To Juan, who though not much used to pray, Knelt down by instinct, wondering in his mind What all this meant: while Baba bow'd and bended His head, until the ceremony ended. XCVI. The lady rising up with such an air As Venus rose with from the wave, on them Bent like an antelope a Paphian pair(') Of eyes, which put out each surrounding gem; And raising up an arm as moonlight fair, She sign'd to Baba, who first kiss'd the hem Of her deep purple robe, and speaking low, Pointed to Juan, who remain❜d below. XCVII. Her presence was as lofty as her state; Of forms and features; it would strike XCVIII. you blind Thus much however I may add, — her years (1) [MS. "As Venus rose from ocean-bent on them With a far-reaching glance, a Paphian pair."] (2) [MS.. "But there are forms which Time adorns, not wears, And to which beauty obstinately clings."] Such as was Mary's Queen of Scots ;(1) true-tears And love destroy; and sapping sorrow wrings Charms from the charmer, yet some never grow Ugly; for instance-Ninon de l'Enclos. (2) XCIX. She spake some words to her attendants, who (1) [With regard to the queen's person, all contemporary authors agree in ascribing to Mary the utmost beauty of countenance, and elegance of shape, of which the human form is capable. Her hair was black, though, according to the fashion of that age, she frequently wore borrowed locks, and of different colours. Her eyes were a dark grey; her complexion was exquisitely fine; and her hands and arms remarkably delicate, both as to shape and colour. Her stature was of a height that rose to the majestic. She danced, walked, and rode with equal grace. Her taste for music was just, and she both sang and played upon the lute with uncommon skill. No man, says Brantome, ever beheld her person without admiration and love, or will read her history without sorrow. - ROBERTSON.] (2) [Mademoiselle de l'Enclos, celebrated for her beauty, her wit, her gallantry, and, above all, for the extraordinary length of time during which she preserved her attractions. She intrigued with the young gentlemen of three generations, and is said to have had a grandson of her own among her lovers. See the works of Madame de Sévigné, Voltaire, &c. &c. for copious particulars of her life. The Biographie Universelle says—" In her old age, her house was the rendezvous of the most distinguished persons. Scarron consulted her on his romances, St. Evremond on his poems, Molière on his comedies, Fontenelle on his dialogues, and La Rochefoucault on his maxims. Coligny, Sevigné, &c. were her lovers and friends. At her death, in 1705, and in her ninetieth year, she bequeathed to Voltaire a considerable sum, to expend in books."-E.] (3) [" Her fair maids were ranged below the sofa, and, to the number of twenty, were all dressed in fine light damasks, brocaded with silver. They put me in mind of the pictures of the ancient nymphs. I did not think all nature could have furnished such a scene of beauty," &c. LADY M. W. MONTAGU.] They form'd a very nymph-like looking crew, Which might have call'd Diana's chorus "cousin," As far as outward show may correspond; I won't be bail for any thing beyond. C. They bow'd obeisance and withdrew, retiring, At some small distance, all he saw within CI. "Not to admire is all the art I know [speech) (Plain truth, dear Murray, (2) needs few flowers of To make men happy, or to keep them so;" And thus Pope (3) quotes the precept to re-teach (1) ["Nil admirari, prope res est una, Numici, Solaque quæ possit facere et servare beatum." HOR. lib. i. epist. vi.] (2) [The" Murray" of Pope was the great Earl Mansfield.] (3) ["Not to admire, is all the art I know To make men happy, and to keep them so, (Plain truth, dear Murray, needs no flowers of speech, So take it in the very words of Creech.")] (4) ["I maintained that Horace was wrong in placing happiness in nil admirari, for that I thought admiration one of the most agreeable of all VOL. XVI. H CII. Baba, when all the damsels were withdrawn, CIII. Baba, indignant at this ill-timed pride, Made fierce remonstrances, and then a threat He mutter'd (but the last was given aside) About a bow-string-quite in vain; not yet Would Juan bend, though 't were to Mahomet's bride: There's nothing in the world like etiquette In kingly chambers or imperial halls, our feelings; and I regretted that I had lost much of my disposition to admire, which people generally do as they advance in life. "Sir," said Johnson," as a man advances in life, he gets what is better than admiration —judgment, to estimate things at their true value." I still insisted that admiration was more pleasing than judgment, as love is more pleasing than friendship. The feeling of friendship is like that of being comfortably filled with roast be ef; love, like being enlivened with champagne. JOHNSON, "No, Sir; admiration and love are like being intoxicated with champagne; judgment and friendship like being enlivened. Waller has hit upon the same thought with you; but I don't believe you have bor. rowed from Waller."- CROKER's Boswell, vol. iii. p. 236.] (1) [MS." I 've also seen it at provincial balls."] CIV. He stood like Atlas, with a world of words Boil'd in his veins, and rather than descend A thousand times of him had made an end; At length perceiving the "foot" could not stand, Baba proposed that he should kiss the hand. CV. Here was an honourable compromise, To use all fit and proper courtesies, Adding, that this was commonest and best, For through the South, the custom still commands The gentleman to kiss the lady's hands. CVI. And he advanced, though with but a bad grace, Though on more thorough-bred (1) or fairer fingers No lips e'er left their transitory trace: On such as these the lip too fondly lingers, And for one kiss would fain imprint a brace, As you will see, if she you love shall bring hers In contact; and sometimes even a fair stranger's (1) There is nothing, perhaps, more distinctive of birth than the hand. It is almost the only sign of blood which aristocracy can generate. [See antè, p. 23.] |