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A brighter wash; to curl their waving hairs,
Affift their blushes, and inspire their airs;
Nay oft, in dreams, invention we bestow,
To change a Flounce, or add a Furbelow.

100

This day, black Omens threat the brightest Fair That e'er deserv❜d a watchful spirit's care;

Some dire difafter, or by force, or flight;

105

But what, or where, the fates have wrapt in night.
Whether the Nymph fhall break Diana's law,
Or fome frail China jar receive a flaw;
Or stain her honour, or her new brocade;
Forget her pray❜rs, or miss a masquerade;
Or lose her heart, or necklace, at a ball;

Or whether Heav'n has doom'd that Shock must fall.

Hafte then, ye fpirits! to your charge repair:
The flutt'ring fan be Zephyretta's care;
The drops to thee, Brillante, we consign;
And, Momentilla, let the watch be thine;
Do thou, Crispissa, tend her favʼrite Lock;
Ariel himself fhall be the guard of Shock.

NOTES.

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115

To

VER. 105. Whether the nymph, &c.] The difafter, which makes the fubject of this poem, being a trifle, taken seriously; it naturally led the Poet into this fine fatire on the female estimate of human mifchances. WARBURTON.

VER. 112. Zephyretta] The names of his Sylphs are happily chofen. Caftlevetro mentions an odd circumftance, that the names which Boiardo gave to his heroes in his Orlando Inamorato, were only the names of fome of the principal tenants and peasants on his eftate of Scandiano. WARTON.

VER. 116 Ariel himself, &c.] Ruff head very justly observes, that Ariel should have been affigned fome more important employment.

To fifty chofen Sylphs, of fpecial note,

121

We trust th' important charge, the Petticoat:
Oft have we known that feven-fold fence to fail,
Tho' ftiff with hoops and arm'd with ribs of whale ;
Form a strong line about the filver bound,
And guard the wide circumference around.
Whatever fpirit, careless of his charge,
His poft neglects, or leaves the fair at large,
Shall feel sharp Vengeance foon o'ertake his fins,
Be stop'd in vials, or transfix'd with pins;
Or plung'd in lakes of bitter washes lie,
Or wedg'd whole ages in a bodkin's eye:

NOTES.

126

Gums

VER. 118. the Petticoat :] It is impoffible here not to recollect that matchless piece of raillery and exquifite humour, of Addison, in the 127th Spectator, on this important part of female dress.

WARTON.

VER. 125. Shall feel fharp Vengeance] Our Poet ftill rifes in the delicacy of his fatire, where he employs, with the utmost judg ment and elegance, all the implements and furniture of the toilette, as inftruments of punishment to thofe fpirits, who shall be careless of their charge; of punishment, fuch as Sylphs alone could undergo. WARTON.

This is indeed one of the most happy specimens of Pope's poetical fancy, and invention.

IMITATIONS.

VER. 119. clypei dominus feptemplicis Ajax. OVID.

WARBURTON.

VER. 121. about the filver bound,] In allufion to the shield of Achilles :

"Thus the broad fhield complete the Artist crown'd,
With his last hand, and pour'd the Ocean round:

In living Silver feem'd the waves to roll,

And beat the Buckler's verge, and bound the whole.

VOL. I.

Y

WARBURTON,

Gums and Pomatums shall his flight restrain,

While clog'd he beats his filken wings in vain; 130
Or Alum ftyptics with contracting pow'r

Shrink his thin effence like a rivel'd flow'r:
Or, as Ixion fix'd, the wretch fhall feel
The giddy motion of the whirling Mill,
In fumes of burning Chocolate fhall glow,
And tremble at the fea that froths below!

He spoke; the spirits from the fails descend;
Some, orb in orb, around the nymph extend;
Some thrid the mazy ringlets of her hair;
Some hang upon the pendants of her ear;

With beating hearts the dire event they wait,
Anxious, and trembling for the birth of Fate.

135

140

THE RAPE OF THE LOCK.

CLOSE

CANTO III.

LOSE by thofe meads, for ever crown'd with
flow'rs,

Where Thames with pride furveys his rifing tow'rs,
There stands a structure of majestic frame,
Which from the neighb'ring Hampton takes its name.
Here Britain's statesmen oft the fall foredoom

Of foreign Tyrants, and of Nymphs at home;
Here thou, great ANNA! whom three realms obey,
Doft fometimes counsel take-and fometimes Tea.
Hither the Heroes and the Nymphs refort,
To taste a while the pleasures of a Court;
In various talk th' instructive hours they paft,
Who gave the ball, or paid the visit last ;
One speaks the glory of the British Queen,
And one defcribes a charming Indian fcreen;
A third interprets motions, looks, and eyes;
At ev'ry word a reputation dies.

5

10

15

Snuff,

VARIATIONS.

VER. 1. Clofe by thofe meads,] The first Edition continues from

this line to ver. 24. of this Canto.

РОРЕ.

VER. 11, 12. Originally in the first Edition,

In various talk the chearful hours they paft,
Of, who was bit, or who capotted last.

Port.

Snuff, or the fan, supply each pause of chat,
With finging, laughing, ogling, and all that.

dine;

20

25

Mean while, declining from the noon of day, The fun obliquely fhoots his burning ray; The hungry Judges foon the fentence fign, And wretches hang that Jury-men may The merchant from th' Exchange returns in peace, And the long labours of the Toilet cease. Belinda now, whom thirst of fame invites, Burns to encounter two advent'rous Knights, At Ombre fingly to decide their doom; And fwells her breaft with conquefts yet to come. Straight the three bands prepare in arms to join, Each band the number of the facred Nine. Soon as she spreads her hand, th' aërial guard Defcend, and fit on each important card : First Ariel perch'd upon a Matadore,

30

Then each according to the rank they bore;

For Sylphs, yet mindful of their ancient race,

35

Are, as when women, wond'rous fond of place.

Behold, four Kings, in majesty rever'd,

With hoary whiskers and a forky beard;

And

VARIATIONS.

VER. 24. And the long labours of the Toilet ceafe.] All that fol lows of the game at Ombre, was added fince the firft Edition, till ver. 105. which connected thus,

Sudden the board with cups and spoons is crown'd. POPE.

NOTES.

VER. 22. And wretches hang] From Congreve.

WARTON.

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