Her joy in gilded chariots, when alive,
And love of Ombre, after death survive.
For when the Fair in all their pride expire,
To their first Elements their Souls retire:
The Sprites of fiery Termagants in Flame
Mount up and take a Salamander's name.
Soft yielding minds to Water glide away,
And fip, with Nymphs, their elemental Tea.
The graver Prude finks downward to a Gnome,
In fearch of mifchief ftill on Earth to roam.
The light Coquettes in Sylphs aloft repair,
And fport and flutter in the fields of Air.

Know farther yet; whoever fair and chaste
Rejects mankind, is by fome Sylph embrac'd:
For Spirits, freed from mortal laws, with eafe
Aflume what fexes and what fhapes they please. 70
What guards the purity of melting Maids,
In courtly balls, and midnight masquerades,
Safe from the treach'rous friend, the daring fpark,
The glance by day, the whisper in the dark,

Quæ gratia currûm

VER. 54, 55.
Armorumque fuit vivis, quæ cura nitentes
Pafcere equos, eadem fequitur tellure repoftos.

55

Virg. Æn, vi.

60

VER. 68. is by fome Sylph embrac'd:] Here again the Author refumes a tenet peculiar to the Roficrufian fyftem. But the principle, on which it is founded, was by no means fit to be employed in iuch a fort of poem.

IMITATIONS.

65

When kind occafion prompts their warm defires, 75
When music foftens, and when dancing fires?
"Tis but their Sylph, the wife Celestials know,
Tho' Honour is the word with Men below.

80

Some nymphs there are, too confcious of their face, For life predeftin'd to the Gnome's embrace. These swell their prospects and exalt their pride, When offers are difdain'd, and love deny'd : Then gay Ideas croud the vacant brain, While Peers, and Dukes, and all their fweeping train, And Garters, Stars, and Coronets appear, And in foft founds, Your Grace falutes their ear. "Tis these that early taint the female foul, Inftruct the eyes of young Coquettes to roll, Teach infant-cheeks a bidden blush to know, And little hearts to flutter at a Beau.

85

90

Oft, when the world imagine women stray, The Sylphs thro' myftic mazes guide their way, Thro' all the giddy circle they pursue, And old impertinence expel by new. What tender maid but muft 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 squeeze her hand? With varying vanities, from ev'ry part, They shift the moving Toyshop of their heart; 100 Where wigs with wigs, with fword-knots fwordknots ftrive,

Beaux banish beaux, and coaches coaches drive.

95

This erring mortals Levity may call,
Oh blind to truth! the Sylphs contrive it all.
Of these am I, who thy protection claim,
A watchful sprite, and Ariel is my name.
Late, as I rang'd the crystal 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;
But heav'n reveals not what, or how, or where :
Warn'd by the Sylph, oh pious maid, beware!
This to difclofe is all thy guardian can :
Beware of all, but moft beware of Man!

110

He faid; when Shock, who thought she slept too long, 115

Leap'd up, and wak'd his mistress with his tongue.
'Twas then, Belinda, if report fay true,
Thy eyes firft open'd on a Billet-doux;

105

Wounds, Charms, and Ardors, were no fooner read,
But all the Vifion vanish'd from thy head.

1 20

VER. 108. In the clear Mirror] The Language of the Platonifts, the writers of the intelligible world of Spirits, etc.

VER. 113. This to difclofe, etc.] There is much pleafantry in the conduct of this fcene. The Roficrufian Doctrine was delivered only to Adepts, with the utmost caution, and under the most folemn feal of fecrecy. It is here communicated to a Woman, and in that way of conveyance a Woman mcft delights to make the fubject of her converfation, that is to fay, her Dreams.

And now, unveil'd, the Toilet ftands display'd,
Each filver Vase in myftic order laid.

First, rob'd in white, the Nymph intent adores,
With head uncover'd, the Cosmetic pow'rs.
A heav'nly Image in the glafs appears,

125

To that she bends, to that her eyes she rears;
Th' inferior Prieftefs, at her altar's fide,
Trembling, begins the facred rites of Pride.
Unnumber'd treasures ope at once, and here
The various off'rings of the world appear;
From each fhe nicely culls with curious toil,
And decks the Goddess with the glitt'ring spoil.
This casket India's glowing gems unlocks,
And all Arabia breathes from yonder box.
The Tortoife here and Elephant unite,
135
Transform'd to combs, the speckled, 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,
Repairs her fmiles, awakens ev'ry grace,
And calls forth all the wonders of her face;
Sees by degrees a purer blush arife,
And keener lightnings quicken in her eyes.
The bufy Sylphs furround their darling care, 145
These set the head, and those divide the hair,

130

140

VER. 145.
The bufy Sylphs, etc.] Ancient Traditions of the
Rabbi's relate, that several of the fallen Angels became amorous

Some fold the fleeve, whilst others plait the gown;
And Betty's prais'd for labours not her own.

of Women, and particularize fome; among the reft Afael, who lay with Naamah, the wife of Noah, or of Ham; and who continuing impenitent, ftill prefides over the Women's Toilets. Bereshi Rabbi in Genef, vi. 2.

BODULIANA