Holding, as if to drop it down Gently upon her curls, a crown And set in gold like that which shines In short, a crown all glorious-such as Love orders when he makes a Duchess. But see, 'tis morn in heaven; the Sun And, though not yet arriv'd in sight, His leader's nostrils send a steam Of radiance forth, so rosy bright As makes their onward path all light. What's to be done? if Sol will be So deuced early, so must we; And when the day thus shines outright, Now, by daylight, dim and pale; All that's mighty, all that's bright; And ev'n a Ball-has but its night! EVENINGS IN GREECE. IN thus connecting together a series of Songs by a thread of poetical narrative, my chief object has been to combine Recitation with Music, so as to enable a greater number of persons to join in the performance, by enlisting, as readers, those who may not feel willing or competent to take a part as singers. The Island of Zea, where the scene is laid, was called by the ancients Ceos, and was the birthplace of Simonides, Bacchylides, and other eminent persons. An account of its present state may be found in the Travels of Dr. Clarke, who says, that "it appeared to him to be the best cultivated of any of the Grecian Isles."— Vol. vi. p. 174. T. M. EVENINGS IN GREECE. FIRST EVENING. "THE sky is bright-the breeze is fair, "And the mainsail flowing, full and free Of Zea's youth, the hope and stay Which now, alas, no more is seenThough every eye still turns to mark The moonlight spot where it had been. Vainly you look, ye maidens, sires, And mothers, your belov'd are gone!— Whose light they long look'd back upon Had made them droop and weep like you. When, bless'd by heaven, the Cross shall sweep There is a Fount on Zea's isle, On which the sun of Greece looks down, 1 " Nerium Oleander. In Cyprus it retains its ancient name, Rhododaphne, and the Cypriots adorn their churches with the flowers on feast-days.”—Journal of Dr. Sibthorpe, Walpole's Turkey. 2 Id. While round, to grace its cradle green, Stand with their leafy pride unfurl'd ; While Commerce, from her thousand sails, Scatters their fruit throughout the world! 5 'Twas here as soon as prayer and sleep (Those truest friends to all who weep)_ Had lighten'd every heart, and made Ev'n sorrow wear a softer shade'Twas here, in this secluded spot, Amid whose breathings calm and sweet Grief might be sooth'd, if not forgot, The Zean nymphs resolv'd to meet Each evening now, by the same light That saw their farewell tears that night; And try, if sound of lute and song, If wand'ring 'mid the moonlight flowers In various talk, could charm along With lighter step, the ling'ring hours, Till tidings of that Bark should come, Or Victory waft their warriors home! 3 Lonicera Caprifolium, used by the girls of Patmos for annually to fifteen thousand quintals."— Clarke's Travels. garlands. While fresh to ev'ry listener's thought Burn on through Time, and ne'er expire. At length a murmur, all but mute, Of some lost melody, some strain She sought among those chords again. Slowly the half-forgotten theme (Though born in feelings ne'er forgot) Came to her memory-as a beam Falls broken o'er some shaded spot; And while her lute's sad symphony Fill'd up each sighing pause between; And Love himself might weep to see What ruin comes where he hath beenAs wither'd still the grass is found Where fays have danc'd their merry round— 3 See Mr. Goodisson's very interesting description of all these circumstances. 4 I have attempted, in these four lines, to give some idea of that beautiful fragment of Sappho, beginning Tàurum uštų, which represents so truly (as Warton remarks) "the languor and listlessness of a person deeply in love." 1 This word is defrauded here, I suspect, of a syllable; Dr. of the dance sometimes setting to her partner, sometimes Clarke, if I recollect right, makes it " Balalaika." 2" I saw above thirty parties engaged in dancing the Romaika upon the sand; in some of those groups, the girl who led them chased the retreating wave."-Douglas on the Modern Greeks. 3" In dancing the Romaika (says Mr. Douglas) they begin in slow and solemn step till they have gained the time, but by degrees the air becomes more sprightly; the conductress darting before the rest, and leading them through the most rapid revolutions; sometimes crossing under the hands, which are held up to let her pass, and giving as much liveliness and intricacy as she can to the figures, into which she conducts her companions, while their business is to follow her in all her movements, without breaking the chain, or losing the measure." ""Twas by the maids of Delos led, "When, slow at first, then circling fast, "As the gay spirits rose-at last, "With hand in hand, like links, enlock'd, "Through the light air they seem'd to flit "In labyrinthine maze, that mock'd "The dazzled eye that follow'd it?" Some call'd aloud "the Fountain Dance!". While one young, dark-ey'd Amazon, Whose step was air-like, and whose glance Flash'd, like a sabre in the sun, Sportively said, "Shame on these soft "And languid strains we hear so oft. Thus saying, she, with playful grace, Loos'd the wide hat, that o'er her face (From Anatolia came the maid) Hung, shadowing each sunny charm; A mimic shield with pride display'd; She wav'd the light branch, as a spear. Promptly the laughing maidens all Hat, turban, shawl, as chance might be ; The grove, their verdant armoury, Falchion and lance 3 alike supplied; For a description of the Pyrrhic Dance, see De Guys, &c. -It appears from Apuleius (lib. x.) that this war-dance was, among the ancients, sometimes performed by females. 2 See the costume of the Greek women of Natolia in Castellan's Mœurs des Othomans. 3 The sword was the weapon chiefly used in this dance. 4 Homer, Il. ii. 753. 5 It is said that Leonidas and his companions employed themselves, on the eve of the battle, in music and the gym. nastic exercises of their country. |