MERE! The minaret-cryer's chaunt of glee Now here, and now there, giving warmth as it flies Sung from his lighted gallery,' From the lips to the cheeks, from the cheek to the And answer'd by a ziraleet eyes, From neighbouring Haram, wild and sweet ;- Now melting in mist and now breaking in gleams, The merry laughter, echoing Like the glimpses a saint hath of Heav'n in his dreams! From gardens, where the silken swing When pensive it seem'd as if that very grace, Wafts some delighted girl above That charm of all others, was born with her face; The top leaves of the orange grove; And when angry,-for e'en in the tranquillest climes Or, from those infant groups at play Light breezes will ruffle the blossoms sometimesAmong the tents” that line the way, The short passing anger but seem'd to awaken Flinging, unaw'd by slave or mother, New beauty, like flowers that are sweetest when Handfuls of roses at each other ! shaken. If tenderness touch'd her, the dark of her eye And the sounds from the Lake,-the low whisp'ring At once took a darker, a heavenlier dye, boats, From the depth of whose shadow, like holy revealings As they shoot through the moonlight;—the dipping From innermost shrines, came the light of her feelings. of oars, Then her mirth-oh! 'twas sportive as ever took wing And the wild, airy warbling that every where floats, From the heart with a burst, like a wild-bird in Spring: Through the groves, round the islands, as if all the Mum'd by a wit that would fascinate sages, shores Yet playful as Peris just loos’d from their cages.' Like those of Kathay utter'd music, and gave While her laugh, full of life, without any controul An answer in song to the kiss of each wave !3 But the sweet one of gracefulness, rung from her soul; But the gentlest of all are those sounds, full of feeling, And where it most sparkled no glance could discover, That soft from the lute of some lover are stealing,— In lip, cheek, or eyes, for she brighten'd all over,Some lover, who knows all the heart-touching power Like any fair lake that the breeze is upon, Of a lute and a sigh in this magical hour. When it breaks into dimples and laughs in the sun. Oh! best, of delights, as it every where is, Such, such were the peerless enchantments that gave To be near the lov'd One,—what a rapture is his NOURMAHAL the proud Lord of the East, for her slave; Who in moonlight and music thus sweetly may glide And though bright was his Haram,-a living parterre O'er the Lake of CASHMERE, with that One by his side! of the flowers? of this planet—though treasures were If Woman can make the worst wilderness dear, there, Think, think what a heav'n she must make of Cash- For which Soliman's self might have given all the store So felt the magnificent Son of ACBAR, That the navy from Ophir e'er wing'd to his shore, When from power and pomp and the trophies of war Yet dim before her were the smiles of them all, He flew to that Valley, forgetting them all And the Light of his Haram was young NOURMAHAL! When bliss is every heart's employ?- That one might think, who came by chance He saw the City of Delight In fairy-land, whose streets and towers Like the long, sunny lapse of a summer-day's light, Are made of gems and light and flowers ! Where is the lov'd Sultana ? where, When mirth brings out the young and fair, Does she, the fairest, hide her brow, In melancholy stillness now? Alas-how light a cause may move Like the light upon Autumn's soft shadowy days, Dissensions between hearts that love! Hearts that the world in vain had tried; 1 “It is the custom among the women to employ the And sorrow but more closely tied; Maazeen to chaunt from the gallery of the nearest minaret, That stood the storm, when waves were rough, which on that occasion is illuminated, and the women as Yet in a sunny hour fall off, sembled at the house respond at intervals with a ziraleet or joyous chorus."-Russell. Like ships that have gone down at sea, 2 " At the keeping of the Feast of Roses we beheld an When heav'n was all tranquillity! infinite number of lents pitched, with such a crowd of men, women, boys and girls, with music, dances,” etc. etc.Herbert. 1“ In the wars of the Dives with the Peris, whenever the 3“ An old commentator of the Chou-King says, the an- former took the latter prisoners, they shut them up in iron cients having remarked that a current of water made some cages, and hung them on the highest trees. Here they were of the stones near its banks send forth a sound, they detached visited by their companions, who brought them the choicest some of them, and being charmed with the delightful sound odours."- Richardson. they emitted, constructed King or musical instruments of 2 In the Malay language the same word signifies women them."--Grosier. and flowers. 4 Jehanguire was the son of the Great Acbar. 