"Hath inspiration in its rosy beam

26 Beyond th' Enthusiast's hope or Prophet's dream "Light of the Faith! who twin'st religion's zeal

So close with love's, men know not which the " feel,

"Nor which to sigh for, in their trance of heart, "The Heav'n thou preachest or the Heav'n th

"art!

"What should I be without thee? without thee "How dull were power, how joyless victory! "Though borne by angels, if that smile of thine Bless'd not my banner, 'twere but half divine. "But-why so mournful, child? those cyes, that "shone

"All life, last-night-what!—is their glory gone? "Come, come-this morn's fatigue hath made the "pale,

They want rekindling-suns themselves would fail "Did not their comets bring, as I to thee, "From Light's own fount supplies of brilliancy! "Thou seest this cup-no juice of earth is here, "But the pure waters of that upper sphere, "Whose rills o'er ruby beds of topaz flow, "Catching the gem's bright colour, as they go. "Nightly my Genii come and fill these urns"Nay, drink-in every drop life's essence burns: ""Twill make that soul all fire, those eyes all light-"Come, come, I want thy loveliest smiles to-night, "There is a youth-why start?-thou saw'st him

"then;

"Look'd he not nobly? such the god-like men

"Thou'lt have to woo thee in the bowers above;-"Though he, I fear, hath thoughts too stern for love,

"Too rul'd by that cold enemy of bliss

"The world calls virtue-we must conquer this; "Nay, shrink not, pretty sage; 'tis not for thee "To scan the mazes of Heav'n's mystery. "The steel must pass through fire, ere it can yield "Fit instruments for mighty hands to wield. "This very night I mean to try the art

"Óf powerful beauty on that warrior's heart. "All that my Haram boasts of bloom and wit, "Of skill and charms, most rare and exquisite, "Shall tempt the hoy ;-young MIRZALA's blue 66 eyes,

"Whose sleepy lid like snow on violets lies; "AROUYA's cheeks, warm as a spring-day sun, "And lips that, like the seal of SOLOMON, "Have magic in their pressure; ZEBA's lute, "And LILLA's dancing feet, that gleam and shoot "Rapid and white as sea-birds o'er the deep !— "All shall combine their witching powers to steep "My convert's spirit in that softening trance, "From which to Heav'n is but the next advauce;"That glowing, yeilding fusion of the breast, "On which Religion stamps her image best. "But hear me, Priestess !-though each nymph of "these

"Hath some peculiar, practised power to please, "Some glance or step which at the mirror tried, "First charins herself, then all the world beside; "There still wants one to make the victory sure, "One, who in every look joins every lure; "Through whom all beauty's beams concenter'd

"pass,

"Dazzling and warm, as through love's burning glass,

5

"Whose gentle lips persuade without a word, "Whose words, ev'n when unmeaning are ador'd, "Like inarticulate breathings from a shrine,

"Which our faith takes for granted are divine ! "Such is the nymph we want, all warmth and light ', To crown the rich temptations of to night; "Such the refined enchantress that must be "This hero's vaquisher,—and thou art she!"

With her hands clasp'd, her lips apart and pale, The maid had stood, gazing upon the Veil From which these words, like south-winds through a fence

Of Kerzrah flow'rs, came filled with pestilence:* So boldly utter'd too! as if all dread

Offrowns from her, of virtuous frowns, were fled, And the wretch felt assur'd, that once plung'd in, Her woman's soul would know no pause in sin!

At first, though mute she listen'd, like a dream Seem'd all he said; nor could her mind, whose

beam

As yet was weak. penetrate half his scheme. But when, at length, he utter'd "thou art she !" All flash'd at once, and, shrieking piteously, "Oh not for worlds!' she cried-"Great God! to "whom

"I once knelt innocent, is this my doom?

"Are all my dreams, my hopes of heavenly bliss, 66 My purity, my pride, then come to this,

*It is commonly said in Persia, that if a man breathe in the hot south-wind, which in June or July passes over that flower, the [Kerzerah,] it will kill him.'---' Thevenot.

"To live, the wanton of a fiend! to be "The pander of his guilt-oh infamy! "And sunk, myself, as low as hell can steep "In its hot flood, drag others down as deep! "Others ?-ha! yes-that youth who came to"day-

"Not him I lov'd-not him-oh! do but say "But swear to me this moment 'tis not he, "And I will serve dark fiend! will worship, even "thee !"

"Beware, young raving thing !-in time beware, "Nor utter what I cannot, must not bear "Ev'n from thy lips. Go-try thy lute, thy voice,

The boy must feel their magic-I rejoice

"To see those flies, no matter whence they rise, "Once more illuming my fair Priestess eyes; "And should the youth, whom soon those eyes "shall warm,

"Indeed resemble thy dead lover's form,

"So much the happier wilt thou find thy doom, "As one warm-lover, full of life and bloom,

"Excels ten thousand cold one's in the tomb.

"Nay, nay, no frowning, sweet! those eyes were "made

"For love, not anger-I must be obey'd."

"Obey'd-'tis well-yes, I deserve it all"On me, on me heaven's vengeance cannot fall "Too heavily-but Azım brave and true, "And beautiful-must he be ruin'd too?

"Must he too, glorious as he is, be driven

"A renegade like me from Love and Heaven?

"Like me?-weak wretch, I wrong him-not like

"me;

"No-he's all truth and strength and purity!

"Fill your madd'ning hell-cup to the brim,

"Its witchery, fiends, will have no charms for him. "Let loose your glowing wantons from their bow

"ers,

"He loves, he loves, and can defy their powers ! "Wretch as I am, in his heart still I reign

"Pure as when first we met, without a stain !

Though ruin'd-lost-my memory like a charm "Left by the dead, still keeps his soul from harm. "Oh! never let him know how deep the brow "He kiss'd at parting is dishonour'd now"Ne'er tell him how debas'd, how sunk is she, "Whom once he lov'd-once!-still loves dotingly! "Thou laugh'st, tormentor,-what!-thoul't brand 66 my name?

“Do, do—in vain—he'll not believe my shame"He thinks me true, that nought beneath God's "sky

"Could tempt or change me, and—so once thought I. "But this is past-though worse than death my

"lot,

"Than hell-'tis nothing, while he knows it not. "Far off to some benighted land I'll fly,

"Where sunbeam ne'er shall enter till I die ;

"Where none will ask the lost one whence she

came,

"But I may fade and fall without a name !

"And thou-curst man or fiend, what'er thou art, "Who found'st this burning plague spot in my

«heart,