31

race,

40

care;

'Let Spades be trumps!' she said, and trumps they were.

Now move to war her sable Matadores, In show like leaders of the swarthy Moors. Spadillio first, unconquerable lord! Led off two captive trumps, and swept the board.

50

As many more Manillio forced to yield,
And march'd a victor from the verdant
field.

Him Basto follow'd, but his fate more hard
Gain'd but one trump and one plebeian card.
With his broad sabre next, a chief in years,
The hoary Majesty of Spades appears,
Puts forth one manly leg, to sight reveal'd;
The rest his many colour'd robe conceal'd.
The rebel Knave, who dares his prince en-
gage,

Proves the just victim of his royal rage. 60 Ev'n mighty Pam, that kings and queens o'erthrew,

And mow'd down armies in the fights of Loo,

Sad chance of war! now destitute of aid, Falls undistinguish'd by the victor Spade.

Thus far both armies to Belinda yield; Now to the Baron Fate inclines the field. His warlike amazon her host invades, Th' imperial consort of the crown of Spades. The Club's black tyrant first her victim died,

Spite of his haughty mien and barb'rous pride:

70

What boots the regal circle on his head, His giant limbs, in state unwieldy spread; That long behind he trails his pompous

robe,

And of all monarchs only grasps the globe? The Baron now his Diamonds pours

apace;

Th' embroider'd King who shows but hal his face,

And his refulgent Queen, with powers combin'd,

Of broken troops an easy conquest find. Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, in wild disorder

seen,

With throngs promiscuous strew the level green.

Thus when dispers'd a ronted army runs, Of Asia's troops, and Afric's sable sons,

84

He takes the gift with rev'rence, and extends

The little engine on his fingers' ends;
This just behind Belinda's neck he spread,
As o'er the fragrant steams she 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 she look'd back, and thrice the foe drew near. 138

Just in that instant, anxious Ariel sought
The close recesses of the virgin's thought:
As on the nosegay in her breast reclin'd,
He watch'd th' ideas rising in her mind,
Sudden he view'd, in spite of all her art,
An earthly Lover lurking at her heart.
Amazed, confused, he found his power ex-
pired,

Resign'd to fate, and with a sigh retired. 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 closed,
A wretched Sylph too fondly interposed;
Fate urged the shears, and cut the Sylph
in twain

151

(But airy substance soon unites again). The meeting points the sacred hair dissever From the fair head, for ever, and for

ever!

II

And Ariel weeping from Belinda flew,
Umbriel, a dusky, melancholy sprite
As ever sullied the fair face of light,
Down to the central earth, his proper scene,
Repair'd to search the gloomy cave of
Spleen.

Swift on his sooty pinions flits the
Gnome,

And in a vapour reach'd the dismal dome.
No cheerful breeze this sullen region knows,
The dreaded East is all the wind that
blows.

20

Here in a grotto shelter'd close from air, And screen'd in shades from day's detested glare,

She sighs for ever on her pensive bed,
Pain at her side, and Megrim at her head.
Two handmaids wait the throne; alike in
place,

But diff'ring far in figure and in face.
Here stood Ill-nature, like an ancient
maid,

Her wrinkled form in black and white array'd!

With store of prayers for mornings, nights, and noons,

Her hand is fill'd; her bosom with lampoons.

30

There Affectation, with a sickly mien, Shows in her cheek the roses of eighteen, Practis'd to lisp, and hang the head aside, Faints into airs, and languishes with pride; On the rich quilt sinks with becoming woe, Wrapt in a gown for sickness and for show.

The fair ones feel such maladies as these, When each new night-dress gives a new

disease.

A constant vapour o'er the palace flies Strange phantoms rising as the mists arise; Dreadful as hermits' dreams in haunted

shades,

41

Or bright as visions of expiring maids: Now glaring fiends, and snakes on rolling spires,

Pale spectres, gaping tombs, and purple fires;

Now lakes of liquid gold, Elysian scenes, And crystal domes, and angels in machines.

60

Who rule the sex to fifty from fifteen:
Parent of Vapours and of female wit,
Who give th' hysteric or poetic fit,
On various tempers act by various ways,
Make some take physic, others scribble
plays;

Who cause the proud their visits to delay,
And send the godly in a pet to pray.

A nymph there is that all your power disdains,

And thousands more in equal mirth maintains.

But oh! if e'er thy Gnome could spoil a grace,

Or raise a pimple on a beauteous face,
Like citron-waters matrons' cheeks inflame,
Or change complexions at a losing game; 70
If e'er with airy horns I planted heads,
Or rumpled petticoats, or tumbled beds,
Or caused suspicion when no soul was rude,
Or discomposed the head-dress of a prude,
Or e'er to costive lapdog gave disease,
Which not the tears of brightest eyes could
ease,

Hear me, and touch Belinda with chagrin;
That single act gives half the world the

On that rapacious hand for ever blaze?
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, lapdogs, parrots, perish

all!'

120

She said; then raging to Sir Plume re

pairs,

And bids her beau demand the precious hairs