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, 55
The hoary Majesty of Spades appears,
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
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 hoft 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 barb'rous pride : What boots the regal circle on his head, 71 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; 75 Th'embroider'd King who fhews but half his face,
And his refulgent Queen, with pow'rs combin'd
Of broken troops an eafy conqueft find.
Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, in wild disorder seen,
With throngs promifcuous ftrow the level green.
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'erwhelms 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 cheek forfook,
A livid paleness spreads o'er all her look;
She fees, and trembles at th' approaching ill,
Juft in the jaws of ruin, and Codille.
And now (as oft in fome diftemper'd State)
On one nice Trick depends the genʼral fate :
An Ace of Hearts steps forth: The King unfeen 95
Lurk'd in her hand, and mourn'd his captive
Queen :
He springs to vengeance with an eager pace,
And falls like thunder on the prostrate Ace,
The nymph exulting fills with fhouts the sky;
The walls, the woods, and long canals reply. 100
Oh thoughtless mortals! ever blind to fate,
Too foon dejected, and too foon elate.
Sudden, these honours shall be snatch'd away,
And curs'd for ever this victorious day.
For lo! the board with cups and fpoons is
The berries crackle, and the mill turns round;
On fhining altars of Japan they raise
The filver lamp; the fiery spirits blaze:
From filver spouts the grateful liquors glide,
While China's earth receives the fimoaking tide: 119
At once they gratify their scent and taste,
And frequent cups prolong the rich repast.
Strait hover round the Fair her airy band;
Some, as she fipp'd, the fuming liquor fann'd,
VER. 105. Sudden the board, etc.] From hence, the firft Edition continues to ver. 134. P.
Nefcia mens hominum fati fortifque futuræ ;
Et fervare modum, rebus fublata fecundis !
Turno tempus erit magno cum optaverit emptum
Intactum Pallanta; et cum fpolia ifta diemque
Oderit.
Some o'er her lap their careful plumes display'd,
Trembling, and confcious of the rich brocade. 116
Coffee (which makes the politican wise,
And see thro' all things with his half-shut eyes)
Sent up in vapours to the Baron's brain
New ftratagems, the radiant Lock to gain. 120
Ah cease, rash youth! defift 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' injur'd hair!
But when to Mischief mortals bend their will,
How foon they find fit inftruments of ill? 126
Just then, Clariffa drew with tempting grace
A two-edg❜d weapon from her fhining cafe:
So Ladies in Romance affift their Knight,
Present the fpear, and arm him for the fight. 130
He takes the gift with rev'rence, and extends
The little engine on his fingers' ends;
This juft behind Belinda's neck he spread,
As o'er the fragrant fteams she bends her head. Swift to the Lock a thousand Sprites repair, 135 A thousand wings, by turns, blow back the hair;
VER. 134. In the first Edition it was thus,
"As o'er the fragrant ftream fhe bends her head." P.
VER. 122. and think of Scylla's Fate!] Vide Ovid's Metam. viii.
And thrice they twitch'd the diamond in her ear ; Thrice she look'd back, and thrice the foe drew
Just in that inftant, anxious Ariel fought
The close receffes of the Virgin's thought: 140
As on the nosegay in her breast reclin'd,
He watch'd th' ideas rising in her mind,
Sudden he view'd, in spite of all her art,
An earthly Lover lurking at her heart.
Amaz'd, confus'd, he found his pow'r expir'd, 145
Refign'd to fate, and with a figh retir'd.
The Peer now spreads the glitt'ring Forfex wide,
T'inclose the Lock; now joins it, to divide.
Ev'n then, before the fatal engine clos'd,
A wretched Sylph too fondly interpos'd;
Fate urg'd the sheers, and cut the Sylph in twain,
(But airy substance foon unites again)
"First he expands the glitt'ring Forfex wide "T'inclose the Lock; then joins it to divide : "The meeting points the facred hair diffever, "From the fair head, for ever, and for ever." All that is between was added afterwards. P.
VER. 152. But airy fubftance] See Milton, lib. vi. of Satan cut asunder by the Angel Michael. P.
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