LALLA ROOKH had had a dream the night before, which, in spite of the impending fate of poor HAFED, made her heart more than usually cheerful during the morning, and gave her cheeks all the freshened animation of a flower that the Bid-musk has just passed over. She fancied that she was sailing on that Eastern Ocean, where the sea-gipsies, who live for ever on the water, enjoy a perpetual summer in wandering from isle to isle, when she saw a small gilded bark approaching her. It was like one of those boats which the Maldivian islanders annually send adrift, at the mercy of winds and waves, loaded with perfumes, flowers, and odoriferous wood, as an offering to the Spirit whom they call King of the Sea. At first, this little bark appeared to be empty, but, on coming nearer She had proceeded thus far in relating the dream to her Ladies, when FERAMORZ appeared at the door of the pavilion. In his presence, of course, every thing else was forgotten, and the continuance of the story was instantly requested by all. Fresh wood of aloes was set to burn in the cassolets; - the violet sherbets were hastily handed round, and, after a short prelude on his lute, in the pathetic measure of Nava, which is always used to express the lamentations of absent lovers, the Poet thus continued: THE day is lowering—stilly black Sleeps the grim wave, while heaven's rack, Dispers'd and wild, 'twixt earth and sky Hangs like a shatter'd canopy! There's not a cloud in that blue plain But tells of storm to come or past; Here, flying loosely as the mane Of a young war-horse in the blast; — There, roll'd in masses dark and swelling, As proud to be the thunder's dwelling! While some, already burst and riven, Seem melting down the verge of heaven; As though the infant storm had rent The mighty womb that gave him birth, And, having swept the firmament, Was now in fierce career for earth. The sea-birds, with portentous screech, Nor friends upon the lessening strand Like some ill-destin'd bark that steers 2 And where was stern AL HASSAN then? "The Easterns used to set out on their longer voyages with music." Harmer. 2 "The Gate of Tears, the straits or passage into the Red Sea, commonly called Babelmandel. It received this name from the old Arabians, on account of the danger of the navigation, and the number of shipwrecks by which it was distinguished; which induced them to consider as dead, and to wear mourning for all who had the boldness to hazard the passage through it into the Ethiopic ocean. Richardson. From blood-shed and devotion spare Upon the coming night of blood, With that keen, second-scent of death, By which the vulture snuffs his food In the still warm and living breath! 1 While o'er the wave his weeping daughter Is wafted from these scenes of slaughter, - 4 Let loose to tell of victory won, Flies home, with wing, ah! not unstain'd And does the long-left home she seeks The flowers she nurs'd- the well-known groves, પ 3 I have been told that whensoever an animal falls down dead, one or more vultures, unseen before, instantly appear." Pennant. 4 They fasten some writing to the wings of a Bagdat, or Babylonian pigeon." - Travels of certain Englishmen. |