
Or fuck the mists in groffer air below,
Or dip their pinions in the painted bow,
Or brew fierce tempests on the wintry main,
Or o'er the glebe diftil the kindly rain...
There lay three guters, heif a pair of gloves;
And al ine copines of his former loves.
Wir bender bl-doux he lights the pyre,
And reches tree am reus fighs to raife the fire.
Then grafene fils, and begs with ardent eyes
Scon 32 côcam, and long podess the prize:
The pow's gave ear, and granted half his pray'r,
The ref, the winds difpers'd in empty air.
But now Secure the painted veffel glides,
The in-beens rembling on the floating tydes,
While neing mic treats upon the sky,
Ani Sodien à sounds along the waters die.
Smooth fow the waves, the zephyrs gently play,
Belmir End, and all the world was gay.
Al but the yip with careful thoughts oppreft:
Th' impending woe fate heavy on his breast..
He fummons irait his denizens of air;
The hocid Squadrons round the fails repair
Soft o'er the throuds aerial whifper
That feem'd but rephyrs to
Some to the fun theit infr
Waft on the breeze,
Transparent formy
Their fluid bo
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