That men may say, when we the front box grace, Oh! if to dance all night and dress all day, So when bold Homer makes the gods engage, Triumphant Umbriel, on a sconce's height, Clapp'd his glad wings, and sat to view the fight Propp'd on their bodkin-spears, the sprites survey The growing combat, or assist the fray. While through the press enraged Thalestris flies And scatters death around from both her eyes, A beau and witling perish'd in the throng. One died in metaphor, and one in song. 'O cruel nymph! a living death I bear,' Cried Dapperwit, and sunk beside his chair. A mournful glance sir Fopling upwards cast: "Those eyes are made so killing-' was his last. Thus on Meander's flowery margin lies The expiring swan, and as he sings he dies. When bold sir Plume had drawn Clarissa down. Chloe stepp'd in, and kill'd him with a frown; She smiled to see the doughty hero slain, But, at her smile, the beau revived again. Now Jove suspends his golden scales in air, Weighs the men's wits against the lady's hair The doubtful beam long nods from side to side At length the wits mount up, the hairs subside. See fierce Belinda on the baron flies, With more than usual lightning in her eyes: Nor fear'd the chief the unequal fight to try, Who sought no more than on his foe to die. But this bold lord, with manly strength endued She with one finger and a thumb subdued: Just where the breath of life his nostrils drew, A charge of snuff the wily virgin threw ; The Gnomes direct, to every atom just, The pungent grains of titillating dust. Sudden with starting tears each eye o'erflows, And the high dome re-echoes to his nose. 'Now meet thy fate,' incensed Belinda cried, And drew a deadly bodkin from her side; (The same, his ancient personage to deck, Her great-great-grandsire wore about his neck, In three seal-rings; which after, melted down, Form'd a vast buckle for his widow's gown Her infant grandame's whistle next it grew, Restore the lock,' she cries; and all around Restore the lock!' the vaulted roofs rebound. Not fierce Othello in so loud a strain Roar'd for the handkerchief that caused his pain But see how oft ambitious aims are cross'd, And chiefs contend till all the prize is lost! The lock, obtain'd with guilt, and kept with pain, In every place is sought, but sought in vain : With such a prize no mortal must be bless'd: So Heaven decrees! with Heaven who can contest Some thought it mounted to the lunar sphere, Since all things lost on earth are treasured there : There heroes' wits are kept in ponderous vases, And beaus' in snuff-boxes and tweezer cases: There broken vows and death-bed alms are found, And lovers' hearts with ends of riband bound; The courtier's promises, and sick man's prayers, The smiles of harlots, and the tears of heirs, Cages for gnats, and chains to yoke a flea, Dried butterflies, and tomes of casuistry.// But trust the muse-she saw it upward rise, Though mark'd by none but quick poetic eyes; (So Rome's great founder to the heavens withdrew To Proculus alone confess'd in view :) A sudden star it shot through liquid air, And drew behind a radiant trail of hair. Not Berenice's locks first rose so bright, The heavens bespangling with dishevell❜d light.. The Sylphs behold it kindling as it flies, This the bless'd lover shall for Venus take, Then cease,bright nymph! to mourn thy ravish'd hair ELEGY TO THE MEMORY OF AN UNFORTUNATE LADY WHAT beckoning ghost, along the moonlight shade Invites my steps, and points to yonder glade? "Tis she!--but why that bleeding bosom gored? Why dimly gleams the visionary sword? Oh ever beauteous, ever friendly! tell, Is it, in heaven, a crime to love too well? To bear too tender, or too firm a heart? To act a lover's or a Roman's part? Is there no bright reversion in the sky, For those who greatly think, or bravely die? Why bade ye else, ye powers! her soul aspire Above the vulgar flight of low desire? Ambition first sprung from your bless'd abodes, And in the breasts of kings and heroes glows. And separate from their kindred dregs below: But thou, false guardian of a charge too gooi, Thus shall your wives, and thus your children fall: |