He fummons ftrait his Denizens of air; 65 Where light difports in ever-mingling dyes, Superior by the head, was Ariel plac'd; He rais'd his azure wand, and thus begun. 70 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, Some guide the course of wand'ring orbs on high, Or dip their pinions in the painted bow, Or brew fierce tempefts on the wintry main, 85 Or o'er the glebe distil the kindly rain. Others on earth o'er human race prefide, Watch all their ways, and all their actions guide: To draw fresh colours from the vernal flow'rs; 95 NOTES. VER. 90. And guard with Arms] The Poet was too judicious to defire this fhould be understood as a compliment. He intended it for a mere piece of raillery; fuch as he more openly purfues on another occafion. Where's now the Star which lighted Charles to rife? Angels, that watch'd the Royal Oak so well, How chanc'd you flept when lucklefs Sorrel fell? A brighter wash; to curl their waving hairs, Or ftain her honour, or her new brocade; Or whether Heav'n has doom'd that Shock must fall. ΙΙΟ Haste then, ye fpirits! to your charge repair: NOTES. VER. 105. Whether the nymph, etc.] The difafter, which makes the fubject of this poem, being a trifle, taken seriously; it naturally led the Poet into this fine fatire on the female efti 121 To fifty chofen Sylphs, of special note, We trust th' important charge, the Petticoat: Oft have we known that seven-fold fence to fail, Tho' ftiff with hoops, and arm'd with ribs of whale; Form a strong line about the filver bound, And guard the wide circumference around. Whatever fpirit, carclefs of his charge, His poft neglects, or leaves the fair at large, Shall feel sharp vengeance foon o'ertake his fins, Be ftop'd in vials, or transfix'd with pins; 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 restrain, While clog'd he beats his filken wings in vain; Or Alum ftyptics with contracting pow'r Shrink his thin effence like a rivel'd flow'r: Or, as Ixion fix'd, the wretch fhall feel The giddy motion of the whirling Mill, IMITATIONS. 126 131 VER. 121. about the filver bound] In allufion to the fhield of Achilles, Thus the broad fhield complete the Artift crown'd, And beat the Buckler's verge, and bound the whole. Ovid, In fumes of burning Chocolate fhall glow, 135 And tremble at the fea that froths below! He spoke; the spirits from the fails defcend; Some, orb in orb, around the nymph extend; Some thrid the mazy ringlets of her hair; Some hang upon the pendants of her ear; 140 With beating hearts the dire event they wait, Anxious, and trembling for the birth of Fate. |