With silver bow, with belt of broider'd crape,
And fur-bound bonnet of Bucharian shape,*
So fiercely beautiful in form and eye,
Like war's wild planet in a summer sky;

That youth to-day, -a proselyte, worth hordes
Of cooler spirits and less practis'd swords,
Is come to join, all bravery and belief,

The creed and standard of the heav'n-sent Chief.

Though few his years, the West already knows
Young AZIM's fame; - beyond the' Olympian snows
Ere manhood darken'd o'er his downy cheek,
O'erwhelm'd in fight and captive to the Greek,†
He linger'd there, till peace dissolved his chains;
Oh, who could, ev'n in bondage, tread the plains
Of glorious GREECE, nor feel his spirit rise
Kindling within him? who, with heart and eyes,
Could walk where Liberty had been, nor see
The shining foot-prints of her Deity,

Nor feel those god-like breathings in the air,
Which mutely told her spirit had been there?
Not he, that youthful warrior, — no, too well
For his soul's quiet work'd the' awakening spell;

"The inhabitants of Bucharia wear a round cloth bonnet shaped much after the Polish fashion, having a large fur border. They tie their kaftans about the middle with a girdle of a kind of silk crape, several times round the body."— Account of Independent Tartary in Pinkerton's Collection.

† In the war of the Caliph Mahadi against the Empress Irene, for an account of which vide Gibbon, vol. x.

And now, returning to his own dear land,

Full of those dreams of good that, vainly grand,

Haunt the young heart, — proud views of human-kind, Of men to Gods exalted and refin'd, —

False views, like that horizon's fair deceit,

Where earth and heav'n but seem, alas, to meet !
Soon as he heard an Arm Divine was rais'd
To right the nations, and beheld, emblaz'd
On the white flag MOKANNA's host unfurl'd,
Those words of sunshine, "Freedom to the World,"
At once his faith, his sword, his soul obey'd
The' inspiring summons; every chosen blade
That fought beneath that banner's sacred text
Seem'd doubly edg'd, for this world and the next;
And ne'er did Faith with her smooth bandage bind
Eyes more devoutly willing to be blind,

In virtue's cause; never was soul inspir'd
With livelier trust in what it most desir'd,

Than his, the' enthusiast there, who kneeling, pale
With pious awe, before that Silver Veil,
Believes the form, to which he bends his knee,
Some pure, redeeming angel, sent to free
This fetter'd world from every bond and stain,
And bring its primal glories back again!

Low as young Azıм knelt, that motley crowd Of all earth's nations sunk the knee and bow'd, With shouts of " ALLA!" echoing long and loud; While high in air, above the Prophet's head, Hundreds of banners, to the sunbeam spread,

Wav'd, like the wings of the white birds that fan
The flying throne of star-taught SOLIMAN.*

66

Then thus he spoke :- Stranger, though new the

frame

“Thy soul inhabits now, I've track'd its flame "For many an age,† in every chance and change "Of that existence, through whose varied range, "As through a torch-race, where, from hand to hand "The flying youths transmit their shining brand, "From frame to frame the unextinguish'd soul "Rapidly passes, till it reach the goal!

"Nor think 'tis only the gross Spirits, warm'd "With duskier fire and for earth's medium form'd, "That run this course; Beings, the most divine, "Thus deign through dark mortality to shine.

*This wonderful Throne was called The Star of the Genii. For a full description of it, see the Fragment, translated by Captain Franklin, from a Persian MS. entitled "The History of Jerusalem," Oriental Collections, vol. i. p. 235.- When Soliman travelled, the eastern writers say, "He had a carpet of green silk on which his throne was placed, being of a prodigious length and breadth, and sufficient for all his forces to stand upon, the men placing themselves on his right hand, and the spirits on his left; and that when all were in order, the wind, at his command, took up the carpet, and transported it, with all that were upon it, wherever he pleased; the army of birds at the same time flying over their heads, and forming a kind of canopy to shade them from the sun."- Sale's Koran, vol ii. p. 214, note.

†The transmigration of souls was one of his doctrines. - Vide D'Herbelot.

"Such was the Essence that in ADAM dwelt,

"To which all Heav'n, except the Proud One, knelt :*

"Such the refin'd Intelligence that glow'd

"In Moussa's† frame, and, thence descending,

66

flow'd

[shone, Through many a Prophet's breast; -in ISSA § "And in MOHAMMED burn'd; till, hastening on, "(As a bright river that, from fall to fall

"In many a maze descending, bright through all, "Finds some fair region where, each labyrinth past, "In one full lake of light it rests at last) "That holy Spirit, settling calm and free "From lapse or shadow, centers all in me!"

Again, throughout the' assembly at these words,' Thousands of voices rung: the warrior's swords

The

"And when we said unto the angels, Worship Adam, they all worshipped him except Eblis (Lucifer), who refused " Koran, chap. ii.

† Moses.

This is according to D'Herbelot's account of the doctrines of Mokanna: "Sa doctrine étoit, que Dieu avoit pris une forme et figure humaine, depuis qu'il eut commandé aux Anges d'adorer Adam, le premier des hommes. Qu'après la mort d'Adam, Dieu étoit apparu sous la figure de plusieurs Prophètes, et autres grands hommes qu'il avoit choisis, jusqu'à ce qu'il prit celle d'Abu Moslem, Prince de Khorassan, lequel professoit l'erreur de la Tenassukhiah ou Metempschychose; et qu'après la mort de ce Prince, la Divinité étoit passée, et descendue en sa personne." § Jesus.

Were pointed up to heaven; a sudden wind
In the' open banners play'd, and from behind
Those Persian hangings, that but ill could screen
The Haram's loveliness, white hands were seen
Waving embroider'd scarves, whose motion gave
A perfume forth - like those the Houris wave
When beck'ning to their bowers the' immortal Brave.

"But these," pursued the Chief,

lime,

66 are truths sub

"That claim a holier mood and calmer time

"Than earth allows us now; this sword must first "The darkling prison-house of Mankind burst, "Ere Peace can visit them, or Truth let in "Her wakening daylight on a world of sin.

"But then,

celestial warriors, then, when all "Earth's shrines and thrones before our banner fall; "When the glad Slave shall at these feet lay down "His broken chain, the tyrant Lord his crown, "The Priest his book, the Conqueror his wreath, "And from the lips of Truth one mighty breath "Shall, like a whirlwind, scatter in its breeze "That whole dark pile of human mockeries ;"Then shall the reign of mind commence on earth, "And starting fresh as from a second birth, "Man, in the sunshine of the world's new spring, "Shall walk transparent, like some holy thing! "Then, too, your Prophet from his angel brow "Shall cast the Veil that hides its splendours now,