But emulates the diamond's blaze, Whose cheek but mocks the peach's

bloom,

Whose breath the hyacinth's perfume, Whofe melting voice the warbling woodlark's lays,

Shall the be deem'd my rival? Shall a

Of elemental drofs, of mould'ring clay, Vie with these charms empyreal? The poor worm

Shall prove her conteft vain. Life's little day

Shall pafs, and fhe is gone: while I ap

pear

Flufh'd with the bloom of youth through Heav'n's eternal year.

Know, Mortals, know, ere firft ye fprung,
Ere first these orbs in æther hung,
I fhone amid her heavenly throng,
Thefe eyes beheld Creation's day,
This voice began the choral lay,

And

And taught Archangels their triumphant

fong,

Pleas'd I furvey'd bright Nature's gradual birth,

Saw infant Light with kindling luftre spread, Soft vernal fragrance clothe the flow'ring

earth,

And Ocean heave on its extended bed;

Saw the tall pine afpiring pierce the sky, The tawny lion ftalk, the rapid eagle fly.

his face,

Laft, Man arofe, erect in youthful grace, Heaven's hallow'd image ftamp'd upon [giv'n, And, as he rofe, the high beheft was That I alone, of all the hoft of heav'n, Should reign Protectrefs of the godlike Youth :'

Thus the Almighty fpake: he fpake, and

call'd me TRUTH.

MASON.

Ombre.

BELINDA

Ombre.

ELINDA now, whom thirft of fame invites,

Burns to encounter two advent'rous Knights, At Ombre fingly to decide their doom;

And fwells her breafts with conquests yet to

come.

Strait the three bands prepare in arms to join,
Each band the number of the facred Nine.
Soon as the fpreads her hand, th' aerial
guard

Defcend, and fit on each important card :
Firft Ariel perch'd upon a matadore,

Then each according to the rank he bore;
For Sylphs, yet mindful of their ancient

race,

Are, as when Women, wond'rous fond of

place.

Behold,

Behold, four Kings in majefty rever'd,
With hoary whiskers and a forky beard ;
And four fair Queens, whofe hands sustain a

flow'r,

Th' expreffive emblem of their softer pow'r; Four Knaves in garbs fuccinct, a trusty band, Caps on their heads, and halberts in their hand;

And party-colour'd troops, a shining train, Drawn forth to combat on the velvet plain.

The fkilful 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.
Spadillo firft, unconquerable Lord! [board.
Led off two captive trumps, and swept the
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 en-
gage,

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 deftitute of aid, Falls undiftinguish'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 firft 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 unweildy spread;

That