The sprites 1 of fiery termagants 2 in flame
Mount up, and take a salamander's 3 name.
Soft yielding minds to water glide away,
And sip, with nymphs, their elemental tea.1
The graver prude sinks downward to a gnome,5
In search of mischief still on earth to roam.
The light coquettes in sylphs aloft repair,
And sport and flutter in the fields of air.
With varying vanities, from every part,

бо

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They shift the moving toyshop of their heart; 6

Where wigs with wigs, with sword knots sword knots strive,

Beaus banish beaus, and coaches coaches drive.

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This erring mortals levity may call;7

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 9 this morning sun descend;

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But Heaven reveals not what, or how, or where:
Warned by the sylph, oh, pious 10 maid, beware!

1 Spirits.

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2 A name given by early Christians to a Mohammedan deity. In the miracle plays and moralities he appears as a boisterous character. The name is now applied to a turbulent woman.

3 An amphibious animal allied to the frog. It was an old superstition that it could endure fire without harm.

4 In Pope's time

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tea"

was pronounced tay.

5 See p. 22.

6 " They shift the moving toyshop,” etc., i.e., readily change their affections from one object to another. "The heart was nothing but a toyshop " (ADDISON'S Spectator).

7 Note the ambiguity.

8"In the clear mirror."

"The language of the Platonists, the writers of

the intelligible world of spirits, etc." (POPE).

9 What is the meaning of this word?

10 What different meanings has "pious"? What does it signify here?

This to disclose is all thy guardian can:

Beware of all, but most beware of man!"

He said when Shock,1 who thought she slept too long, Leaped up, and waked his mistress with his tongue.

'Twas then, Belinda, if report say true,

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Thy eyes first opened on a billet-doux;

Wounds, charms, and ardors, were no sooner read,
But all the vision vanished from thy head.

And now, unveiled, the toilet 2 stands displayed,
Each silver vase in mystic order laid.

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First, robed in white, the nymph intent adores,
With head uncovered, the cosmetic powers.
A heavenly image in the glass appears,
To that she bends, to that her eye she rears;
The inferior priestess, at her altar's side,
Trembling begins the sacred rites of pride.
Unnumbered treasures ope at once, and here
The various offerings of the world appear;
From each she nicely culls with curious toil,
And decks the goddess with the glittering spoil.
This casket India's glowing gems unlocks,3
And all Arabia 4 breathes from yonder box.

The tortoise here and elephant unite,
Transformed to combs, the speckled and the white.
Here files of pins extend their shining rows,
Puffs, powders, patches,5 bibles, billets-doux.

1 Her lapdog.

2 French, toile," cloth." Trace to its present meaning. 3" Unlocks," i.e., discloses.

6

4 Explain the figures in “ Arabia,” “tortoise,” “ elephant."

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5 "The absurd practice of wearing black patches called 'beauty spots' had its origin in the necessity which a reigning belle at court had for concealing a blemish on her face; but the chief use was from a foolish notion that beauty of complexion was heightened by contrast of color" (GRIFFITH).

6 "Bibles, billets-doux." Note the association.

Now awful beauty puts on all its arms;
The fair each moment rises in her charms,
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, while others plait the gown;
And Betty's praised for labors not her own.

IIO

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153

CANTO II.

NOT with more glories, in the ethereal plain,1
The sun first rises o'er the purpled 2 main,

Than, issuing forth, the rival3 of his beams
Launched on the bosom of the silver 5 Thames.

Fair nymphs and well-dressed youths around her shone, 5
But every eye was fixed 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 unfixed as those:
Favors 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,

410

15

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

This nymph, to the destruction of mankind, Nourished two locks, which graceful hung behind

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1 "Ethereal plain." What is meant by this expression?
2 Used transitively.
3 Who is meant?

4 In what sense here employed?

5 An ornamental epithet. What is its signification? 6 Cherished.

20

In equal curls, and well conspired to deck,
With shining ringlets, the smooth ivory neck.
"Love in these labyrinths 1 his slaves detains,
And mighty hearts are held in slender chains.
With hairy springes 2 we the birds betray,
Slight lines of hair surprise the finny prey,
Fair tresses man's imperial race insnare,

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And beauty draws us with a single hair.

The adventurous Baron3 the bright locks admired;

He saw, he wished, and to the prize aspired.

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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 attained his ends.

8 For this, ere Phoebus 5 rose, he had implored
Propitious Heaven, and every power adored;
But chiefly Love-to Love an altar built,

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Of twelve vast French romances, neatly gilt.
There lay three garters, half a pair of gloves;

And all the trophies of his former loves:
With tender billets-doux he lights the pyre,

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prayer,

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
The rest, the winds dispersed in empty air.
But now secure the painted vessel glides,
The sunbeams trembling on the floating tides;
1 What labyrinths? What is the allusion?
2 Cf. Shakespeare's Hamlet, i. iii. : “

Springes to catch woodcocks."

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6 "Clelie," a French romance, was put forth in ten volumes of eight hundred pages each.

7 Used transitively, i.e., the tides that float the vessel.