The Works of Alexander Pope, Volume 1: Poetry - Volume 1Pope, Alexander
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The Works of Alexander Pope, Volume 1: Poetry - Volume 1
Pope, Alexander
English poetry -- 18th century
To blaze those virtues, which the good would hide.
Rise! muses, rise! add all your tuneful breath, 370
These must not sleep in darkness and in death.
She said: in air the trembling music floats,
And on the winds triumphant swell the notes:[112]
So soft, though high, so loud, and yet so clear,[113]
Ev'n list'ning angels leaned from heav'n to hear: 375
To farthest shores th' ambrosial spirit flies,
Sweet to the world, and grateful to the skies.
Next these, a youthful train their vows expressed,[114]
With feathers crowned, with gay embroid'ry dress'd,
Hither, they cried, direct your eyes, and see 380
The men of pleasure, dress, and gallantry;
Ours is the place at banquets, balls, and plays,
Sprightly our nights, polite are all our days;
Courts we frequent, where 'tis our pleasing care
To pay due visits, and address the fair: 385
In fact, 'tis true, no nymph we could persuade,
But still in fancy vanquished ev'ry maid;
Of unknown duchesses lewd tales we tell,
Yet, would the world believe us, all were well.
The joy let others have, and we the name, 390
And what we want in pleasure, grant in fame.[115]
The queen assents, the trumpet rends the skies,
And at each blast a lady's honour dies.[116]
Pleased with the strange success, vast numbers pressed
Around the shrine, and made the same request: 395
What! you (she cried) unlearn'd in arts to please,
Slaves to yourselves, and ev'n fatigued with ease,[117]
Who lose a length of undeserving days,
Would you usurp the lover's dear-bought praise?
To just contempt, ye vain pretenders, fall, 400
The people's fable, and the scorn of all.
Straight the black clarion sends a horrid sound,
Loud laughs burst out, and bitter scoffs fly round,
Whispers are heard, with taunts reviling loud,
And scornful hisses run through all the crowd. 405
Last, those who boast of mighty mischiefs done,
Enslave their country, or usurp a throne;[118]
Or who their glory's dire foundation laid
On sov'reigns ruined, or on friends betrayed;[119]
Calm, thinking villains, whom no faith could fix, 410
Of crooked counsels and dark politics;
Of these a gloomy tribe surround the throne,
And beg to make th' immortal treasons known.
The trumpet roars, long flaky flames expire,
With sparks, that seemed to set the world on fire. 415
At the dread sound, pale mortals stood aghast,
And startled nature trembled with the blast.
This having heard and seen, some pow'r unknown
Straight changed the scene, and snatched me from the throne.[120]
Before my view appeared a structure fair, 420
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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