Some fecret truths, from learned pride conceal'd,
To maids alone and children are reveal'd:

What though no credit doubting wits may give?
The fair and innocent fhall ftill believe..

Know then, unnumber'd fpirits round thee fly,
The light militia of the lower fky:

Thefe, though unfeen, are ever on the wing,
Hang o'er the box, and hover round the ring.
Think what an equipage thou haft in air,
And view with fcorn two pages and a chair.
And now your own, our beings were of old,
And once inclos'd in woman's beauteous mould;
Thence, by a foft tranfition, we repair
From earthly vehicles to thefe of air.

Think not, when woman's tranfient breath is fled,
That all her vanities at once are dead;

Succeeding vanities fhe ftill regards,

And though fhe plays no more, o'erlooks the cardo.
Her joy in gilded chariots, when alive,

And love of Ombre, after death survive.
For when the fair in all their pride expire,
To their firft elements their fouls retire:
The fp'rits of fiery termagants in flame
Mount up, and take a * Salamander's name.
Soft yielding minds to water glide away,
And fip, with Nymphs, their elemental tea.
The graver prude finks downward to a Gnome,
In fearch of mischief still on earth to roam.

According to the Roficrufians, the four elements are inhabited by Spirits; which they call Sylphs, Gnomes, Nymphs, and Salamanders.

The

The light coquettes in Sylphs aloft repair,
And sport and flutter in the fields of air.

SECT.

CLXXV.

POPI.

BELINDA AT HER TOILET.

ND now unveil'd, the toilet stands display'd,
Each filver vafe in myftic order laid.

Firft, rob'd in white, the Nymph intent adores,
With head uncover'd, the cosmetic pow'rs.
A heav'nly image in the glass appears,
To that the bends, to that her eyes fhe rears;
Th' inferior priestess, at her altar's fide,
Trembling, begins the facred rites of pride.
Unnumber'd treasures ope at once, and here
The various off'rings of the world appear:
From each fhe nicely culls with curious toil,
And decks the goddess with the glitt'ring spoil;
This cafket India's glowing gems unlocks,
And all Arabia breathes from yonder box.
The tortoife here and elephant unite,

Transform'd to combs, the speckled and the white.
Here files of pins extend their shining rows,
Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet-doux.
Now awful beauty puts on all its arms;
The fair each moment rifes in her charms,
Repairs her fmiles, awakens ev'ry grace,
And calls forth all the wonders of her face;

See

Sees by degrees a purer blush arise,
And keener lightnings quicken in her eyes.
The bufy Sylphs furround their darling care;
These fet the head, and those divide the hair;
Some fold the fleeve, whilst others plait the gown;
And Betty's prais'd for labours not her own.
Not with more glories in th' ethereal plain,
The fun firft rifes o'er the purpled main,
Than, iffuing forth, the rival of his beams
Launch'd on the bofom of the filver Thames.
Fair nymphs and well drefs'd youths around her shone,
But ev'ry eye was fix'd on her alone.

On her white breast a sparkling cross she wore,
Which Jews might kifs, and infidels adore.
Her lively looks a fprightly mind difclofe,
Quick as her eyes, and as unfix'd as those :
Favours to none, to all fhe fmiles extends;
Oft she rejects, but never once offends.

Bright as the fun, her eyes the gazers ftrike,
And, like the fun, they fhine on all alike.
Yet graceful eafe, and sweetness void of pride,
Might hide her faults, if belles had faults to hide :
If to her fhare fome female errors fall,

Look on her face, and you'll forget them all.

POPE

SECT

GOOD SENSE AND GOOD TEMPER MORE ENGAGING THAN BEAUTY.

;

THEN grave Clariffa graceful wav'd her fan ;
Silence enfu'd, and thus the nymph began:

Say why are beauties prais'd and honour'd most,
The wife man's paffion, and the vain man's toaft?
Why deck'd with all that land and sea afford,
Why angels call'd, and angel-like ador'd?

Why round our coaches crowd the white-glov'd beaux?
Why bows the fide box from its inmost rows?
How vain are all these glories, all our pains,
Unless good fenfe preserve what beauty gains!
That men may fay, when we the front-box grace,
Behold the firft in virtue as in face!

Oh! if to dance all night, and dress all day,
Charm'd the fmall-pox or chas'd old-age away,
Who would not scorn what housewife's cares produce,
Or, who would learn one earthly thing of use?
To patch, nay ogle, might become a faint,
Nor could it fure be fuch a fin to paint.

But fince, alas! frail beauty must decay,
Curl'd or uncurl'd, fince locks will turn to gray;
Since painted, or not painted, all shall fade,
And the who fcorns a man must die a maid ;
What then remains but well our pow'r to ufe,
And keep good-humour still, whate'er we lose?
And, truft me, dear! good-humour can prevail,
When airs, and flights, and fcreams, and fcolding fail.
Beauties

Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll;
Charms strike the fight, but merit wins the foul.

IN

Call forth the greens, and wake the rising flow'rs;
When op'ning buds falute the welcome day,
And earth relenting feels the genial ray;

As balmy sleep had charm'd my cares to rest,
And love itself was banish'd from my breast
(What time the morn mysterious vifions brings,
While purer flumbers spread their golden wings),
A train of phantoms in wild order rofe,
And, join'd, this intellectual scene compofe.

I stood, methought, betwixt earth, seas, and skies; The whole creation open to my eyes:

In air self-balanc'd hung the globe below,
Where mountains rife, and circling oceans flow;
Here naked rocks, and empty wastes were feen,
There tow'ry cities, and the forests green:
Here failing fhips delight the wand'ring eyes;
There trees, and intermingled temples rife:
Now a clear fun the fhining scene displays,
The tranfient landscape now in clouds decays.
O'er the wide profpect as I gaz'd around,
Sudden I heard a wild promifcuous found,