He faid; when Shock, who thought the flept too long, 115

Leap'd up, and wak'd his miftrefs with his tongue.
'Twas then, Belinda, if report fay true,
Thy eyes first open'd on a Billet-doux ;

Wounds, Charms, and Ardors, were no sooner read, But all the Vision vanish'd from thy head.

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And now, unveil'd, the Toilet ftands display'd, Each filver vafe in myftic order laid. First, rob'd in white, the Nymph intent adores, With head uncover'd, the Cofmetic pow'rs. A heav'nly Image in the glass appears, To that the bends, to that her eyes fhe rears; Th' inferior Prieftefs, at her altar's fide, Trembling, begins the facred rites of Pride. Unnumber'd treasures ope at once, and here The various off'rings of the world appear; From each fhe nicely culls with curious toil, And decks the Goddefs with the glitt'ring spoil. This cafket India's glowing gems unlocks, And all Arabia breathes from yonder box. The Tortoise here and Elephant unite, Transform'd to combs, the fpeckled and the white. Here files of pins extend their fhining rows, Puffs, Powders, Patches, Bibles, Billet-doux. Now awful beauty puts on all its arms; The fair each moment rifes in her charms, Repairs her fmiles, awakens ev'ry grace, And calls forth all the wonders of her face: Sees by degrees a purer blush arife, And keener lightnings quicken in her eyes.

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feal of fecrecy. Is is here communicated to a Woman, and in that way of conveyance a Woman most delights to make the fubject of her converfation, that is to fay, her Dreams.

The bufy Sylphs furround their darling care,
These fet the head, and those divide the hair,
Some fold the fleeve, whilst others plait the gown;
And Betty's prais'd for labours not her own.

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VER. 145. The busy Sylphs, etc.] Ancient Traditions of the Rabbi's relate, that feveral of the fallen Angels became amorous of Women, and particularize fome; among the rest Asael, who lay with Naamah, the wife of Noah, or of Ham; and who continuing impenitent, still prefides over the Women's Toilets, Bereshi Rabbi in Genef. vi. 2.

THE

RAPE of the LOCK.

CANTO II.

N main,

OT with more glories, in th' etherial plain,

The Sun first rises o'er the purpled

Than, iffuing forth, the rival of his beams

Launch'd on the bofom of the filver'd Thames.

Fair Nymphs, and well-drefs'd Youths, around her fhone, But ev'ry eye was fix'd on her alone.

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On her white breaft a fparkling Cross the wore,
Which Jews might kifs, and Infidels adore.
Her lively looks a fprightly mind difclofe,
Quick as her eyes, and as unfix'd as thofe :
Favours to none, to all fhe fmiles extends;
Oft the rejects, but never once offends.
Bright as the fun, her eyes the gazers ftrike,
And, like the fun, they fhine 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 fome female errors fall,

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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 confpir'd to deck With fhining ringlets the smooth iv'ry neck.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 4. Launch'd on the bofom] From hence the poem continues, in the first edition, to ver. 46.

The reft the winds difpers'd in empty air;

all after, to the end of this Canto, being additional,

Love in these labyrinths his flaves detains,
And mighty hearts are held in flender chains.
With hairy fpringes we the birds betray,
Slight lines of hair furprize the finny prey,
Fair treffes man's imperial race infnare,
And Beauty draws us with a fingle hair.

Th' advent'rous Baron the bright locks admir'd; He faw, he wish'd, and to the prize aspir'd, Refolv'd to win, he meditates the way, By force to ravish, or by fraud betray; For when fuccefs a Lover's toil attends, Few afk, if fraud or force attain'd his ends. For this, ere Phoebus rofe, he had implor'd Propitious heav'n, and ev'ry pow'r ador'd; But chiefly Love-to Love an altar built, Of twelve vaft French Romances, neatly gilt. There lay three garters, half a pair of gloves; And all the trophies of his former loves. With tender billet doux he lights the pyre, And breathes three am'rous fighs to raise the fire. Then proftrate falls, and begs with ardent eyes Soon to obtain, and long poffefs the prize: The pow'rs gave ear, and granted half his pray'r, 45 The reft, the winds difpers'd in empty air.

But now fecure the painted veffel glides,
The fun-beams trembling on the floating tides:
While melting mufic fteals upon the sky,
And foften'd founds along the waters die;
Smooth flow the waves, the Zephyrs gently play,
Belinda fmil'd, and all the world was gay.
All but the Sylph-with careful thoughts oppreft,
Th' impending woe fat heavy on his breast.

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IMITATIONS.

VER. 45. The pow'rs gave ear,] Virg. Æn. xi.

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35

40

50

;

55

He fummons ftrait his Denizens of air
The lucid fquadrons round the fails repair:
Soft o'er the shrouds aërial whispers breathe,
That feem'd but Zephyrs to the train beneath.
Some to the fun their infect wings unfold,
Waft on the breeze, or fink in clouds of gold;
Tranfparent forms, too fine for mortal fight,
Their fluid bodies half diffolv'd in light.
Loose to the wind their airy garments flew,
Thin glitt'ring textures of the filmy dew,
Dip'd in the richest tincture of the skies,
Where light difports in ever-mingling dyes,
While ev'ry beam new tranfient colours flings,
Colours that change whene'er they wave their wings.
Amid the circle on the gilded mast,
Superior by the head, was Ariel plac'd;
His purple pinions op'ning to the sun,
He rais'd 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 affign'd
By laws eternal to th' aërial kind.

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Some in the fields of pureft æther play,

And bask and whiten in the blaze of day.
Some guide the courfe of wand'ring orbs on high,
Or roll the planets thro' the boundless sky.
Some lefs refin'd, beneath the moon's pale light
Purfue the ftars that fhoot athwart the night,
Or fuck the mifts in groffer air below,
Or dip their pinions in the painted bow,
Or brew fierce tempefts on the wintry main,
Or o'er the glebe diftil the kindly rain.
Others on earth o'er human race prefide,
Watch all their ways, and all their actions guide:

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