Was it for this you took such constant care
The bodkin, comb, and essence to prepare? :
For this your locks in paper durance bound,
For this with tort'ring irons wreath'd around? 100
For this with fillets ftrain’d your tender head,
And bravely bore the double loads of lead?
Gods! Thall the ravisher display your hair; .,
While the Fops envy, and the Ladies stare !
Honour forbid! at whose unrivald shrine 105
Ease, pleasure, virtue, all our sex relign.
Methinks already I your tears survey,
Already hear the horrid things they say,
Already see you a degraded toast,
And all your honour in a whifper loft! . nó
How shall I, then, your helpless fame defend?
'Twill then be infamy to seem your friend!
And fhall this prize, th' inestimable prize,
Expos’d thro' crystal to the gazing eyes, ...
And heighten’d by the diamond's circling rays,
On that rapacious hand for ever blaze! 116
Sooner shall grass in Hyde-park Circus grow,
And wits take lodgings in the sound of Bow;. :
Sooner let earth, air, sea, to Chaos fall,
Men, monkeys, lap-dogs, parrots, perish all! 120

She said; then raging to Sir Plume repairs, And bids her Beau demand the precious hairs: (Sir Plume of amber snuff-box justly vain, And the nice conduct of a clouded cane) With earnest eyes, and round unthinking face, 125 He first the snuff-box open'd, then the case, And thus broke out---"My Lord, why, what the

“ devil ? " Z--ds! damn the lock ! 'fore Gad, you must be

« civil! “ Plague on't! 'tis past a jeft--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 speaks so well should ever speak in vain. But by this Lock, this sacred Lock I swear, (Which never more shall join its parted hair; Which never more its honours shall renew, 135 Clip'd from the lovely head where late it grew)

That while my nostrils draw the vital air,
This hand, which won it, shall for ever wear.
He spoke, and speaking, in proud triumph spread .
The long-contended honours of her head. 140

But Umbriel, hateful Gnome! forbears not fo; He breaks the Vial whence the sorrows flow. Then see! the nymph in beauteous grief appears, Her eyes half-languishing, half-drown'd in tears ; On her heav'd bosom hung her drooping head, Which, with a figh, she rais’d; and thus she faid,

For ever curs'd be this detested day, Which snatch'd my best, my fav’rite curl away! Happy! ah ten times happy had I been, If Hampton-Court these eyes had never seen! 150 Yet am not I the first mistaken maid ; By love of Courts to num'rous ills betray’d. Oh had I rather un-admir'd remain'd In some lone ifle, or distant Northern land; Where the gilt Chariot never marks the way, 156 Where none learn Ombre, none e'er taste Bohea!

There kept my charms conceal'd from mortal eye,
Like roses, that in deserts bloom and die.
What mov'd my mind with youthful Lords to soam?
O had I stay’d, and said my pray’rs at home! 160
'Twas this, the morning omens feèm’d to tell,
Thrice from my trembling hand the patch-box fell;
The tott'ring China shook without a wind,
Nay Poll fat mute, and Shock was most unkind!
A Sylph too warn’d me of the threats of fate, 165
In mystic visions, now believ'd too late !
See the poor remnants of these slighted hairs!.?
My hands shall rend what ev’n thy rapine spares:

These in two fable șinglets taught to break,
Once gave new beauties to the snowy neck;. 170
The sister-lock now fits uncouth, alone,
And in its fellow's fate foresees its own; ..
Uncurld it hangs, the fatal sheers demands,
And tempts, once more, thy facrilegious hands.
Oh hadst thou, cruel ! been content to seize 175
Hairs less in sight, or any hairs but these!

THE . RAPE of the LOCK.

CANTO V. CHE said: the pitying audience melt in tears.

But Fate and Jove had stopp'd the Baron's ears. In vain Thalestris with reproach affails, For who can move when fair Belinda fails? Not half so fix'd the Trojan could remain, 5 While Anna begg’d and Dido rag'd in vain. Then grave Clariffa graceful wav'd her fan; Silence ensu'd, and thus the nymph began.

Say why are Beauties prais’d and honour'd most, The wise man's passion, and the vain man's toast?