Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

The nymph exulting fills with shouts 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, these honours fhall be fnatch'd away,
And curs'd for ever this victorious day.

For lo! the board with cups and fpoons is.
crown'd,

The berries crackle, and the mill turns round; 106 On fhining altars of Japan they raise

The filver lamp; the fiery spirits blaze:

III

From filver spouts the grateful liquors glide,
While China's earth receives the smoaking tyde:
At once they gratify their scent and taste,
And frequent cups prolong the rich repafte.
Strait hover round the Fair her airy band;
Some, as the fipp'd, the fuming liquor fann'd,

VARIATIONS.

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

IMITATIONS.

VER. IOI.

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.

Some o'er her lap their careful plumes difplay'd,
Trembling, and confcious of the rich brocade. 116
Coffee (which makes the politician wife,

And fee thro' all things with his half-fhut eyes)
Sent up in
vapours to the Baron's brain
New ftratagems, the radiant Lock to gain. 120
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!

124

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 shining cafe: So Ladies in Romance affift their Knight, Present the spear, and arm him for the fight. 130 He takes the gift with rev'rence, and extends The little engine on his finger's ends; This just behind Belinda's neck he spread,

As o'er the fragrant fteams fhe bends her head.

NOTES.

VER. 122. and think of Sylla's Fate'] Vide Ovid Metam. viii. P.

Swift to the Lock a thousand Sprites repair, 135 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; 140
As on the nofegay in her breast reclin'd,
He watch'd th' Ideas rifing in her mind,
Sudden he view'd, in spite 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 sigh 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;

VARIATIONS.

VER. 134. In the first edition it was thus,.
As o'er the fragrant ftream fhe bends her, head.
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 for ever:

All that is between was added afterwards.

P.

[ocr errors]

150

Fate urg'd the sheers, and cut the Sylph in twain, (But airy substance foon unites again)

The meeting points the facred hair diffever
From the fair head for ever, and for ever!

154

eyes,

Then flash'd the living light'ning from her And screams of horror rend th' affrighted skies. Not louder fhrieks to pitying heav'n are cast, When husbands, or when lapdogs breathe their last ; Or when rich China veffels fall'n from high, In glitt'ring duft, and painted fragments lie! 160 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,

NOTES.

165

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

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 f ntiment, which well fuited the debauched taste of the better vulgar.

VER. 163, 170.

IMITATIONS.

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

While visits shall be paid on folemn days,
When num'rous wax-lights in bright order blaze,
While nymphs take treats, or affignations give, 169
So long my honour, name, and praise shall live!
What Time would spare, from Steel receives its
date,

And monuments like men fubmit to fate!
Steel could the labour of the Gods deftroy,
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. 176
What wonder then, fair nymph! thy hairs should
feel,

The conqu'ring force of unrefifted steel?

IMITATIONS.

VER. 177.

Ille quoque everfus mons eft, etc.

Quid faciant crines, cum ferro talia cedant?

Catull, de com. Berenices.

« ZurückWeiter »