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 different nations fly,
In various habits, and of various dye,
The pierc'd battalions dif-united 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 palenefs fpreads o'er all her look;
She fees, and trembles at th' approaching ill,
Just in the jaws of ruin, and Codille.
And now, (as oft' in fome diftemper'd state)
On one nice Trick depends the genʼral 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 fhouts the sky,
The walls, the woods, and long canals reply.
Oh thoughtless mortals! ever blind to fate,
Too foon dejected, and too foon elate!
Sudden, these 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:
On fhining Altars of Japan they raise
The filver lamp; the fiery fpirits blaze:
From filver spouts the grateful liquors glide,
And China's earth receives the fmoking tyde.
At once they gratify their scent and taste,
While frequent cups prolong the rich repaste.
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 display'd,
Trembling, and confcious of the rich brocade.
Coffee, (which makes the politician wife,
And see thro' all things with his half-fhut eyes)
Sent up in vapours to the Baron's brain
New stratagems, the radiant Lock to gain.
Ah cease, rafh youth! defift e'er '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? Just then, Clariffa drew with tempting grace A two-edg❜d weapon from her fhining case; So Ladies in Romance affift their Knight, Present the spear, 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 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 the look'd back, and thrice the foe drew near. Just in that inftant, anxious Ariel fought
The clofe receffes of the Virgin's thought;
As on the nofegay 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,
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 lightnings from her eyes, And screams of horror rend th' affrighted skies. Not louder fhrieks to pitying heav'n are caft, When husbands, or when lapdogs breathe their last ; Or when rich China veffels, fal'n from high, In glittering dust, and painted fragments lie!
* See Milton, lib. 6. of Satan cut afunder by the Angel Michael.
Let wreaths of triumph now my temples twine,
(The victor cry'd) the glorious prize is mine!
While fish in streams, 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 visits shall 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 praise fhall live!
What Time wou'd fpare, from steel receives its date,
And monuments, like men, fubmit to fate!
Steel could the labour of the Gods destroy,
And strike 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 fhou'd feel
The conqu❜ring force of unrefifted steel?
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