"My convert's spirit in that softening trance, "On which Religion stamps her image best. "But hear me, Priestess! — though each nymph of these "Hath some peculiar, practis'd power to please, "Some glance or step which, at the mirror tried, "First charms 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, 66 Dazzling and warm, as through love's burning-glass; "Whose gentle lips persuade without a word, "Whose words, ev'n when unmeaning, are ador'd, 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: 7 Of frowns from her, of virtuous frowns, were fled, At first, tho' 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 uttered "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, "My purity, my pride, then come to this, "To live, the wanton of a fiend! to be "The pander of his guilt ઃ oh infamy! 7" 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 Kerzereh), it will kill him.” — Thevenot. "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 "But swear to me this moment 'tis not he, say, "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 "And should the youth, whom soon those eyes shall 66 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 ones 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 up your madd'ning hell-cup to the brim, "Its witchery, fiends, will have no charm for him. "Let loose your glowing wantons from their bowers, "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! 66 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! — thou❜lt 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, whate'er thou art, "Who found'st this burning plague-spot in my heart, "And spread'st it-oh, so quick!—thro' soul and frame "With more than demon's art, till I became "A loathsome thing, all pestilence, all flame! — "Nor tempt my rage- by Heav'n not half so bold 8 The ancient story concerning the Trochilus, or humming-bird, entering with impunity into the mouth of the crocodile, is firmly believed at Java.- Barrow's Cochin-china. |