1 Now Jove suspends his Golden Scales in air, Weighs the men's wits against the Lady's hair; The doubtful beam long nods from side to side. At length, the wits mount up! the hairs subside!

See, fierce BELINDA on the Baron flies
With more than usual lightning in her eyes!
Nor feared the Chief th' unequal fight to try;
Who sought no more than on his foe to die!

But this bold Lord, with manly strength endued,
She with one finger and a thumb subdued!
Just where the breath of life his nostrils drew,
A charge of snuff the wily Virgin threw.
The Gnomes direct, to ev'ry atom just,
The pungent grains of titillating dust!
Sudden, with starting tears each eye o'erflows;
And the high dome re-echoes to his nose!

'Now, meet thy fate!' incensed BELINDA cried; And drew a deadly bodkin from her side.

(2 The same, his ancient personage to deck, Her great-great-grandsire wore about his neck In three Seal-Rings; which, after, melted down Formed a vast buckle for his Widow's gown. Her infant grandame's whistle next it grew; The bells she jingled, and the whistle blew. Then in a bodkin, graced her mother's hairs; Which long she wore, and now BELINDA wears.)

1 Vide HOMER, Iliad, VIII; and VIRGIL, Æneid, XII.

2 In imitation of the progress of AGAMEMNON'S sceptre in HOMER, Iliad, II.

'Boast not my fall!' he cried, 'insulting foe!
Thou by some other shalt be laid as low!
Nor think, to die dejects my lofty mind!
All that I dread is leaving you behind!
Rather than so, ah! let me still survive,
And burn in CUPID'S flames: but burn alive!'

'Restore the Lock!' she cries; and all around 'Restore the Lock!' the vaulted roofs rebound. Not fierce ОTHELLO, in so loud a strain, Roared for the handkerchief that caused his pain!

But see how oft ambitious aims are crossed;
And Chiefs contend till all the prize is lost!
The Lock, obtained with guilt, and kept with pain,
In ev'ry place is sought; but sought in vain!
With such a prize no mortal must be blest!

So Heaven decrees! With Heaven, who can contest?
Some thought it mounted to the Lunar Sphere,
1 Since all things lost on Earth are treasured there.
There, Heroes' wits are kept in pond'rous vases;
And Beaus', in snuff-boxes and tweezer cases.
There, broken vows and death-bed alms are found;
And Lovers' hearts with ends of ribband bound.
The Courtier's promises, the Sick Man's prayers,
The smiles of Harlots, and the tears of Heirs.
Cages for gnats, and chains to yoke a flea;
Dried butterflies, and tomes of Casuistry.

1 Vide ARIOSTO, [Orlando furioso], Canto XXXIV.

But trust the Muse! She saw it upward rise; Though marked by none but quick poetic eyes! (So Rome's great Founder to the Heavens withdrew; TO PROCULLUs alone confessed in view!)

A sudden star, it shot through liquid air; And drew behind a radiant trail of hair! Not BERENICE's locks first rose so bright; The heavens bespangling with dishevelled light. The Sylphs behold it, kindling, as it flies; And, pleased, pursue its progress through the skies.

This, the Beau Monde shall from the Mall survey; And hail, with music, its propitious ray!

This, the blessed Lover shall, for Venus take; And send up vows from Rosamonda's Lake! This, PARTRIDGE soon shall view in cloudless skies, When next he looks through GALILEO's eyes; And hence, th' egregious Wizard shall foredoom The fate of Louis, and the fall of Rome.

Then, cease, bright Nymph! to mourn the ravished Which adds new glory to the shining Sphere! [hair; Not all the tresses that fair head can boast, Shall draw such envy as the Lock you lost! For, after all the murders of your eye, When, after millions slain, yourself shall die; When those fair suns shall set, as set they must! And all those tresses shall be laid in dust: This Lock, the Muse shall consecrate to Fame, And, 'midst the stars, inscribe BELINDA's name!

THE DYING CHRISTIAN TO HIS SOUL.

[The earlier form of this imitation of the Emperor HADRIAN's Animula, vagula, blandula, was written in 1712, and first printed in 1730. The present is the revised text of 1736. It is thought that POPE was somewhat indebted to the poem of FLATMAN which will be found in Volume VI. 293 of this Series.]

VITAL spark of heav'nly flame;
Quit, O, quit this mortal frame!
Trembling, hoping, ling'ring, flying;
O, the pain, the bliss, of dying!
Cease, fond Nature! cease thy strife;
And let me languish into life!

Hark! they whisper! Angels say,
'Sister Spirit! come away!'
What is this absorbs me quite,
Steals my senses, shuts my sight,
Drowns my spirits, draws my breath?
Tell me, my soul! Can this be death?

The world recedes! It disappears!
Heaven opens on my eyes! My ears
With sounds seraphic ring!

Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly!
O, Grave! where is thy victory?

O, Death! where is thy sting?

HERE's a Health to the Queen, and a lasting Peace! To faction an end, to wealth increase!

Come, let's drink it, while we have breath;

For there's no drinking after death!

And he that will this Health deny,

Down among the dead men [empty bottles] let him lie!

Let charming Beauty's Health go round!
In whom celestial joys are found:
And may confusion still pursue
The senseless woman-hating crew!
And they that Woman's Health deny,
Down among the dead men let them lie!

In smiling BACCHUS' joys I'll roll!
Deny no pleasure to my soul!

Let BACCHUS' Health round briskly move;
For BACCHUS is a friend to Love!

And he that will his Health deny,
Down among the dead men let him lie!

May Love and Wine, their rites maintain;
And their united pleasures reign!
While BACCHUS' treasure crowns the board;
We'll sing the joys that both afford!
And they that won't with us comply,
Down among the dead men let them lie!