THE BRIDE OF ABYDOS. CANTO I. I. KNOW ye the land where the cypress and myrtle Know ye the land of the cedar and vine, Where the flowers ever blossom, the beams ever shine; Where the light wings of Zephyr, oppress'd with perfume, Wax faint o'er the gardens of Gúl (1) in her bloom; Where the citron and olive are fairest of fruit, And the voice of the nightingale never is mute; Where the tints of the earth, and the hues of the sky, In colour though varied, in beauty may vie, And the purple of Ocean is deepest in die ; Where the virgins are soft as the roses they twine, And all, save the spirit of man, is divine? "Tis the clime of the East; 'tis the land of the SunCan he smile on such deeds as his children have done? (2) Oh! wild as the accents of lovers' farewell Are the hearts which they bear, and the tales which they tell. II. Begirt with many a gallant slave, Deep thought was in his aged eye; His pensive cheek and pondering brow Did more than he was wont avow. III. "Let the chamber be clear'd."—The train disappear'd— “Now call me the chief of the Haram guard." With Giaffir is none but his only son, And the Nubian awaiting the sire's award. "Haroun when all the crowd that wait "Are pass'd beyond the outer gate, "(Woe to the head whose eye beheld "Pacha! to hear is to obey." First lowly rendering reverence meet; "Father! for fear that thou should'st chide My sister, or her sable guide, 66 "Know-for the fault, if fault there be, "That let the old and weary sleep "I could not; and to view alone "The fairest scenes of land and deep, "With none to listen and reply "To thoughts with which my heart beat high "Were irksome for whate'er my mood, "In sooth I love not solitude; "I on Zuleika's slumber broke, “And, as thou knowest that for me "Before the guardian slaves awoke "And made earth, main, and heaven our own! "To thee, and to my duty true, "Warn'd by the sound, to greet thee flew : "But there Zuleika wanders yet "Nay, father, rage not-nor forget "That none can pierce that secret bower "But those who watch the women's tower." IV. "Son of a slave"-the Pacha said— "From unbelieving mother bred, "Vain were a father's hope to see "Aught that beseems a man in thee, "Thou, when thine arm should bend the bow, "And hurl the dart, and curb the steed, "Thou, Greek in soul if not in creed, "Must pore where babbling waters flow, "And watch unfolding roses blow, "Would that yon orb, whose matin glow "Thy listless eyes so much admire, "Would lend thee something of his fire! "Thou, who would'st see this battlement "By Christian cannon piecemeal rent; "Nay, tamely view old Stambol's wall "Before the dogs of Moscow fall, "Nor strike one stroke for life and deat "Against the curs of Nazareth! "Go-let thy less than woman's hand "Assume the distaff not the brand. "But, Haroun!-to my daughter speed: "And hark-of thine own head take heed"If thus Zuleika oft takes wing "Thou see'st yon bow-it hath a string!" |