Part 3



CLOSE by those Meads for ever crown'd with Flow'rs,

Where _Thames_ with Pride surveys his rising Tow'rs,

There stands a Structure of Majestick 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,

Dost sometimes Counsel take--and sometimes _Tea_.

  Hither the Heroes and the Nymphs resort,

To taste awhile the Pleasures of a Court;		3.10

In various Talk th' instructive hours they past,

Who gave the _Ball_, or paid the _Visit_ last:

One speaks the Glory of the _British Queen_,

And one describes a charming _Indian Screen_;

A third interprets Motions, Looks, and Eyes;

At ev'ry Word a Reputation dies.

_Snuff_, or the _Fan_, supply each Pause of Chat,

With singing, laughing, ogling, and all that.



  Mean while declining from the Noon of Day,

The Sun obliquely shoots his burning Ray;		3.20

The hungry Judges soon the Sentence sign,

And Wretches hang that Jury-men may Dine;

The Merchant from th'_Exchange_ returns in Peace,

And the long Labours of the _Toilette_ cease ----

_Belinda_ now, whom Thirst of Fame invites,

Burns to encounter two adventrous Knights,

At _Ombre_ singly to decide their Doom;

And swells her Breast with Conquests yet to come.

Strait the three Bands prepare in Arms to join,

Each Band the number of the Sacred Nine.		3.30

Soon as she spreads her Hand, th' Aerial Guard

Descend, and sit on each important Card,

First _Ariel_ perch'd upon a _Matadore_,

Then each, according to the Rank they bore;

For _Sylphs_, yet mindful of their ancient Race,

Are, as when Women, wondrous fond of place.



  Behold, four _Kings_ in Majesty rever'd,

With hoary Whiskers and a forky Beard;

And four fair _Queens_ whose hands sustain a Flow'r,

Th' expressive Emblem of their softer Pow'r;		3.40

Four _Knaves_ in Garbs succinct, a trusty Band,

Caps on their heads, and Halberds in their hand;

And Particolour'd Troops, a shining Train,

Draw forth to Combat on the Velvet Plain.

  The skilful Nymph reviews her Force with Care;

_Let Spades be Trumps_, she said, and Trumps they were.

  Now move to War her Sable _Matadores_,

In Show like Leaders of the swarthy _Moors_.

_Spadillio_ first, unconquerable Lord!

Led off two captive Trumps, and swept the Board.	3.50

As many more _Manillio_ forc'd to yield,

And march'd a Victor from the verdant Field.

Him _Basto_ follow'd, but his Fate more hard

Gain'd but one Trump and one _Plebeian_ Card.

With his broad Sabre next, a Chief in Years,

The hoary Majesty of _Spades_ appears;

Puts forth one manly Leg, to sight reveal'd;

The rest his many-colour'd Robe conceal'd.

The Rebel-_Knave_, who dares his Prince engage,

Proves the just Victim of his Royal Rage.		3.60

Ev'n mighty _Pam_ that Kings and Queens o'erthrow,

And mow'd down Armies in the Fights of _Lu_,

Sad Chance of War! now, destitute of Aid,

Falls undistinguish'd by the Victor _Spade_!

  Thus far both Armies to _Belinda_ yield;

Now to the _Baron_ Fate inclines the Field.

His warlike _Amazon_ her Host invades,

Th' Imperial Consort of the Crown of _Spades_.

The _Club's_ black Tyrant first her Victim dy'd,

Spite of his haughty Mien, and barb'rous Pride:		3.70

What boots the Regal Circle on his Head,

His Giant Limbs in State unwieldy spread?

That long behind he trails his pompous Robe,

And of all Monarchs only grasps the Globe?



  The _Baron_ now his _Diamonds_ pours apace;

Th' embroider'd _King_ who shows but half his Face,

And his refulgent _Queen_, with Pow'rs combin'd,

Of broken Troops an easie Conquest find.

_Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts_, in wild Disorder seen,

With Throngs promiscuous strow the level Green.		3.80

Thus when dispers'd a routed Army runs,

Of _Asia_'s Troops, and _Africk_'s Sable Sons,

With like Confusion different Nations fly,

In various habits and of various Dye,

The pierc'd Battalions dis-united fall,

In Heaps on Heaps; one Fate o'erwhelms them all.



  The _Knave_ of _Diamonds_ now tries his wily Arts,

And wins (oh shameful Chance!) the _Queen_ of _Hearts_.

At this, the Blood the Virgin's Cheek forsook,

A livid Paleness spreads o'er all her Look;		3.90

She sees, and trembles at th' approaching Ill,

Just in the Jaws of Ruin, and _Codille_*.

