The lucid squadrons round the sails repair: Soft o'er the shrouds aërial whispers breathe, That seemed but zephyrs to the train beneath. Some to the sun their insect-wings unfold, Waft on the breeze, or sink in clouds of gold; 60 Transparent forms, too fine for mortal sight, Their fluid bodies half dissolved in light. Loose to the wind their airy garments flew, Thin glitt'ring textures of the filmy dew,[402] Dipped in the richest tincture of the skies,[403] 65 Where light disports in ever-mingling dyes; While ev'ry beam new transient colours flings, Colours that change whene'er they wave their wings. Amid the circle, on the gilded mast, Superior by the head, was Ariel placed; 70 His purple pinions opening to the sun, He raised his azure wand, and thus begun. "Ye sylphs and sylphids, to your chief give ear! Fays, fairies, genii, elves, and demons, hear! Ye know the spheres, and various tasks assigned 75 By laws eternal to th' aërial kind. Some in the fields of purest ether play, And bask and whiten in the blaze of day. Some guide the course of wand'ring orbs on high,[404] Or roll the planets through the boundless sky.[405] 80 Some less refined, beneath the moon's pale light Pursue the stars that shoot athwart the night,[406] Or suck the mists in grosser air below, Or dip their pinions in the painted bow, Or brew fierce tempests on the wintry main, 85 Or o'er the glebe distil the kindly rain. Others on earth o'er human race preside, Watch all their ways, and all their actions guide: Of these the chief the care of nations own, And guard with arms divine the British throne.[407] 90 "Our humbler province is to tend the fair, Not a less pleasing, though less glorious care; To save the powder from too rude a gale, Nor let th' imprisoned essences exhale; To draw fresh colours from the vernal flow'rs; 95 To steal from rainbows ere they drop in show'rs A brighter wash; to curl their waving hairs, Assist their blushes, and inspire their airs; Nay oft, in dreams, invention we bestow, To change a flounce, or add a furbelow.[408] 100 "This day, black omens threat the brightest fair That e'er deserved a watchful spirit's care; Some dire disaster, or by force, or slight; But what, or where, the fates have wrapped in night. Whether the nymph shall break Diana's law, 105 Or some frail china jar receive a flaw; Or stain her honour, or her new brocade; Forget her pray'rs, or miss a masquerade; Or lose her heart, or necklace, at a ball; Or whether heav'n has doomed that Shock must fall. 110 Haste then, ye spirits! to your charge repair: