Sylphs are introduced in Canto I prolonging Belinda's sleep. Her sleep is prolonged so that she will have a dream and can receive a warning before she attends a party later that evening. Belinda is told she is in the "distinguished care of thousand bright inhabitants of air" (292). The reader learns that before Sylphs were Sylphs, they too were once beautiful women. By a "soft transition" they changed from "earthly vehicles to these of air" (293). In her dream, the Sylph's tell Belinda they remember what it was like to be young, beautiful and tempted by men. Even though no longer alive, they remember the "joy in gilded chariots" and "love of ombre" (293), which Belinda will be participating in later that evening.

Canto III finds the Sylphs anxiously awaiting the fateful event of the evening. They continue to guard Belinda as she plays the card game of Ombre. Ariel sits atop the highest ranking card in her hand with other Sylphs following suit in their ranking order. Belinda's fate is to win the game, but through the course of events, lose her favorite lock. Although the Sylphs have tightly guarded Belinda's petticoat, the object of desire is Belinda's hair. In particular, her favorite lock which hangs loosely behind her ear. The Sylphs surround Belinda as she sips coffee after the card game. The coffee vapors affect the "Baron's brain" (300) and he begins to plot how to get Belinda's curl. As the Sylphs realize what is happening, they desperately try to save it, "Swift to the Lock, a thousand sprites repair" (301). As Ariel was perched on the nosegay in Belinda's breast, he realized that her mind was on something else. "He watched the ideas rising in her mind, Sudden he viewed, in spite of all her art, An earthly lover lurking at her heart" (301).

In Canto II, Belinda is enjoying the festivities of the evening. The Sylphs continue to guard her while riding the sails on the boat and enjoy themselves as well. Ariel however, distraught over the "impending woe" (296), summoned Sylphs

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