Which those without fling after them in play,
Two lightsome maidens spring, lightsome as they
Who live in the' air on odours, and around

The bright saloon, scarce conscious of the ground,
Chase one another, in a varying dance

Of mirth and languor, coyness and advance,
Too eloquently like love's warm pursuit:-
While she, who sung so gently to the lute
Her dream of home, steals timidly away,
Shrinking as violets do in summer's ray,—
But takes with her from AzIM's heart that sigh
We sometimes give to forms that pass us by
In the world's crowd, too lovely to remain,
Creatures of light we never see again!

Around the white necks of the nymphs who danc'd

Hung carcanets of orient gems, that glanc'd

More brilliant than the sea-glass glittering o'er

The hills of crystal on the Caspian shore;

2

"To the north of us, (on the coast of the Caspian, near Badku) was a mountain, which sparkled like diamonds, arising from the sea-glass and crystals, with which it abounds."— Journey of the Russian Ambassador to Persia, 1746

F

While from their long, dark tresses, in a fall
Of curls descending, bells as musical

As those that, on the golden-shafted trees

3

Of EDEN, shake in the Eternal Breeze, 3
Rung round their steps, at every bound more sweet,
As 'twere th' extatic language of their feet!

At length the chase was o'er, and they stood wreath'd
Within each other's arms; while soft there breath'd
Through the cool casement, mingled with the sighs
Of moonlight flowers, music that seem'd to rise
From some still lake, so liquidly it rose;

And, as it swell'd again at each faint close,

The ear could track through all that maze of chords And young sweet voices, these impassion'd words:

A SPIRIT there is, whose fragrant sigh

Is burning now through earth and air;
Where cheeks are blushing, the Spirit is nigh,

Where lips are meeting, the Spirit is there!

3" To which will be added, the sound of the bells, hanging on the

trees, which will be put in motion by the wind proceeding from the throne of God, as often as the blessed wish for music." Sale.

His breath is the soul of flowers like these,

And his floating eyes-oh! they resemble Blue water-lilies, when the breeze

Is making the stream around them tremble!

Hail to thee, hail to thee, kindling power!
Spirit of Love, Spirit of Bliss!

Thy holiest time is the moonlight hour,

And there never was moonlight so sweet as this.

By the fair and brave,

Who blushing unite,

Like the sun and wave,

When they meet at night!

By the tear that shows
When passion is nigh,

As the rain-drop flows

From the heat of the sky!

By the first love-beat

Of the youthful heart,

4 The blue lotos, which grows in Cashmere and in Persia.

We call thee hither, entrancing Power!
Spirit of Love! Spirit of Bliss !

Thy holiest time is the moonlight hour,

And there never was moonlight so sweet as this.

Impatient of a scene, whose luxuries stole,

Spite of himself, too deep into his soul,

And where, midst all that the young heart loves most,

Flowers, music, smiles, to yield was to be lost,

The youth had started

up,

and turn'd away

From the light nymphs and their luxurious lay,
To muse upon the pictures that hung round,
Bright images, that spoke without a sound,
And views, like vistas into fairy ground.

But here again new spells came o'er his sense;

All that the pencil's mute omnipotence

Could call up into life, of soft and fair,

Of fond and passionate, was glowing there;
Nor yet too warm, but touch'd with that fine art
Which paints of pleasure but the purer part;
Which knows ev'n Beauty when half-veil'd is best,.
Like her own radiant planet of the west,
Whose orb when half retir'd looks loveliest !

There hung the history of the Genii-King,
Trac'd through each gay, voluptuous wandering
With her from SABA's bowers, in whose bright eyes

He read that to be blest is to be wise ; 5.

Here fond ZULEIKA"

woos with open arms

The Hebrew boy, who flies from her young charms,
Yet, flying, turns to gaze, and, half undone,
Wishes that Heav'n and she could both be won!

5 For the loves of King Solomon, (who was supposed to preside over the whole race of Genii) with Balkis, the Queen of Sheba or Saba, v. D'Herbelot, and the Notes on the Koran, chap. 2.

6 The wife of Potiphar, thus named by the Orientals. Her adventure with the patriarch Joseph is the subject of many of their poems and romances.