There is none enchantment against beauty, Magician for all time, Whose potent spells of sympathy have charmed the passive world: Verily, she reigneth a Semiramis; there is no might against her; The lords of every land are harnessed to her triumph. Beauty is conqueror of all, nor ever yet was found among the nations That iron-moulded mind, full proof against her power. Beauty, like a summer's day, subdueth by sweet influences; Who can wrestle against Sleep?--yet is that giant, very gentleness. Ajax may rout a phalanx, but beauty shall enslave him single-handed; Pericles ruled Athens, yet he is the servant of Aspasia: Light were the labour, and often-told the tale, to count the victories of beauty,-- Helen, and Judith, and Omphale, and Thais, many a trophied name. At a glance the misanthrope was softened, and repented of his vows, When Beauty asked, he gave, and banned her--with a blessing; The cold ascetic loved the smile that lit his dismal cell, And kindly stayed her step, and wept when she departed; The bigot abbess felt her heart gush with a mother's feeling, When looking on some lovely face beneath the cloister's shade; Usury freed her without ransom; the buccaneer was gentle in her presence; Madness kissed her on the cheek, and Idiotcy brightened at her coming: Yea, the very cattle in the field, and hungry prowlers of the forest With fawning homage greeted her, as Beauty glided by. A welcome guest unbidden, she is dear to every hearth; A glad spontaneous growth of friends is springing round her rest: Learning sitteth at her feet, and Idleness laboureth to please her, Folly hath flung aside his bells, and leaden Dulness gloweth; Prudence is rash in her defence; Frugality filleth her with riches; Despair came to her for counsel; and Bereavement was glad when she consoled; Justice putteth up his sword at the tear of supplicating beauty, And Mercy, with indulgent haste, hath pardoned beauty's sin. For beauty is the substitute for all things, satisfying every absence, The rich delirious cup to make all else forgotten: She also is the zest unto all things, enhancing every presence, The rare and precious ambergris, to quicken each perfume. O beauty, thou art eloquent; yea, though slow of tongue, Thy breast, fair Phryne, pleaded well before the dazzled judge: O beauty, thou art wise; yea, though teaching falsely, Sages listen, sweet Corinna, to commend thy lips; O beauty, thou art ruler; yea, though lowly as a slave, Myrrha, that imperial brow is monarch of thy lord; O beauty, thou art winner; yea, though halting in the race, Hippodame, Camilla, Atalanta,--in gracefulness ye fascinate your umpires; O beauty, thou art rich; yea, though clad in russet, Attalus cannot boast his gold against the wealth of beauty; O beauty, thou art noble; yea, though Esther be an exile, Set her up on high, ye kings, and bow before the majesty of beauty!