The skilful nymph reviews her force with care: Let Spades be trumps! fhe faid, and trumps they were. Now move to war her fable Matadores,
In fhow like leaders of the fwarthy Moors.
Spadillio firft, unconquerable Lord!
Led off two captive trumps, and fwept the board.
As many more Manillio forc'd to yield,
And march'd a victor from the verdant field.
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,
The hoary Majefty 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 juft victim of his royal rage.
Ev'n mighty Pam, that Kings and Queens o'erthrew,
And mow'd down armies in the fights of Lu,
Sad chance of war! now, destitute 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,
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; Th' embroider'd King who shews but half his face, And his refulgent Queen, with pow'rs combin'd, Of broken troops an easy conqueft find.
Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, in wild diforder feen, 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 diff'rent nations fly, Of various habits, 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 gen'ral fate. An Ace of Hearts fteps forth: the King, unfeen, 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 shouts the sky; The walls, the woods, and long canals reply. O thoughtless mortals! ever blind to fate, Too foon dejected, and too foon elate. Sudden, thefe honours fhall be fnatch'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;
On fhining Altars of Japan they raise
The filver lamp; the fiery fpirits blaze:
From filver fpouts the grateful liquors glide,
While China's earth receives the fmoaking tide:
At once they gratify their scent and tafte,
And frequent cups prolong the rich repast.
Strait hover round the fair her airy band;
Some, as fhe fipp'd, the fuming liquor fann'd,
Some o'er her lap their careful plumes difplay'd,
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, rafh 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?
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 fingers ends;
This juft behind Belinda's neck he fpread,
As o'er the fragrant fteams fhe bends her head.
Swift to the Lock a thousand Sprites repair,
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.
Just in that inflant anxious Ariel fought
The close receffes of the Virgin's thought;
As on the nofegay in her breast reclin'd,
He watch'd th' ideas rising 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,
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 fubftance foon unites again)
The meeting points the facred hair diffever
From the fair head, for ever, and for ever!
Then flash'd the living light'ning from her eyes,
And skreams of horror rend th' affrighted skies.
Not louder fhrieks to pitying heav'n are cast,
When husbands, or when lap-dogs breathe their laft;
Or when rich China veffels, fall'n from high,
In glitt'ring duft, and painted fragments lie!
Let wreathes 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,
Or the small pillow grace a Lady's bed,
While vifits shall be paid on folemn days,
When num'rous wax-lights in bright order blaze,
While nymphs take treats, or aßignations give,.
So long my honour, name, and praise shall live!
What Time would fpare, from Steel receives its date,
And monuments, like men, fubmit to fate!
Steel could the labour of the Gods deftroy,
And ftrike to duft th' imperial tow'rs of Troy;
Steel could the works of mortal pride confound,
And hew triumphal arches to the ground.
What wonder, then, fair Nymph! thy hairs should feel
The conqu'ring force of unrefifted steel?
But anxious cares the penfive Nymph opprefs'd,
And fecret paffions labour'd in her breast.
Not youthful kings in Battle feiz'd alive,
Not scornful virgins who their charms furvive,
Not ardent lovers robb'd of all their bliss,
Not ancient ladies when refus'd a kifs,
Not tyrants fierce that unrepenting die,
Not Cynthia when her manteau's pinn'd awry,
E'er felt fuch rage, refentment, and despair,
As thou, fad Virgin! for thy ravish'd Hair.
For, that fad moment when the Sylphs withdrew,
And Ariel, weeping, from Belinda flew,
Umbriel, a dufky, melancholy fprite,
As ever fully'd the fair face of light,
Down to the central earth, his proper fcene,
Repair'd, to fearch the gloomy Cave of Spleen.
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