Thou know'st, O Love! how I have blest thee, O LOVE! Some call thy musings folly; EPIGRAMS. How seldom, friend! a good great man inherits merits that, which he obtains. REPLY TO THE ABOVE. FOR shame, dear friend, renounce this canting strain! Or throne of corses, which his sword had slain? ΕΣΤΗΣΕ. THE MONODY OF TOGRAI. FROM THE ARABIC. WHEN all the splendid pomp of pride declines, My rising sun, meridian beams have crown'd, For still, unconscious of ignoble stains, High beats the purple tide through Hassan's veins; Tho' far I fly from Zaura's fair domain, Nor mine the camels on her sandy plain. As, when corroding damps and dews impair Thro' burning wastes of sand, and desarts grey; Harassed, fatigued, they sink with wasting pain, Bred in the desart sands, an Arab bold, I keenly sallied forth in quest of gold; And thought, when gold should all my dangers crown, From generous deeds to claim a just renown: For riches bid the generous mind expand, And copious bounty ope the liberal hand: But Time has now reversed these visions gay, Far other thoughts inspired my ardent breast, Giddy with Sleep's inebriating wine. "Did I not call thee to a hard emprize, "And wilt thou shrink when dangers round us rise? "Dost sleep, while wakes yon star's refulgent eye, "Ere yet the ambient hue of darkness fly? "The camels urge; our journey's end draws near; "And bold adventure still disperses fear. "Be ours, thro' Thoal's archer-bands to gain "The sprightly troops that camp on Edom's plain. "Sweet maids! how graceful curl your locks of jet, "While rubies sparkle thro' their waving net! "The gales that round your perfum'd temples play, "Will, by their fragrant breath, direct our way, "Where, timorous as the fawn, you hide your "Amid the thick encircling grove of spears. "We seek the lovely maids of yonder vale, "But lions guard where love would fain assail; fears The sentiments of the Arab, in this passage resemble those expressed by Albert, Marquis of Malespina, a famous Troubadour, at the close of the 12th century, when accused of highway robbery; "If I devoted myself to robbery, it was not from the desire of amassing riches, but for the pleasure of spending them magnificently." Histoire des Troubadours. "Their dauntless spearmen every fear defy, "Warmed by the beams of each black rolling eye. "While generous deeds their liberal minds inflame, Frugal and modest, blooms each beauteous dame; "The flames these warriors on the mountains raise "Invite the traveller by their welcome blaze; "While Love's soft flames, which these dear maids inspire, "Glow, in his breast, with unextinguished fire. "Slain by these heroes in their tented halls, "To grace the feast, the steed, the camel falls; "Beneath the glance of each soft female eye, "Devoid of life, their charm-struck lovers lie; ""Tis here, the anguish of the warrior's wound, "In cups of honied wine, is quickly drown'd, "And sure, if here I longer should remain, "Some balmy breeze would mitigate my pain; "Nor wounds, nor arrows shall my bosom rue, "From quiver'd eyes of ample rolling blue; "Nor shall my heart the glittering sabres dread, "From curtain'd veils, where Thoal's maids are hid, "Nor yet from gazels gay, that I adore, "Shall I retreat, tho' lions round me roar." While o'er these sands our fearless course we held, Such glowing words my ventrous band impell'd. Now danger drives me far from pomp and power, To spend in drowsy sloth each lingering hour. In drowsy sloth! but let me first prepare To scale the regions of the desart air; Or cavern'd deep from mortal view, to dwell Within the centre of the earth's vast shell; Content to leave the heights of power sublime For those that dare the steeps of glory climb. Content degrades the peasant's abject race, But Fame attends the camel's hastening pace. Then rouze my camels, let us forward haste, But while my steps to dangers new I bend, But Hope smiles radiant o'er each future plan, Hope, that illumes the narrow sphere of man.— Weak Hope! wilt thou, when waning years decay, Transcend the bliss of life's advancing day? Ah no! when Life and Fortune's smiles were new, Their pleasures ne'er my fixed affections drew; My spirit, conscious of its worth innate, Still spurn'd the base, and brav'd the frowns of Fate, The powers, in Glory's path, that brightest shine; Ne'er did I think that doom'd by Fate's decree, |