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60

Here make thy court amidst our rural scene,
And shepherd girls shall own thee for their

queen:
With thee be Chastity, of all afraid,
Distrusting all, a wise suspicious maid,
But man the most :—not more the mountain doe
Holds the swift falcon for her deadly foe.
Cold is her breast, like flowers that drink the dew;
A silken veil conceals her from the view.
No wild desires amidst thy train be known;
But Faith, whose heart is fix'd on one alone:
Desponding Meekness, with her downcast eyes,
And friendly Pity, full of tender sighs;
And Love the last : by these your
These are the virtues that must lead to love.'

66

hearts approve;

70

Thus sung the swain ; and ancient legends say The maids of Bagdat verified the lay: Dear to the plains, the Virtues came along, The shepherds loved, and Selim bless'd his song.

VARIATION.

Ver. 69. Thus sung the swain, and eastern legends say

ECLOGUE II.

HASSAN; OR, THE CAMEL DRIVER.

Scene, The desert. Time, Midday.

5

In silent horror o'er the boundless waste
The driver Hassan with his camels past :
One cruise of water on his back he bore,
And his light scrip contain'd a scanty store;
A fan of painted feathers in his hand,
To guard his shaded face from scorching sand.
The sultry sun had gain'd the middle sky,
And not a tree, and not an herb was nigh;
The beasts with pain their dusty way pursue;
Shrill roar'd the winds, and dreary was the view !
With desperate sorrow wild, the affrighted man
Thrice sigh'd, thrice struck his breast, and thus

began : Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day, • When first from Schiraz' walls I bent my way!'

9

6

VARIATION.

Ver. 1. In silent horror o'er the desert waste

• Ah ! little thought I of the blasting wind, 15 The thirst, or pinching hunger, that I find ! Bethink thee, Hassan, where shall thirst assuage, When fails this cruise, his unrelenting rage ? Soon shall this scrip its precious load resign; 19 Then what but tears and hunger shall be thine ?

25

· Ye mute companions of my toils, that bear In all my griefs a more than equal share ! Here, where no springs, in murmurs break away, Or moss-crown'd fountains mitigate the day, In vain ye hope the green delights to know, Which plains more blest, or verdant vales bestow : Here rocks alone, and tasteless sands, are found, And faint and sickly winds for ever howl around.

"Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day, 29 • When first from Shiraz' walls I bent my way!'

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• Curst be the gold and silver which persuade Weak men to follow far fatiguing trade! The lily peace outshines the silver store, And life is dearer than the golden ore: Yet money tempts us o'er the desert brown, To every distant mart and wealthy town. Full oft we tempt the land, and oft the sea; And are we only yet repaid by thee? Ah! why was ruin so attractive made? Or why fond man so easily betray'd ? Why heed we not, whilst mad we haste along, The gentle voice of peace, or pleasure's song?

40

45

Or wherefore think the flowery mountain's side, The fountain's murmurs, and the valley's pride, Why think we these less pleasing to behold Than dreary deserts, if they lead to gold?

'Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day, · When first from Schiraz' walls I bent my way!

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5+

• O cease, my fears !—all frantic as I go, When thought creates unnumber'd scenes of woe, What if the lion in his rage I meet !Oft in the dust I view his printed feet : And, fearful! oft, when day's declining light Yields her pale empire to the mourner night, By hunger roused, he scours the groaning plain, Gaunt wolves and sullen tigers in his train : Before them Death with shrieks directs their way, Fills the wild yell, and leads them to their prey.

Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day, 59 · When first from Schiraz' walls I bent my way!'

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At that dead hour the silent

asp

shall creep, If aught of rest I find, upon my sleep: Or some swoln serpent twist his scales around, And wake to anguish with a burning wound. Thrice happy they, the wise contented poor, From lust of wealth, and dread of death secure! They tempt no deserts, and no griefs they find; Peace rules the day, where reason rules the mind.

Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day, · When first from Schiraz' walls I bent my way!'

O hapless youth!—for she thy love hath won, The tender Zara will be most undone ! Big swell'd my heart, and own'd the powerful maid, When fast she dropt her tears, as thus she said: “Farewell the youth whom sighs could not detain; Whom Zara's breaking heart implored in vain ! Yet, as thou go'st, may every blast arise Weak and unfelt, as these rejected sighs! Safe o'er the wild, no perils mayst thou see, No griefs endure, nor weep, false youth, like me." O let me safely to the fair return, Say, with a kiss, she must not, shall not mourn ; 0! let me teach my heart to lose its fears, Recall’d by Wisdom's voice, and Zara's tears.'

79

He said, and callid on heaven to bless the day, When back to Schiraz' walls he bent his way. 86

VARIATION.

Ver. 83. Go, teach my heart to lose its painful fears.