Say, Muse, for thou remember'st, call it back, And show Lorenzo the surprising scene; If 'twas a dream, his genius can explain. 'Twas in a circle of the gay I stood. Death would have enter'd; Nature push'd him back; Supported by a doctor of renown, His point he gain'd. Then artfully dismiss'd The sage; for Death design'd to be conceal'd. 850 He gave an old vivacious usurer His meagre aspect, and his naked bones; In gratitude for plumping up his prey, A pamper'd spendthrift; whose fantastic air, Well-fashion'd figure, and cockaded[25] brow, He took in change, and underneath the pride Of costly linen, tuck'd his filthy shroud. His crooked bow he straighten'd to a cane; And hid his deadly shafts in Myra's eye. The dreadful masquerader, thus equipp'd, 860 Out sallies on adventures. Ask you where? Where is he not? For his peculiar haunts, Let this suffice; sure as night follows day, Death treads in pleasure's footsteps round the world, 864 When pleasure treads the paths, which reason shuns. When, against reason, riot shuts the door, And gaiety supplies the place of sense, Then, foremost at the banquet, and the ball, Death leads the dance, or stamps the deadly die; Nor ever fails the midnight bowl to crown. 870 Gaily carousing to his gay compeers, Inly he laughs, to see them laugh at him, As absent far: and when the revel burns, When fear is banish'd, and triumphant thought, Calling for all the joys beneath the moon, Against him turns the key; and bids him sup With their progenitors--He drops his mask; Frowns out at full; they start, despair, expire. Scarce with more sudden terror and surprise, From his black mask of nitre, touch'd by fire, 880 He bursts, expands, roars, blazes, and devours. And is not this triumphant treachery, And more than simple conquest, in the fiend? And now, Lorenzo, dost thou wrap thy soul In soft security, because unknown Which moment is commission'd to destroy? In death's uncertainty thy danger lies. Is death uncertain? Therefore thou be fix'd; Fix'd as a sentinel, all eye, all ear, All expectation of the coming foe. 890 Rouse, stand in arms, nor lean against thy spear; Lest slumber steal one moment o'er thy soul, And Fate surprise thee nodding. Watch, be strong: Thus give each day the merit, and renown, Of dying well; though doom'd but once to die. Nor let life's period hidden (as from most) Hide too from thee the precious use of life. Early, not sudden, was Narcissa's fate. 898 Soon, not surprising, Death his visit paid. Her thought went forth to meet him on his way, Nor gaiety forgot it was to die: Though Fortune too (our third and final theme), As an accomplice, play'd her gaudy plumes,