And now, (as oft in some distemper'd State)

On one nice _Trick_ depends the gen'ral Fate.

An _Ace_ of Hearts steps forth: The _King_ unseen

Lurk'd in her Hand, and mourn'd his captive _Queen_.

He springs to Vengeance with an eager pace,

And falls like Thunder on the prostrate _Ace_.

The Nymph exulting fills with Shouts the Sky,

The Walls, the Woods, and long Canals reply.		3.100

  Oh thoughtless Mortals! ever blind to Fate,

Too soon dejected, and too soon elate!

Sudden these Honours shall be snatch'd away,

And curs'd for ever this Victorious Day.



  For lo! the Board with Cups and Spoons is crown'd,

The Berries crackle, and the Mill turns round.

On shining Altars of _Japan_ they raise

The silver Lamp; the fiery Spirits blaze.

From silver Spouts the grateful Liquors glide,

And _China_'s Earth receives the smoking Tyde.		3.110

At once they gratify their Scent and Taste,

While frequent Cups prolong the rich Repast.

Strait hover round the Fair her Airy Band;

Some, as she sip'd, the fuming Liquor fann'd,

Some o'er her Lap their careful Plumes display'd,

Trembling, and conscious of the rich Brocade.

_Coffee_, (which makes the Politician wise,

And see thro' all things with his half shut Eyes)

Sent up in Vapours to the _Baron_'s Brain

New Stratagems, the radiant Lock to gain.		3.120

Ah cease rash Youth! desist e'er 'tis too late,

Fear the just Gods, and think of _Scylla_'s Fate!

Chang'd to a Bird, and sent to flit in Air,

She dearly pays for _Nisus'_ injur'd Hair!*



  But when to Mischief Mortals bend their Will,

How soon they find fit Instruments of Ill!

Just then, _Clarissa_ drew with tempting Grace

A two-edg'd Weapon from her shining Case;

So Ladies in Romance assist their Knight,

Present the Spear, and arm him for the Fight.		3.130

He takes the Gift with rev'rence, and extends

The little Engine on his Finger's Ends:

This just behind _Belinda_'s Neck he spread,

As o'er the fragrant Steams she bends her Head:

Swift to the Lock a thousand Sprights repair,

A thousand Wings, by turns, blow back the Hair,

And thrice they twitch'd the Diamond in her Ear,

Thrice she look'd back, and thrice the Foe drew near.

Just in that instant, anxious _Ariel_ sought

The close Recesses of the Virgin's Thought;		3.140

As on the Nosegay in her Breast reclin'd,

He watch'd th' Ideas rising in her Mind,

Sudden he view'd, in spite of all her Art,

An Earthly Lover lurking at her Heart.

Amaz'd, confus'd, he found his Pow'r expir'd,

Resign'd to Fate, and with a Sigh retir'd.



  The Peer now spreads the glitt'ring _Forfex_ wide,

T'inclose the Lock; now joins it, to divide.

Ev'n then, before the fatal Engine clos'd,

A wretched _Sylph_ too fondly interpos'd;		3.150

Fate urg'd the Sheers, and cut the _Sylph_ in twain,

(But Airy Substance soon unites again)

The meeting Points that sacred Hair dissever

From the fair Head, for ever and for ever!

  Then flash'd the living Lightnings from her Eyes,

And Screams of Horror rend th' affrighted Skies.

Not louder Shrieks to pitying Heav'n are cast,

When Husbands or when Lap-dogs breath their last,

Or when rich _China_ Vessels, fal'n from high,

In glittring Dust and painted Fragments lie!		3.160



  Let Wreaths of Triumph now my Temples twine,

(The Victor cry'd) the glorious Prize is mine!

While Fish in Streams, or Birds delight in Air,

Or in a Coach and Six the _British_ Fair,

As long as _Atalantis_* shall be read,

Or the small Pillow grace a Lady's Bed,

While _Visits_ shall be paid on solemn Days,

When numerous Wax-lights in bright Order blaze,

While Nymphs take Treats, or Assignations give,

So long my Honour, Name, and Praise shall live!		3.170



  What Time wou'd spare, from Steel receives its date,

And Monuments, like Men, submit to Fate!

Steel cou'd the Labour of the Gods destroy,

And strike to Dust th' Imperial Tow'rs of _Troy_;

Steel cou'd the Works of mortal Pride confound,

And hew Triumphal Arches to the Ground.

What Wonder then, fair Nymph! thy Hairs shou'd feel

The conqu'ring Force of unresisted Steel?



7. Queen of England, 1702-14 92. the loss of a card game 122-4 When 

Scylla cut off her father's hair, he lost both his 

kingdom and his life 165. A scandalous novel by Delarivier Manley (1709)

.