Page images
PDF
EPUB

No chearful breeze this fullen region knows,
The dreaded Eaft is all the wind that blows.
Here in a grotto, shelter'd close from air,
And screen'd in fhades from day's detefted glare,
She fighs for ever on her penfive bed,

Pain at her fide, and Megrim at her head.

20

Two handmaids wait the throne: alike in place, 25 But diff'ring far in figure and in face.

Here flood Ill-nature like an ancient maid,
Her wrinkled form in black and white array'd;

30

35

With ftore of pray'rs, for mornings, nights, and noons,
Her hand is fill'd; her bofom with lampoons.
There Affectation, with a fickly mien,
Shows in her cheek the roses of eighteen,
Practis'd to lifp, and hang the head afide,
Faints into airs, and languishes with pride,
On the rich quilt finks with becoming woe,
Wrapt in a gown, for ficknefs, and for fhow.
The fair-ones feel fuch maladies as these,
When each new night-drefs gives a new disease.
A conftant Vapour o'er the palace flies;
Strange phantoms rifing as the mifts arife;
Dreadful, as hermits dreams in haunted fhades,
Or bright, as vifions of expiring maids.
Now glaring fiends, and fnakes on rolling fpires,
Pale spectres, gaping tombs, and purple fires:
Now lakes of liquid gold, Elyfian scenes,
And cryftal domes, and Angels in machines.

VER. 41. Dreadful, as hermits dreams in haunted fhades,

40

45

Or bright, as vifions of expiring maids.] The Poet, by this comparison, would infinuate, that the temptations of the mortified reclufes in the church of Rome, and the extatic vifions of their female faints, were as much the effects of hypochondriac diforders, the Spleen, or, what was then the fashionable word, the Vapours, as any of the imaginary transformations he speaks of af

terwards.

Plate V.

Vol. I. facing p.129

Unnumberd Throngs on evry Side are seen.Bodys changed to vario

Of

to various Forms by Spleen. Rape of the

Unnumber'd throngs, on ev'ry fide are feen, Of bodies chang'd to various forms by Spleen. Here living Tea-pots ftand, one arm held out, Qne bent; the handle this, and that the spout: A Pipkin there, like Homer's Tripod walks; Here fighs a jar, and there a goose-pye talks; Men prove with child, as pow'rful fancy works, And maids turn'd bottles, call aloud for corks.

50

Safe past the Gnome thro' this fantastic band, 55%
A branch of healing Spleen-wort in his hand.
Then thus addrefs'd the Pow'r-Hail, wayward Queen!
Who rule the fex 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 fome take phyfic, others fcribble plays;
Who caufe the proud their vifits to delay,
And fend the godly in a pet to pray.

A Nymph there is, that all thy pow'r difdains,
And thousands more in equal mirth maintains...
But oh! if e'er thy Gnome could spoil a grace,
Cr raise a pimple on a beauteous face,

Like Citron-waters matrons cheeks inflame,
Or change complexions at a long game;
If e'er with airy horns I planted heads,
Or rumpled petticoats, or tumbled beds,

Or caus'd fufpicion when no foul was rude,

Or difcompos'd the head-drefs of a Prude,

Or e'er to coftive lap-dog gave difeafe,

Which not the tears of brighteft eyes could cafe:

IMITATION S.

60

65.

70

75

VER. 51. Homer's Tripod Walks ;] See Hom. Iliad. xviii. of Vulcan's walking Tripods.

VER.

52. And there a goofe-pye talks ;] Alludes to a real fact, a Lady of diftinction imagin'd herself in this condition.

Hear me, and touch Belinda with chagrin,
That fingle act gives half the world the spleen.
The Goddefs with a difcontented air

[ocr errors]

Seems to reject him, tho' fhe grants his pray'r.
A wond'rous bag with both her hands fhe binds,
Like that where once Ulyffes held the winds ;
There the collects the force of female lungs,
Sighs, fobs, and paffions, and the war of tongues.
A Vial next fhe fills with fainting fears,
Soft forrows, melting griefs, and flowing tears.
The Gnome rejoicing bears her gifts away,
Spreads his black wings, and flowly mounts to day.
Sunk in Thaleftris' arms the Nymph he found,
Her eyes dejected, and her hair unbound.
Full o'er their heads the fwelling bag he rent,
And all the Furies iffu'd at the vent.
Belinda burns with more than mortal ire,
And fierce Thalestris fans the rising fire.

85

هو

100

O wretched maid! fhe fpread her hands, and cry'd, 95
(While Hampton's echoes, wretched maid! reply'd)
Was it for this you took such conftant care
The bodkin, comb, and effence to prepare ?
For this your locks in paper durance bound,
For this with tort'ring irons wreath'd around?
For this with fillets ftrain'd your tender head,
And bravely bore the double loads of lead!
Gods! fhall the ravisher difplay your hair,
While the Fops envy, and the Ladies ftare!
Honour forbid at whofe unrival'd fhrine
Eafe, pleasure, virtue, all our fex refign.
Methinks already I your tears furvey,
Already hear the horrid things they say,
Already fee you a degraded toast,
And all your honour in a whifper loft!

[ocr errors]

110

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »