a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 #

lirik lagu the rape of the lock, cantos i and ii - michael redgrave

what dire offence from am’rous causes springs
what mighty contests rise from trivial things
i sing—this verse to caryl, muse! is due:
this, ev’n belinda may vouchsafe to view:
slight is the subject, but not so the praise
if she inspire, and he approve my lays

say what strange motive, goddess! could compel
a well~bred lord t’ assault a gentle belle?
o say what stranger cause, yet unexplor’d
could make a gentle belle reject a lord?
in tasks so bold, can little men engage
and in soft bosoms dwells such mighty rage?

sol thro’ white curtains shot a tim’rous ray
and op’d those eyes that must eclipse the day;
now lap~dogs give themselves the rousing shake
and sleepless lovers, just at twelve, awake:
thrice rung the bell, the slipper knock’d the ground
and the press’d watch return’d a silver sound
belinda still her downy pillow press’d
her guardian sylph prolong’d the balmy rest:
’twas he had summon’d to her silent bed
the morning dream that hover’d o’er her head;
a youth more glitt’ring than a birthnight beau
(that ev’n in slumber caus’d her cheek to glow)
seem’d to her ear his winning lips to lay
and thus in whispers said, or seem’d to say
“fairest of mortals, thou distinguish’d care
of thousand bright inhabitants of air!
if e’er one vision touch’d thy infant thought
of all the nurse and all the priest have taught
of airy elves by moonlight shadows seen
the silver token, and the circled green
or virgins visited by angel pow’rs
with golden crowns and wreaths of heav’nly flow’rs
hear and believe! thy own importance know
nor bound thy narrow views to things below
some secret truths from learned pride conceal’d
to maids alone and children are reveal’d:
what tho’ no credit doubting wits may give?
the fair and innocent shall still believe
know then, unnumber’d spirits round thee fly
the light militia of the lower sky;
these, though unseen, are ever on the wing
hang o’er the box, and hover round the ring
think what an equipage thou hast in air
and view with scorn two pages and a chair
as now your own, our beings were of old
and once inclos’d in woman’s beauteous mould;
thence, by a soft transition, we repair
from earthly vehicles to these of air
think not, when woman’s transient breath is fled
that all her vanities at once are dead;
succeeding vanities she still regards
and tho’ she plays no more, o’erlooks the cards
her joy in gilded chariots, when alive
and love of ombre, after death survive
for when the fair in all their pride expire
to their first elements their souls retire:
the sprites of fiery termagants in flame
mount up, and take a salamander’s name
soft yielding minds to water glide away
and sip with nymphs, their elemental tea
the graver prude sinks downward to a gnome
in search of mischief still on earth to roam
the light coquettes in sylphs aloft repair
and sport and flutter in the fields of air
know further yet; whoever fair and chaste
rejects mankind, is by some sylph embrac’d:
for spirits, freed from mortal laws, with ease
assume what s~xes and what shapes they please
what guards the purity of melting maids
in courtly b~lls, and midnight masquerades
safe from the treach’rous friend, the daring spark
the glance by day, the whisper in the dark
when kind occasion prompts their warm desires
when music softens, and when dancing fires?
’tis but their sylph, the wise celestials know
though honour is the word with men below

some nymphs there are, too conscious of their face
for life predestin’d to the gnomes’ embrace
these swell their prospects and exalt their pride
when offers are disdain’d, and love denied:
then gay ideas crowd the vacant brain
while peers, and dukes, and all their sweeping train
and garters, stars, and coronets appear
and in soft sounds ‘your grace’ salutes their ear
’tis these that early taint the female soul
instruct the eyes of young coquettes to roll
teach infant cheeks a bidden blush to know
and little hearts to flutter at a beau
oft, when the world imagine women stray
the sylphs through mystic mazes guide their way
thro’ all the giddy circle they pursue
and old impertinence expel by new
what tender maid but must a victim fall
to one man’s treat, but for another’s ball?
when florio speaks, what virgin could withstand
if gentle damon did not squeeze her hand?
with varying vanities, from ev’ry part
they shift the moving toyshop of their heart;
where wigs with wigs, with sword~knots sword~knots strive
beaux banish beaux, and coaches coaches drive
this erring mortals levity may call
oh blind to truth! the sylphs contrive it all

of these am i, who thy protection claim
a watchful sprite, and ariel is my name
late, as i rang’d the crystal wilds of air
in the clear mirror of thy ruling star
i saw, alas! some dread event impend
ere to the main this morning sun descend
but heav’n reveals not what, or how, or where:
warn’d by the sylph, oh pious maid, beware!
this to disclose is all thy guardian can
beware of all, but most beware of man!”

he said; when shock, who thought she slept too long
leap’d up, and wak’d his mistress with his tongue
’twas then, belinda, if report say true
thy eyes first open’d on a billet~doux;
wounds, charms, and ardors were no sooner read
but all the vision vanish’d from thy head

and now, unveil’d, the toilet stands display’d
each silver vase in mystic order laid
first, rob’d in white, the nymph intent adores
with head uncover’d, the cosmetic pow’rs
a heav’nly image in the glass appears
to that she bends, to that her eyes she rears;
th’ inferior priestess, at her altar’s side
trembling, begins the sacred rites of pride
unnumber’d treasures ope at once, and here
the various off’rings of the world appear;
from each she nicely culls with curious toil
and decks the goddess with the glitt’ring spoil
this casket india’s glowing gems unlocks
and all arabia breathes from yonder box
the tortoise here and elephant unite
transform’d to combs, the speckled and the white
here files of pins extend their shining rows
puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billet~doux
now awful beauty puts on all its arms;
the fair each moment rises in her charms
repairs her smiles, awakens ev’ry grace
and calls forth all the wonders of her face;
sees by degrees a purer blush arise
and keener lightnings quicken in her eyes
the busy sylphs surround their darling care;
these set the head, and those divide the hair
some fold the sleeve, whilst others plait the gown;
and betty’s prais’d for labours not her own

