the merit of his former fervices, which are enumerated with great pleasantry. But Oh! if e'er thy Gnome could spoil a 66 grace, “ Or raise a pimple on a beauteous face, "If e'er with airy horns I planted heads, "Or rumpled petticoats, or tumbled beds, "Or caus'd fufpicion when no foul was rude, "Or difcompos'd the head-drefs of a Prude, * "Hear me, and touch Belinda with chagrin, "That single act gives half the world the Spleen." These concluding lines convey a delicate com pliment on Belinda's good-nature, and powerful influence. The vial which the goddess presents to the Gnome, filled The speech by which Thaleftris endeavours to inflame the rage of Belinda, is admirable, and feafoned with exquifite raillery on the pains which the fair will patiently undergo, to improve their charms. "Was it for this you took fuch conftant care "The bodkin, comb, and effence to prepare? "For this your Locks in paper durance bound? "For this with tort'ring irons wreath'd around? "For this with fillets ftrain'd your tender "head? "And bravely bore the double loads of lead ?” The addrefs with which fhe works up Belinda's refentment, by infinuating the prejudice her reputation will fuffer by the ravifher's difplaying her Lock, is well imagined: And the exclamation in the conclufion of her fpeech, difplays the most lively fancy, and agreeable satire. "And fhall this prize, th' ineflimable prize, Expos'd thro' cryftal to the gazing eyes, "And heighten'd by the diamond's circling 66 rays, "On that rapacious hand for ever blaze? "Sooner fhall grafs in Hyde-Park Circus grow, "And wits take lodgings in the found of Bow; "Sooner let earth, air, fea, to chaos fall, 26 Men, monkeys, lap-dogs, parrots, perish all !” The lamentation of Belinda is not lefs beautiful. With what propriety does fhe make the 2 follow following exclamation, which pleasantly expreffes her idea of a lonely fituation? "Oh had I rather un-admir'd, remain'd "In fome lone ifle, or diftant Northern land; "Where the gilt Chariot never marks the way, "Where none learn Ombre, none e'er tafte "Bohea!" It is ufual in heroic poems to prepare the reader for fome great event, by introducing certain prefaging omens; and the poet has artfully introduced fuch portentous figns, as ferve to keep up the mock dignity of the piece, and, at the fame time, throw an oblique raillery on the trivial objects of female superstition. * * *, "Thrice from my trembling hand the patch "box fell; "The tott'ring China fhook without a wind, Nay Poll fat mute, and Shock was most " unkind!" The speech of the grave Clariffa, in the last canto, who endeavours to compofe the refentment of Belinda, cannot be too much admired. There is so much excellent good sense, fraught with fuch useful moral, and expreffed with fuch harmony of numbers, that no reader of fentiment and taste will think the following quotation too long. "Say, "Say, why are Beauties prais'd and honour'd moft, "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 inmoft "rows? "How vain are all thefe glories, all our pains, "Unlefs good fenfe preferves what beauty "gains: “That men may fay, when we the front-box 66 grace, "Behold the first in virtue as in face! "Oh! if to dance all night, and dress all day, "Charm'd the fmall-pox, or chac'd old age away; Who would not fcorn what housewife's cares "produce, "Or who would learn one earthly thing of "ufe? "To patch, nay ogle, might become a Saint, "Nor could it fure be fuch a fin to paint. "But fince, alas! frail beauty muft decay, "Curl'd or uncurl'd, fince Locks will turn to 66 grey; "Since painted, or not painted, all shall fade, "And the who fcorns a man, must die a maid; "What then remains but well our power to "ufe, "And keep good-humour ftill whate'er we lofe? "And "And truft me, dear! good-humour can "prevail, "When airs, and flights, and fcreams, and "fcolding fail. "Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll; Charms ftrike the fight, but Merit wins the "foul." The poet, with great addrefs, makes this incomparable fpeech pass unapplauded "Belinda frown'd, Thaleftris call'd her "Prude." By which delicate ftroke, the poet obliquely fatirizes the light part of the fex; among whom good fenfe and decorum is ridiculed as prudery. Clariffa's fpeech having no effect, the attack begins for the recovery of the Lock. The effayift above-mentioned is of opinion, that this battle is defcribed in very lofty and pompous terms: A game of Romps, he adds, was never so dignified before. In this, however, I cannot agree with him. Impartiality obliges me to confefs, that I do not esteem this description equal to the reft of the poem. Nor can I wholly agree with the effayift that the weapons made ufe of are the most proper imaginable; fuch as the lightning of the lady's eyes, intolerable frowns, a pinch of fnuff and a bodkin. Of the two laft, indeed, the poet has very ingenioufly availed himself; but the former, |