Poetry. Alexander Pope

freed from mortal laws, with ease Assume what sexes and what shapes they please. 70 What guards the purity of melting maids, In courtly balls, and midnight masquerades, Safe from the treacherous friend, the daring spark, The glance by day, the whisper in the dark, When kind occasion prompts their warm desires, When music softens, and when dancing fires? 'Tis but their Sylph, the wise celestials know, Though honour is the word with men below. 'Some nymphs there are, too conscious of their face, For life predestined to the Gnomes' embrace. 80 These swell their prospects, and exalt their pride, When offers are disdain'd, and love denied; Then gay ideas crowd the vacant brain, While peers, and dukes, and all their sweeping train, And garters, stars, and coronets appear, And in soft sounds, 'Your Grace' salutes their ear. 'Tis these that early taint the female soul, Instruct the eyes of young coquettes to roll, Teach infant cheeks a bidden blush to know, And little hearts to flutter at a beau. 90 'Oft, when the world imagine women stray, The Sylphs through mystic mazes guide their way, Through all the giddy circle they pursue, And old impertinence expel by new. What tender maid but must a victim fall To one man's treat, but for another's ball? When Florio speaks, what virgin could withstand, If gentle Damon did not squeeze her hand? With varying vanities, from every part, They shift the moving toyshop of their heart, 100 Where wigs with wigs, with sword-knots sword-knots strive, Beaux banish beaux, and coaches coaches drive. This erring mortals levity may call, Oh, blind to truth! the Sylphs contrive it all. 'Of these am I, who thy protection claim, A watchful sprite, and Ariel is my name. Late, as I ranged the crystal wilds of air, In the clear mirror of thy ruling star I saw, alas! some dread event impend, Ere to the main this morning sun descend, 110 But heaven reveals not what, or how, or where: Warn'd by the Sylph, oh, pious maid, beware! This to disclose is all thy guardian can: Beware of all, but most beware of man!' He said; when Shock, who thought she slept too long, Leap'd up, and waked his mistress with his tongue. 'Twas then, Belinda, if report say true, Thy eyes first open'd on a billet-doux; Wounds, charms, and ardours, were no sooner read, But all the vision vanish'd from thy head. 120 And now, unveil'd, the toilet stands display'd, Each silver vase in mystic order laid. First, robed in white, the nymph intent adores, With head uncover'd, the cosmetic powers. A heavenly image in the glass appears, To that she bends, to that her eyes she rears; The inferior priestess, at her altar's side, Trembling, begins the sacred rites of pride. Unnumber'd treasures ope at once, and here The various offerings of the world appear; 130 From each she nicely culls with curious toil, And decks the goddess with the glittering spoil. This casket India's glowing gems unlocks, And all Arabia breathes from yonder box. The tortoise here, and elephant unite, Transform'd to combs, the speckled and the white. Here files of pins extend their shining rows, Puffs, powders, patches, Bibles, billet-doux. Now awful beauty puts on all its arms; The fair each moment rises in her charms, 140 Repairs her smiles, awakens every grace, And calls forth all the wonders of her face; Sees by degrees a purer blush arise, And keener lightnings quicken in her eyes. The busy Sylphs surround their darling care, These set the head, and those divide the hair, Some fold the sleeve, whilst others plait the gown: And Betty's praised for labours not her own.

VARIATIONS.

       Table of Contents

      VER. 11,12. It was in the first editions:—

       And dwells such rage in softest bosoms then,

       And lodge such daring souls in little men?

       VER. 13–18 Stood thus in the first edition:—

       Sol through white curtains did his beams display,

       And op'd those eyes which brighter shone than they;

       Shock just had given himself the rousing shake,

       And nymphs prepared their chocolate to take;

       Thrice the wrought slipper knock'd against the ground,

       And striking watches the tenth hour resound.

CANTO II.

       Table of Contents

      Not with more glories, in the ethereal plain,

       The sun first rises o'er the purpled main,

       Than, issuing forth, the rival of his beams

       Launched on the bosom of the silver Thames.

       Fair nymphs and well-dress'd youths around her shone,

       But every eye was fix'd on her alone.

       On her white breast a sparkling cross she wore,

       Which Jews might kiss, and infidels adore.

       Her lively looks a sprightly mind disclose,

       Quick as her eyes, and as unfix'd as those: 10

       Favours to none, to all she smiles extends;

       Oft she rejects, but never once offends.

       Bright as the sun, her eyes the gazers strike,

       And, like the sun, they shine on all alike.

       Yet graceful ease, and sweetness void of pride

       Might hide her faults, if belles had faults to hide:

       If to her share some female errors fall,

       Look on her face, and you'll forget 'em all.

       This nymph, to the destruction of mankind,

       Nourish'd two locks, which graceful hung behind 20

       In equal curls, and well conspired to deck

       With shining ringlets the smooth ivory neck.

       Love in these labyrinths his slaves detains,

       And mighty hearts are held in slender chains.

       With hairy springes we the birds betray,

       Slight lines of hair surprise the finny prey,

       Fair tresses man's imperial race ensnare,

       And beauty draws us with a single hair.

       The adventurous Baron30 the bright locks admired; He saw, he wished, and to the prize aspired. 30 Resolved to win, he meditates the way, By force to ravish, or by fraud betray; For when success a lover's toil attends, Few ask if fraud or force attain'd his ends. For this, ere Phoebus rose, he had implored Propitious Heaven, and every power adored, But chiefly Love—to Love an altar built, Of twelve vast French romances, neatly gilt. There lay three garters, half a pair of gloves; And all the trophies of his former loves; 40 With tender billet-doux he lights the pyre, And breathes three amorous sighs to raise the fire. Then prostrate falls, and begs with ardent eyes Soon to obtain, and long possess the prize: The powers gave ear, and granted half his prayer, The rest, the winds dispersed in empty air. But now secure the painted vessel glides, The sunbeams trembling on the floating tides: While melting music steals upon the sky, And soften'd sounds along the waters die; 50 Smooth flow the waves, the zephyrs gently play, Belinda smiled, and all the world was gay. All but the Sylph—with careful thoughts oppress'd, The impending woe sat heavy on his breast. He summons straight his denizens of air; The lucid squadrons round the sails repair; Soft o'er the shrouds aërial whispers breathe, That seem'd but zephyrs to the train beneath. Some to the sun their insect-wings unfold, Waft on the breeze, or sink in clouds of gold; 60 Transparent forms, too fine for mortal sight, Their fluid bodies half dissolved in light. Loose to the wind their airy garments flew, Thin glittering textures of the filmy dew, Dipp'd in the richest tincture of the skies, Where light disports in ever-mingling dyes; While every beam new transient colours flings, Colours that change whene'er they wave their wings. Amid the circle, on the gilded mast, Superior by the head, was Ariel placed; 70 His purple pinions opening to the sun, He raised his azure wand, and thus begun: 'Ye Sylphs and Sylphids, to your chief give ear, Fays, fairies, genii, elves, and demons hear! Ye know the spheres, and various tasks assign'd By laws eternal to the aërial