Yet graceful eafe, and fweetnefs void of pride Might hide her faults, if Belles had faults to hide: If to her share fome female errors fall, Look on her face and you'll forget 'em all. 15 This Nymph, to the destruction of mankind, Nourish'd two Locks, which graceful hung behind 20 In equal curls, and well confpir'd to deck With fhining ringlets the smooth iv'ry neck. Love in these labyrinths his flaves detains, And mighty hearts are held in flender chains. With hairy fpringes we the birds betray, Slight lines of hair furprize the finny prey, Fair treffes man's imperial racè infnare, 25 And beauty draws us with a fingle hair. Th' advent'rous Baron the bright locks admir'd; He faw, he wifh'd, and to the prize afpir'd. 30 Refolv'd to win, he meditates the way, Few afk, if fraud or force attain'd his ends. For this, ere Phoebus rofe, he had implor'd NOTES. 35 VER. 25. With hairy fpringes] In allufion to Anacreon's manner. VER. 28. with a fingle hair.] In allusion to those lines of Hudibras, applied to the fame purpose, "And tho' it be a two foot Trout, There lay three garters, half a pair of gloves; ; With tender billet-doux he lights the pyre, The pow'rs gave ear, and granted half his pray'r, 45 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 zephyrs gently play, Belinda fmil'd, and all the world was gay. All but the Sylph-with careful thoughts oppreft, Th' impending woe fat heavy on his breast. He fummons ftrait his Denizens of air; The lucid fquadrons round the fails repair: Soft o'er the fhrouds aërial whifpers breathe, That seem'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 diffolv'd in light. Loofe to the wind their airy garments flew, Thin glitt'ring textures of the filmy dew, IMITATIONS. VER. 45. The pow'rs gave ear,] Virg. Æn. xi. P. 50 55 60 Dipt in the richest tincture of the skies, Where light difports in ever-mingling dyes; 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 sun, He rais'd his azure wand, and thus begun. ༡༠ Ye Sylphs and Sylphids, to your chief give ear, Fays, Fairies, Genii, Elves, and Dæmons hear! Ye know the spheres, and various tasks affign'd 75 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 course of wand'ring orbs on high, 80 Or dip their pinions in the painted bow, Or brew fierce tempefts on the wintry main, 85 Or o'er the glebe diftil the kindly rain. Watch all their ways, and all their actions guide: And guard with Arms divine the British Throne. 90 NOTES. VER. 90. And guard with Arms] The Poet was too judicious to defire this should be understood as a compliment. Our humble province is to tend the Fair, To draw fresh colours from the vernal flow'rs: 95 100 This day, black Omens threat the brightest Fair But what, or where, the fates have wrapt in night. 105 Or whether Heav'n has doom'd that Shock must fall. NOTES. He intended it for a meer piece of raillery; fuch as he more openly pursues on another occafion; when he fays, "Where's now the Star with lighted Charles to rife? "With that which follow'd Julius to the fkies. Angels, that watch'd the Royal Oak fo well, "How chanc'd you flept when luckless Sorrel fell? VER. 105. Whether the nymph, etc.] The difafter, which makes the fubject of this poem, being a trifle, taken feriously; it naturally led the Poet into this fine fatire on the female eftimate of human mifchances. III 115 Hafte then, ye fpirits! to your charge repair: 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 reftrain, 121 While clog'd he beats his filken wings in vain; 130 Or Alum ftyptics with contracting pow'r Shrink his thin effence like a rivel'd flow'r : IMITATIONS. VER. L19-clypei dominus feptemplicis Ajax. Ovid. VER. 121. about the filver bound,] In allufion to the fhield of Achilles, "Thus the broad fhield complete the Artift crown'd, "With his laft hand, and pour'd the Ocean round : "In living Silver feem'd the waves to roll, "And beat the Buckler's verge, and bound the whole. |