Explanations:

Beauties in vain their pretty eyes may roll;

Charms strike the sight merit wins the soul.

Answer: These lines have been taken from the famous mock-epic namely “The Rape of the Lock” which is written by Alexander Pope who is regarded as the representative poet of Eighteenth-century English literature. The selected lines are extracted out of the Canto-V of the poem. Here the poet has moralized through the speech of Clarissa who is the poet’s mouthpiece.

Clarissa plays the role of the Pope’s spokesman in the poem. But it is she who had helped the Baron by giving him scissors. She begins to deliver her speech now in a moralistic tone when Belinda finishes: her speech expressing her firm determination for fighting with the Baron. Clarissa says that a beautiful woman may roll her pretty eyes and yet fail to attract the attention of a man. The reason is that beauty appeals only to the senses, while merit captivates the soul. In Other Words, the physical or external charms of a woman appear only in the eyes of men. But the hearts of men can be captured only by. good sense, good humour_and warmth of manner. External attractions produce an immediate impression only to the sight Whereas it is merit or inner worth that reaches up to mark and wins the soul. Thus good qualities of character can never be unsuccessful

The poet comments on the moral depravity of his Age through Clarisse’s speech. He points out the importance of merit as a sure) way to happiness here in these two lines.