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 gen'ral fate,

An Ace of Hearts fteps forth: The King unfeen 95
Lurk'd in her hand, and mourn'd his captive Queen:
He fprings to vengeance with an eager pace,
And falls like thunder on the proftrate Ace.
The nymph exulting fills with fhouts the sky;
The walls, the woods, and long canals reply. 100
O thoughtless mortals! ever blind to fate,
Too foon dejected, and too foon elate.
Sudden, thefe honours fhall be snatch'd away,
And curs❜d for ever this victorious day.

For lo! the board with cups and spoons is crown'd, The berries crackle, and the mill turns round; 106 On fhining altars of Japan they raise

The filver lamp; the fiery fpirits blaze:

From filver spouts the grateful liquors glide,

While China's earth receives the fmoaking tide: 110

VARIATIONS.

VER. 105. Sudden the board, etc.] From hence, the first Edition continues to ver. 134. P.

VER. IOI.

IMITATIONS.

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.

Virg.

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 the fipp'd, the fuming liquor fann'd,
Some o'er her lap their careful plumes difplay'd, 115
Trembling, and conscious of the rich brocade.
Coffee (which makes the politician wife,
And fee thro' all things with his half shut eyes)
Sent up in vapours to the Baron's brain
New ftratagems, the radiant Lock to gain.
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!

120

But when to Mischief mortals bend their will, 125 How foon they find fit inftruments of ill? Juft then, Clariffa drew with tempting grace A two-edg'd weapon from her fhining cafe: So Ladies in Romance affift their Knight, Prefent the fpear, and arm him for the fight. He takes the gift with rev'rence, and extends The little engine on his finger's ends; This juft behind Belinda's neck he spread, As o'er the fragrant fteams fhe bends her head.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 134. In the first edition it was thus,

139

"As o'er the fragrant ftream fhe bends her head. P. NOTES.

VER. 122. and think of Scylla's Fate!] Vide Ovid's Metam. viit. P.

Swift to the Lock a thoufand Sprites repair,

135

140

A thousand wings, by turns, blow back the hair;
And thrice they twitch'd the diamond in her ear;
Thrice fhe look'd back, and thrice the foe drew near.
Juft in that inftant, anxious Ariel fought
The close receffes of the Virgin's thought;
As on the nosegay in her breast reclin'd,
He watch'd th' ideas rifing in her mind,
Sudden he view'd, in fpite 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 fpreads the glitt'ring Forfex wide, T'inclofe 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 fubftance foon unites again)

The meeting points the facred hair diffever

From the fair head for ever, and for ever!

VER. 147.

VARIATIONS.

"First he expands the glitt'ring Forfex wide
"T'inclofe the Lock; then joins it to divide :
"The meeting points the facred hair diffever,
"From the fair head for ever and ever.

All that is between was added afterwards. P.

NOTES.

150

VER. 152. But airy fubftance] See Milton, lib. vi. of Satan cut afunder by the Angel Michael. P.

Then flash'd the living light'ning from her eyes, And screams of horror rend th' affrighted fkies. Not louder fhrieks to pitying heav'n are cast, When husbands, or when lap-dogs breathe their last; Or when rich China veffels fall'n from high, In glitt'ring duft, and painted fragments lie! Let wreaths of triumph now my temples twine, (The Victor cry'd) the glorious prize is mine! While fish in ftreams, or birds delight in air, Or in a coach and fix the British Fair, As long as Atalantis fhall be read,

160

165

Or the small pillow grace a Lady's bed,
While vifits fhall be paid on folemn days,
When num'rous wax-lights in bright order blaze,
While nymphs take treats, or affignations give,
So long my honour, name, and praife fhall live! 170
What Time would fpare, from Steel receives its date,
And monuments like men fubmit to fate!

NOTES.

VER. 165. Atalantis] A famous book written about that time by a woman; full of Court and Party-fcandal; and in a loose effeminacy of ftyle and fentiment, which well fuited the debauched tafte of the better vulgar.

VER. 163, 170.

IMITATIONS.

Dum juga montis aper, fluvios dum pifcis amabit,
Semper honos, nomenque tuum, laudefque manebunt.

Virg. P.

Steel could the labour of the Gods destroy,

And strike to dust th' imperial tow'rs of Troy;
Steel could the works of mortal pride confound, 175
And hew triumphal arches to the ground.

What wonder then, fair nymph! thy hairs should feel,
The conqu❜ring force of unrefifted fteel?

VER. 177.

IMITATIONS.

Ille quoque everfus mons eft, etc.

Quid faciant crines, cum ferro talią cedant ?

Catull. de com, Berenices. B

P 4