Men prove with child, as pow'rful fancy works, And maids turn'd bottles, call aloud for corks. Safe past the Gnome thro' this fantastic band, A branch of healing Spleenwort in his hand. Then thus addrefs'd the pow'r --- Hail wayward Queen! Who rule the fex to fifty from fifteen: On various tempers act by various ways, 60 A nymph there is, that all thy pow'r disdains, 65 IMITATIONS. 70 VER. 51. Homer's Tripod walks ;] See Hom. Iliad xviii. of Vulcan's walking Tripods. P. VER. 52. and there a Goofe-pye talks.] Alludes to a real fact, Or caus'd fufpicion when no foul was rude, The Goddefs with a difcontented air 75 Seems to reject him, tho' fhe grants his pray'r. 80 Her eyes dejected and her hair unbound. 85 90 Belinda burns with more than mortal ire, Was it for this you took fuch constant care While the Fops envy, and the Ladies stare! How fhall I, then, your helplefs fame defend?i She faid; then raging to Sir Plume repairs, With earnest eyes, and round unthinking face, 125 "Z--ds! damn the lock! 'fore Gad, you must be "civil! Plague on't! 'tis past a jest--nay prithee, pox! "Give her the hair"--he spoke, and rapp'd his box. It grieves me much (reply'd the Peer again) 131 Who fpeaks fo well fhould ever speak in vain. But by this Lock, this facred Lock I fwear, (Which never more shall join its parted hair; Which never more its honours fhall renew, 135 Clip'd from the lovely head where late it grew) NOTES. VER. 121. Sir Plume repairs,] Sir George Brown. He was the only one of the Party who took the thing seriously. He was angry that the Poet should make him talk nothing but nonsense; and in truth, one could not well blame him. IMITATIONS. VER. 133. But by this Lock,] In allufion to Achilles's oath in Homer, II. i. P. That while my noftrils draw the vital air, 140 But Umbriel, hateful Gnome! forbears not fo; He breaks the Vial whence the forrows flow. Then fee! the nymph in beauteous grief appears, Her eyes half-languishing, half-drown'd in tears; On her heav'd bofom hung her drooping head, Which, with a figh, fhe rais'd; and thus fhe faid, For ever curs'd be this detested day, Which fnatch'd my best, my my fav'rite curl away! Happy! ah ten times happy had I been, If Hampton-Court these eyes had never seen! 150 By love of Courts to num'rous ills betray'd. In fome lone ifle, or diftant Northern land; way, 156 Where none learn Ombre, none e'er taste Bohea! NOTES. VER. 141. But Umbriel, hateful Gnome! forbears not fo; He breaks the Vial whence the forrows flow.] Thefe two lines are additional; and affign the cause of the different operation on the Paffions of the two Ladies. The poem went on before without that distinction, as without any Machinery to the end |