3 The capital of Shadukiam. See note, p. 54 a À something, light as air—a look, | In vain the Valley's smiling throng A word unkind, or wrongly taken Worship him, as he moves along; He heeds them not-one smile of hers 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, A tenderness round all they said; Far from the joyous festival, Till fast declining, one by one, Sits in her own sequester'd bower, The sweetnesses of love are gone, With no one near, to soothe or aid, And hearts, so lately mingled, seem But that inspir'd and wond'rous maid, Like broken clouds,-or like the stream, NAMOUNA, the Enchantress ;-one, That smiling left the mountain's brow, O'er whom his race the golden sun As though its waters ne'er could sever, For unremember'd years has run, Yet, ere it reach the plain below, Yet never saw her blooming brow Breaks into floods, that part for ever. Younger or fairer than 'tis now. Nay, rather, as the west wind's sigh Oh you, that have the charge of Love, Freshens the flower it passes by, Keep him in rosy bondage bound, Time's wing but seem'd, in stealing o'er, As in the fields of Bliss above To leave her lovelier than before. He sits, with flowrets fetter'd round ;' Yet on her smiles a sadness hung, Loose not a tie that round him clings, And when, as oft, she spoke or sung Nor ever let him use his wings; Of other worlds, there came a light For ev'n an hour, a minute's flight From her dark eyes so strangely bright, Will rob the plumes of half their light. That all believ'd nor man nor earth Like that celestial bird, --whose nest Were conscious of NAMOUNA's birth! Is found beneath far Eastern skies, All spells and talismans she knew, Whose wings; though radiant when at rest, From the great Mantra,' which around Lose all their glory when he flies !? The Air's sublimer Spirits drew, To the gold gems” of Afric, bound Upon the wandering Arab's arm, To keep him from the Siltim'g3 harm. And she had pledg’d her powerful art, Which, though a fleecy speck at first, Pledg'd it with all the zeal and heart May yet in awful thunder burst ; Of one who knew, though high her sphere, What 'twas to lose a love so dear, To find some spell that should recall Her Selim's6 smile to NOURMAHAL! 'Twas midnight—through the lattice, wreath'd Has let loose all her world of loves, With woodbine, many a perfume breath'd And every heart has found its own, From plants that wake when others sleep, From timid jasmine buds, that keep He wanders, joyless and alone, Their odour to themselves all day, And weary as that bird of Thrace, But, when the sun-light dies away, Whose pinion knows no resting-place." Let the delicious secret out In vain the loveliest cheeks and eyes To every breeze that roams about;This Eden of the earth supplies When thus NAMOUNA:-“ 'Tis the hour Come crowding round-the cheeks are pale, That scatters spells on herb and flower, The eyes are dim—though rich the spot And garlands might be gather'd now, With every flower this earth has got, That, twin'd around the sleeper's brow, What is it to the nightingale, Would make him dream of such delights, If there his darling rose is not ?4 Such miracles and dazzling sights, 1 See the representation of the Eastern Capid pinioned closely round with wreaths of flowers, in Picart's Cérémonies constant heart, for more than the sweet breath of his beReligieuses. ved rose."- mi 2" Among the birds of Tonquin is a species of goldfinch, 1 "He is said to have found the great Mantra, spell or which sings so melodiously that it is called the Celestial Bird talisman, through which he ruled over the elements and Its wings, when it is perched, appear variegated with beau- spirits of all denominations."-Wilford. tiful colours, but when it flies they lose all their splendour."- 2"The gold jewels of Jinnie, which are called by the Grosier. Arabs El Herrez, from the supposed charm they contain." 3“ As these birds on the Bosphorus are never known to Jackson. rest, they are called by the French · les ames damnées.”- 3“ A demon, supposed to haunt woods, &c. in human Dalloway. shape."- Richardson. 4“ You may place a hundred handfuls of fragrant herbs 4" The name of Jehanguire before his accession to the and flowers before the nightingale, yet he wishes not, in his/ throne. As Genii of the Sun behold, Of flowrets' breaths, and lovers' sighs, "For me, for me," Cried NOURMAHAL impatiently,- As the young musk-roe's, out she flew And new-blown lilies of the river, She comes out when the sun's away.- And to the humble rosemary, 4 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. 5"The largest and richest sort (of the Jambu or roseapple) is called Amrita or immortal, and the mythologists of Tibet apply the same word to a celestial tree, bearing ambrosial fruit."-Sir W. Jones. 6 Sweet-basil, called Rayhan in Persia, and generally found in church-yards. 7" In the Great Desert are found many stalks of lavender and rosemary."-Asiat. Res. Who heaps her baskets with the flowers She hung above those fragrant treasures, I know where the winged visions dwell I know each herb and flowret's bell, To twine our braid, To-morrow the dreams and flowers will fade. The image of love, that nightly flies To twine our braid, To-morrow the dreams and flowers will fade. The visions that oft to worldly eyes The glitter of mines unfold, The phantom shapes-oh touch not them- Lurk in the fleshy mandrake's stem, Then hasten we, maid, To twine our braid, To-morrow the dreams and flowers will fade. The dream of the injur'd, patient mind, Is found in the bruis'd and wounded rind To twine our braid, To-morrow the dreams and flowers will fade. 1"The almond-tree, with white flowers, blossoms on the bare branches."-Hasselquist. 2 An herb on Mount Libanus, which is said to communicate a yellow golden hue to the teeth of the goats and other animals that graze upon it. From CHINDARA's warbling fount I come, Call'd by that moonlight garland's spell; From CHINDARA's fount, my fairy home, Where in music, morn and night, I dwell; Where lutes in the air are heard about, And voices are singing the whole day long, And every sigh the heart breathes out Is turn'd, as it leaves the lips, to song! From my fairy home, And if there's a magic in Music's strain, Of that moonlight wreath, Thy Lover shall sigh at thy feet again. For mine is the lay that lightly floats, Mine is the charm, whose mystic sway 1 The myrrh country. 