Close by those meads, for ever crowned with flow'rs,[417] Where Thames with pride surveys his rising tow'rs, There stands a structure of majestic frame, Which from the neighb'ring Hampton takes its name. Here Britain's statesmen oft the fall foredoom 5 Of foreign tyrants, and of nymphs at home; Here thou, great ANNA! whom three realms obey, Dost sometimes counsel take--and sometimes tea.[418] Hither the heroes and the nymphs resort, To taste awhile the pleasures of a court; 10 In various talk th' instructive hours they passed, Who gave the ball, or paid the visit last;[419] One speaks the glory of the British Queen, And one describes a charming Indian screen;[420] A third interprets motions, looks, and eyes; 15 At ev'ry word a reputation dies. Snuff, or the fan, supply each pause of chat,[421] With singing, laughing, ogling, and all that. Meanwhile, declining from the noon of day, The sun obliquely shoots his burning ray;[422] 20 The hungry judges soon the sentence sign, And wretches hang that jury-men may dine;[423] The merchant from th' Exchange returns in peace, And the long labours of the toilet cease.[424] Belinda now, whom thirst of fame invites,[425] 25 Burns to encounter two advent'rous knights, At ombre singly to decide their doom;[426] And swells her breast with conquests yet to come. Straight the three bands prepare in arms to join, Each band the number of the sacred nine.[427] 30 Soon as she spreads her hand, th' aërial guard Descend, and sit on each important card: First Ariel perched upon a Matadore,[428] Then each according to the rank they bore; For sylphs, yet mindful of their ancient race, 35 Are, as when women, wondrous fond of place. Behold, four kings, in majesty revered, With hoary whisky and a forky beard; And four fair queens whose hands sustain a flow'r, Th' expressive emblem of their softer pow'r; 40 Four knaves in garbs succinct,[429] a trusty band; Caps on their heads, and halberts in their hand; And parti-coloured troops, a shining train, Draw forth to combat on the velvet plain. The skilful nymph reviews her force with care: 45 Let spades be trumps! she said, and trumps they were.[430] Now move to war her sable Matadores,[431] In show like leaders of the swarthy Moors. Spadillio first, unconquerable lord![432] Led off two captive trumps, and swept the board. 50 As many more Manillio forced to yield, And marched a victor from the verdant field. Him Basto followed, but his fate more hard Gained but one trump and one plebeian card.