not with more glories, in th’ etherial plain
the sun first rises o’er the purpled main
than, issuing forth, the rival of his beams
launch’d on the bosom of the silver thames
fair nymphs, and well~dress’d youths around her shone
but ev’ry eye was fix’d on her alone
on her white breast a sparkling cross she wore
which jews might kiss, and infidels adore
her lively looks a sprightly mind disclose
quick as her eyes, and as unfix’d as those:
favours to none, to all she smiles extends;
oft she rejects, but never once offends
bright as the sun, her eyes the gazers strike
and, like the sun, they shine on all alike
yet graceful ease, and sweetness void of pride
might hide her faults, if belles had faults to hide:
if to her share some female errors fall
look on her face, and you’ll forget ’em all

this nymph, to the destruction of mankind
nourish’d two locks, which graceful hung behind
in equal curls, and well conspir’d to deck
with shining ringlets the smooth iv’ry neck
love in these labyrinths his slaves detains
and mighty hearts are held in slender chains
with hairy springes we the birds betray
slight lines of hair surprise the finney prey
fair tresses man’s imperial race ensnare
and beauty draws us with a single hair

th’ advent’rous baron the bright locks admir’d;
he saw, he wish’d, and to the prize aspir’d
resolv’d to win, he meditates the way
by force to ravish, or by fraud betray;
for when success a lover’s toil attends
few ask, if fraud or force attain’d his ends

for this, ere phoebus rose, he had implor’d
propitious heav’n, and ev’ry pow’r ador’d
but chiefly love—to love an altar built
of twelve vast french romances, neatly gilt
there lay three garters, half a pair of gloves;
and all the trophies of his former loves;
with tender billet~doux he lights the pyre
and breathes three am’rous sighs to raise the fire
then prostrate falls, and begs with ardent eyes
soon to obtain, and long possess the prize:
the pow’rs gave ear, and granted half his pray’r
the rest, the winds dispers’d in empty air

but now secure the painted vessel glides
the sun~beams trembling on the floating tides
while melting music steals upon the sky
and soften’d sounds along the waters die
smooth flow the waves, the zephyrs gently play
belinda smil’d, and all the world was gay
all but the sylph—with careful thoughts opprest
th’ impending woe sat heavy on his breast
he summons strait his denizens of air;
the lucid squadrons round the sails repair:
soft o’er the shrouds aerial whispers breathe
that seem’d but zephyrs to the train beneath
some to the sun their insect~wings unfold
waft on the breeze, or sink in clouds of gold
transparent forms, too fine for mortal sight
their fluid bodies half dissolv’d in light
loose to the wind their airy garments flew
thin glitt’ring textures of the filmy dew;
dipp’d in the richest tincture of the skies
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 plac’d;
his purple pinions op’ning to the sun
he rais’d his azure wand, and thus begun

“ye sylphs and sylphids, to your chief give ear!
fays, fairies, genii, elves, and dæmons, hear!
ye know the spheres and various tasks assign’d
by laws eternal to th’ aerial kind
some in the fields of purest æther play
and bask and whiten in the blaze of day
some guide the course of wand’ring orbs on high
or roll the planets through the boundless sky
some less refin’d, beneath the moon’s pale light
pursue the stars that shoot athwart the night
or suck the mists in grosser air below
or dip their pinions in the painted bow
or brew fierce tempests on the wintry main
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

“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’ imprison’d essences exhale
to draw fresh colours from the vernal flow’rs
to steal from rainbows e’er 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

“this day, black omens threat the brightest fair
that e’er deserv’d a watchful spirit’s care;
some dire disaster, or by force, or slight
but what, or where, the fates have wrapt in night
whether the nymph shall break diana’s law
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 doom’d that shock must fall
haste, then, ye spirits! to your charge repair:
the flutt’ring fan be zephyretta’s care;
the drops to thee, brillante, we consign;
and, momentilla, let the watch be thine;
do thou, crisp~ssa, tend her fav’rite lock;
ariel himself shall be the guard of shock

“to fifty chosen sylphs, of special note
we trust th’ important charge, the petticoat:
oft have we known that sev’n~fold fence to fail
though stiff with hoops, and arm’d with ribs of whale
form a strong line about the silver bound
and guard the wide circumference around

“whatever spirit, careless of his charge
his post neglects, or leaves the fair at large
shall feel sharp vengeance soon o’ertake his sins
be stopp’d in vials, or transfix’d with pins;
or plung’d in lakes of bitter washes lie
or wedg’d whole ages in a bodkin’s eye:
gums and pomatums shall his flight restrain
while clogg’d he beats his silken wings in vain;
or alum styptics with contracting pow’r
shrink his thin essence like a rivell’d flow’r
or, as ixion fix’d, the wretch shall feel
the giddy motion of the whirling mill
in fumes of burning chocolate shall glow
and tremble at the sea that froths below!”

he spoke; the spirits from the sails descend;
some, orb in orb, around the nymph extend
some thrid the mazy ringlets of her hair
some hang upon the pendants of her ear;
with beating hearts the dire event they wait
anxious, and trembling for the birth of fate

- lirik lagu the rape of the lock cantos i and ii

Lirik lagu lainnya:

LIRIK YANG LAGI HITS MINGGU INI