He heeds them not one smile of hers Is worth a world of worshippers. They but the Star's adorers are, She is the Heav'n that lights the Star! Hence is it too that NOURMAHAL, Amid the luxuries of this hour, Sits in her own sequester'd bower, Time's wing but seem'd, in stealing o'er, Yet on her smiles a sadness hung, And when, as oft, she spoke or sung Of other worlds, there came a light From her dark eyes so strangely bright, That all believ'd nor man nor earth Were conscious of NAMOUNA's birth! All spells and talismans she knew, 2 From the great Mantra, which around The Air's sublimer Spirits drew, To the gold gems 3 of AFRIC, bound Upon the wandering Arab's arm, 4 To keep him from the Siltim's harm. Her SELIM's' smile to NOURMAHAL ! 2 "He is said to have found the great Mantra, spell or talisman, through which he ruled over the elements and spirits of all denominations.". Wilford. 3 "The gold jewels of Jinnie, which are called by the Arabs El Herrez, from the supposed charm they contain."-Jackson. 4 "A demon, supposed to haunt woods, &c. in a human shape.”Richardson. 5 The name of Jehanguire before his accession to the throne. 'Twas midnight — through the lattice, wreath'd With woodbine, many a perfume breath'd From timid jasmine buds, that keep But, when the sun-light dies away, Let the delicious secret out breeze that roams about; Το "At evening, from their tents of gold Till twilight comes, and, ray by ray, "Their sunny mansions melt away! "Now, too, a chaplet might be wreath'd "Of buds o'er which the moon has breath'd, "Which worn by her, whose love has stray'd, Might bring some Peri from the skies, "Some sprite, whose very soul is made "Of flowrets' breaths and lovers' sighs, Cried NOURMAHAL impatiently, "Oh! twine that wreath for me to-night." Then, rapidly, with foot as light As the young musk-roe's, out she flew 6 And new-blown lilies of the river, 8 6" Hemasagara, or the Sea of Gold, with flowers of the brightest gold colour." - Sir W. Jones. 7 "This tree (the Nagacesara) is one of the most delightful on earth, and the delicious odour of its blossoms justly gives them a place in the quiver of Camadeva or the God of Love" — Id. 8" The Malayans style the tube-rose (Polianthes tuberosa) Sandal Malam, or the Mistress of the Night." Pennant. So like a bride, scented and bright, She comes out when the sun's away. Amaranths, such as crown the maids That wander through ZAMARA's shades; And the white moon-flower, as it shows On SERENDIB's high crags to those Who near the isle at evening sail, Scenting her clove-trees in the gale ; — In short, all flowrets and all plants, From the divine Amrita tree, That blesses heaven's inhabitants With fruits of immortality, 9 The people of the Batta country in Sumatra (of which Zamara is one of the ancient names)" when not engaged in war, lead an idle, inactive life, passing the day in playing on a kind of flute, crowned with garlands of flowers, among which the globe-amaranthus, a native of the country, mostly prevails."— Marsden. 1 "The largest and richest sort (of the Jambu or rose-apple) is called Amrita or immortal, and the mythologists of Tibet apply the same word to a celestial tree, bearing ambrosial fruit.”—Sir W.Jones. 2 Sweet basil, called Rayhan in Persia, and generally found in church-yards. |