2"This idea (of deities living in shells, was not unknown to the Greeks, who represent the young Nerites, one of the Cupids, as living in shells on the shores of the Red Sea." Wilford. 3 A fabulous fountain, where instruments are said to be constantly playing."-Richardson. 4The Pompadour pigeon is the species, which, by carrying the fruit of the cinnamon to different places, is a great disseminator of this valuable tree."-See Brown's Illustr. Tab. 19. L And Hope from a heavenly note flies on, To a note more heavenly still that is near! The warrior's heart, when touch'd by me, Can as downy soft and as yielding be, As his own white plume, that high amid death Through the field has shone-yet moves with a breath. And, oh, how the eyes of beauty glisten, When Music has reach'd her inward soul, From my fairy home, Of that moonlight wreath, "Tis dawn-at least that earlier dawn, The wonders of her lute, whose strings- From that ambrosial Spirit's wings! To lips of any mortal woman To utter notes so fresh from heaven; Sweet as the breath of angel sighs, When angel sighs are most divine."Oh! let it last till 'night," she cries, "And he is more than ever mine." And hourly she renews the lay, So fearful lest its heavenly sweetness Should, ere the evening, fade away, For things so heavenly have such fleetness! Richer, diviner as it flows; In love with her own wondrous song. Th' Imperial SELIM held a Feast 1" They have two mornings, the Soobhi Kazim, and the Soobhi Sadig, the false and the real day-break."-Waring 2"The waters of Cachemir are the more renowned fron its being supposed that the Cachemirians are indebted fo. their beauty to them."-Ali Yezdi. Singing in gardens of the South1 Delicate as the roses there;2 In their own bright Kathaian bowers, That they might fancy the rich flowers, Every thing young, every thing fair Thou wert not there-so SELIM thought, And every thing seem'd drear without thee: But ah! thou wert, thou wert-and brought Thy charm of song all fresh about thee. Mingling unnotic'd with a band Of lutanists from many a land, And veil'd by such a mask as shades The features of young Arab maids,—" A mask that leaves but one eye free, To do its best in witchery,She rov'd, with beating heart, around, And waited, trembling, for the minute, When she might try if still the sound Of her lov'd lute had magic in it. The board was spread with fruits and wine; With grapes of gold, like those that shine On CASBIN's hills ;'-pomegranates full 1 "From him I received the following little Gazzel, or Love Song, the notes of which he committed to paper from the voice of one of those singing girls of Cachmere, who wander from that delightful valley over the various parts of India."-Persian Miscellanies. 2 "The roses of the Jinan Nile, or Garden of the Nile, (attached to the Emperor of Morocco's palace) are unequalled, and mattresses are made of their leaves for men of rank to recline upon."-Jackson. 3 "On the side of a mountain near Paphos there is a cavern which produces the most beautiful rock crystal. On account of its brilliancy it has been called the Paphian diamond."-Mariti. 4 There is a part of Candahar, called Peria or Fairy Land."-Thevenot. In some of those countries to the North of Indin vegetable gold is supposed to be produced. Of melting sweetness, and the pears From the far groves of SAMARKAND, In baskets of pure sandal-wood, From vineyards of the Green-Sea gushing ;* As if that jewel, large and rare, Melted within the goblets there! And amply SELIM quaffs of each, A genial deluge, as they run, That soon shall leave no spot undrown'd, He little knew how well the boy That with his image shone beneath. 1 "The fruits exported from Caubul are apples, pears, pomegranates, etc."-Elphinstone. 2 "We sat down under a tree, listened to the birds, and talked with the son of our Mehmaunder about our country and Caubul, of which he gave an enchanting account: that city and its 100,000 gardens, etc."—ld. 3 "The Mangusteen, the most delicate fruit in the world; the pride of the Malay Islands."-Marsden. 4"A delicious kind of apricot, called by the Persians tokm-ed-shems, signifying sun's seed."-Description of Persia. 5"Sweetmeats in a crystal cup, consisting of rose-leaves in conserve, with lemon or Visna cherry, orange flowers, etc."-Russel. 6 "Antelopes cropping the fresh berries of Erac."-The Moallakat, a poem of Tarafa. 7 Mauri-ga-Sima, an island near Formosa, supposed to have been sunk in the sea for the crimes of its inhabitants. The vessels which the fishermen and divers bring up from 5 "These are the butterflies, which are called in the Chi-it are sold at an immense price in China and Japan.-See nese language Flying Leaves. Some of them have such shining colours, and are so variegated, that they may be called flying flowers; and indeed they are always produced in the finest flower-gardens."-Dunn. Kempfer. 8 Persian Tales. 9 The white wine of Kishma. 10 "The King of Zeilan is said to have the very finest ruby that was ever seen, Kublai-Kahn sent and offered the value of a city for it, but the King answered he would not give it for the treasure of the world."-Marco Polo. 11 The Indians feign that Cupid was first seen_floating down the Ganges on the Nymphæa Nelumbo.-See PenInant. |