Then Shock, Belinda’s dog,

        “Who thought she slept too long,
    Leaped up, and waked his mistress with his tongue.”

So Belinda rises and is dressed.  While her maid seems to do the work,

    “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 praised for labours not her own.”

Next Belinda set out upon the Thames to go by boat to Hampton Court, and as she sat in her gayly decorated boat she looked so beautiful that every eye was turned to gaze upon her—­

    “On her white breast a sparkling cross she wore,
    Which Jews might kiss, and infidels adore.”

She was so beautiful and graceful that it seemed as if she could have no faults, or—­

    “If to her share some female errors fall,
    Look in her face, and you’ll forget them all. 
    This nymph, to the destruction of mankind,
    Nourished two locks, which graceful hung behind
    In equal curls, and well conspired to deck,
    With shining ringlets, the smoothe 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 finny prey,
    Fair tresses man’s imperial race insnare,
    And beauty draws us with a single hair.”

The “Adventurous Baron” next appears upon the scene.  He, greatly admiring Belinda’s shining locks, longs to possess one, and makes up his mind that he will.  And, as the painted vessel glided down the Thames, Belinda smiled, and all the world was gay, only Ariel alone was sad and disturbed, for he felt some evil, he knew not what, was hanging over his mistress.  So he gathered all his company and bade them watch more warily than before over their charge.  Some must guard the watch, some the fan, “And thou Crispissa, tend her fav’rite lock,” he says.  And woe betide that sprite who shall be careless or neglectful!

    “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 stopped in vials, or transfixed with pins,
    Or plunged in lakes of bitter washes lie,
    Or wedged, whole ages in a bodkin’s eye.”

So the watchful sprites flew off to their places—­

    “Some, orb in orb, around the nymph extend;
    Some thrid* the mazy ringlets of her hair,
    Some hang upon the pendants of her ear.”

    Slipped through.

The day went on, Belinda sat down to play cards.  After the game coffee was brought, and “while frequent cups prolong the rich repast,” Belinda unthinkingly gave the Baron a pair of scissors.  Then indeed the hour of fate struck.  The Baron standing behind Belinda found the temptation too great.  He opened the scissors and drew near—­