The Rape of the Lock and Other Poems Part 5

See, fierce Belinda on the Baron flies, 75 With more than usual lightning in her eyes: Nor fear'd the Chief th' unequal fight to try, Who sought no more than on his foe to die.

But this bold Lord with manly strength endu'd, She with one finger and a thumb subdu'd: 80 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 t.i.tillating dust.

Sudden, with starting tears each eye o'erflows, 85 And the high dome re-echoes to his nose.

Now meet thy fate, incens'd Belinda cry'd, And drew a deadly bodkin from her side.

(The same, his ancient personage to deck, Her great great grandsire wore about his neck, 90 In three seal-rings; which after, melted down, Form'd 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 grac'd her mother's hairs, 95 Which long she wore, and now Belinda wears.)

"Boast not my fall" (he cry'd) "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! 100 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 Oth.e.l.lo in so loud a strain 105 Roar'd for the handkerchief that caus'd his pain.

But see how oft ambitious aims are cross'd, And chiefs contend 'till all the prize is lost!

The Lock, obtain'd with guilt, and kept with pain, In ev'ry place is sought, but sought in vain: 110 With such a prize no mortal must be blest, So heav'n decrees! with heav'n who can contest?

Some thought it mounted to the Lunar sphere, Since all things lost on earth are treasur'd there.

There Hero's wits are kept in pond'rous vases, 115 And beau's in snuff-boxes and tweezer-cases.

There broken vows and death-bed alms are found, And lovers' hearts with ends of riband bound, The courtier's promises, and sick man's pray'rs, The smiles of harlots, and the tears of heirs, 120 Cages for gnats, and chains to yoke a flea, Dry'd b.u.t.terflies, and tomes of casuistry.

But trust the Muse--she saw it upward rise, Tho' mark'd by none but quick, poetic eyes: (So Rome's great founder to the heav'ns withdrew, 125 To Proculus alone confess'd in view) A sudden Star, it shot thro' liquid air, And drew behind a radiant trail of hair.

Not Berenice's Locks first rose so bright, The heav'ns bespangling with dishevell'd light. 130 The Sylphs behold it kindling as it flies, And pleas'd pursue its progress thro' the skies.

This the Beau monde shall from the Mall survey, And hail with music its propitious ray.

This the blest Lover shall for Venus take, 135 And send up vows from Rosamonda's lake.

This Partridge soon shall view in cloudless skies, When next he looks thro' Galileo's eyes; And hence th' egregious wizard shall foredoom The fate of Louis, and the fall of Rome. 140

Then cease, bright Nymph! to mourn thy ravish'd hair, Which adds new glory to the shining sphere!

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, 145 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. 150

CONTENTS OF THE ESSAY ON CRITICISM

PART I

Introduction. That 'tis as great a fault to judge ill, as to write v. 1. ill, and a more dangerous one to the public,

v. 9 to 18 That a true Taste is as rare to be found, as a true Genius.

v. 19 to 25 That most men are born with some Taste, but spoiled by false Education.

v. 26 to 45 The mult.i.tude of Critics, and causes of them.

v. 46 to 67. That we are to study our own Taste, and know the Limits of it.

v. 68 to 87 Nature the best guide of Judgment.

v. 88 Improv'd by Art and Rules,--which are but methodis'd Nature.

v. id, to 110 Rules derived from the Practice of the Ancient Poets.

v. 120 to 138 That therefore the Ancients are necessary to be studyd, by a Critic, particularly Homer and Virgil.

v. 140 to 180 Of Licenses, and the use of them by the Ancients.

v. 181, etc. Reverence due to the Ancients, and praise of them.

PART II. Ver. 201, etc.

Causes hindering a true Judgment,

v. 208 1. Pride.

v. 215 2. Imperfect Learning.

v. 233 to 288 3. Judging by parts, and not by the whole.

v. 288, 305, Critics in Wit, Language, Versification, only.

399, etc.

v. 384 4. Being too hard to please, or too apt to admire.

v. 394 5. Partiality--too much Love to a Sect,--to the Ancients or Moderns.

v. 408 6. Prejudice or Prevention.

v. 424 7. Singularity.

v. 430 8. Inconstancy.

v. 452 etc. 9. Party Spirit.

v. 466 10. Envy.

v. 508, etc. Against Envy, and in praise of Good-nature.

v. 526, etc. When Severity is chiefly to be used by Critics.