Page:Works of Voltaire Volume 36.djvu/137

A beauty bright appeared to view,
Such as Apelles never drew;
E'en Vanloo's colors would prove faint,
That heaven of charms divine, to paint;
No Phidias nor no Pigall e'er
Could carve a busto of the fair.
Her form like lovely Venus showed,
Whose golden tresses graceful flowed,
Whose melting eyes appeared to languish,
Whilst soothing Mars's amorous anguish,
"Myself," she said, "this palace, all
This wealth, your own, dear Robert, call:
You did not ugliness despise,
You therefore merit beauty's prize."
But now, methinks, my readers claim
To know what was this fair one's name,
Whose heart our knight had won; why then
'Twas fairy Urgelle, gentlemen,
Who, warriors, in her time, caressed,
And knights assisted when distressed.
Happy the age! thrice blessed mankind,
When tales like these belief could find,
Of spirits hovering in the air,
Of demons who make men their care!
In castle close by roasting fire,
The daughter, mother, husband, sire,
The neighborhood and all the race,
Attended with a wondering face,
Whilst, by the almoner, were told
Deeds done by sorcerers of old.