ECLOGLE III.

ABRA; OR, THE GEORGLAN SULTANA.

Scene-A Forest. Time-The Evening.

IN Georgia's land, where Teftis' towers are seen,
In distant view, along the level green,
While evening dews enrich the glittering glade,
And the tall forests cast a longer shade,
What time 'tis sweet o'er fields of rice to stray,
Or scent the breathing maize at setting day;
Amidst the maids of Zagen's peaceful grove,
Einyra sung the pleasing cares of love.
Of Abra first began the tender strain,
Who led her youth with focks upon the plain :
Al morn she came her willing flocks to lead,
Where lilies rear them in the watery mead;
From early dawn the live-long hours she told,
Till late at silent eve she penn'd the fold.
Deep in the grove, beneath the secret shade,
A various wreath of odorous flowers she made:
*Gay-motley'd pinks and sweet jonquils she chose,
The violet blue that on the moss-bank grows;
All sweet to sense, the flaunting rose was there :
The finish'd chaplet well adorn'd her hair.

Great Abbas chanced that fated morn to stray,
By Love conducted from the chase away;
Among the vocal vales he heard her song,
And sought, the vales and echoing groves among:
At length he found, and woo'd the riral maid;
She knew the monarch, and with fear obey'd.

• Be every youth like royal Abbas moved, And every Georgian maid like Abra loved !!

• These flowers are found in very great abundance in some

The royal lover bore her from the plain; Yet still her crook and bleating flock remain : Oft, as she went, she backward turn'd her view, And bade that crook and bleating flock adieu. Fair, happy maid ! to other scenes remove, To richer scenes of golden power and love! Go, leave the simple pipe, and shepherd's strain; With love delight thee, and with Abbas reign.

• Be every youth like royal Abbas moved, And every Georgian maid like Abra loved !!

Yet, midst the blaze of courts she fix'd her love On the cool fountain, or the shady grove; Still with the shepherd's innocence her mind To the sweet vale and flowery mead inclined ; And oft as Spring renew'd the plains with flowers, Breathed his soft gales, and led the fragrant hours, With sure return she sought the sylvan scene, The breezy inountains, and the forests green. Her maids around her moy'd, a duteous band! Each bore a crook all rural in her hand : Some simple lay, of flocks and herds they sung: With joy the mountain and the forest

Tung. • Be every youth like royal Abbas moved, And every Georgian maid like Abra loved!'

And oft the roval lover left the care And thorns of state, altendant on the fair; Oft to the shades and low-roof'd cots retired, Or sought the vale where first his heart was fired: A russet mantle, like a swain, he wore, And thought of crowns and busy courts no more.

• Be every youth like royal Abbas moved, And every Georgian maid like Abra loved !'

Blest was the life that roval Abbas led : Swect was his love, and innocent his bed. . What if in wealth the noble maid excel; The simple shepherd girl can love as well.

Let those who rule on Persia's jewelled throne
Be famed for love, and gentlest love alone;
Or wreath, like Abhas, full of fair renown,
The lover's myrtle with the warrior's crown.
O happy days! the maids around her say;
O haste, profuse of blessings, haste away!

• Be every youth like royal Abbas moved,
And every Georgian maid like Abra loved !'

ECLOGUE IV.

AGIB AND SECANDER; OR, THE

FUGITIVES.

Scene-A Mountain in Circassia. Time-Midnight.
IN fair Circassia, where, to love inclined,
Each swain was blest, for every naid was kind;
At that still hour, when awful midnight reigns,
And none but wretches haunt the twilight plains;
What time the Moon had hung her lamp on high
And past in radiance through the cloudless sky;
Sad o'er the dews two brother shepherds filed,
Where wildering fear and desperate sorrow led :
Fast as they prest their fight, behind them lay
Wild ravaged plains, and valleys stole away.
Along the mountain's bending sides they ran,
Till, faint and weak, Secander thus began:

Secander.
Oh, stay thee, Agib, for

my
No longer friendly to my life, to.fly.
Friend of

my

heart! Oh turn thee and survey: Trace our long flight through all its length of way! And first review that long-extended plain, And yon wide

groves, already past with pain! Yon ragged cliff, whose dangerous path we tried ! And, last, this lofty mountain's weary side!'

feet deny,

Agib. * Weak as thou art, yet hapless mus. thou know The toils of fight, or some severer woe! Still as I haste, the Tartar shouts behind, And shrieks and sorrows load the saddening wind : In rage

of heart, with ruin in his hand,
He blasts our harvests, and deforms our land.
Yon citron grove, whence first in fear we came,
Droops its fair honours to the conquering flame:
Far fy the swains, like us, in deep despair,
And leave to rufiian bands their feecy care.'

Secander.
• Unhappy land! whose blessings tempt the sword,
In vain, unheard, thou call'st thy Persian lord !
In vain thou court'st him, helpless, to thine aid,
To shield the shepherd, aod protect the maid !
Far off, in thoughtless indolence resign'd,
Soft dreams of love and pleasure soothe his mind;
Midst fair sultanas lost in idle joy,
No wars alarm him, and no fears annoy.'

Agib. • Yet these green hills, in summer's sultry heat Have lent the monarch oft a cool retreat. Sweet to the sight is Zabran's flowery plain, And once by maids and shepherds loved in vain! No more the virgins shall delight to rove By Sargis' banks, or Irwan's shady grove; On Tarkie's mountains catch the cooling gale, Or breathe the sweets of Aly's flowery vale: Fair scenes! but, ah! no more with peace possest, With ease alluring, and with plenty blest! No more the shepherds' whitening tents appear, Nor the kind products of a bounteous year; No more the date, with snowy blossoms crown'd! But Ruin spreads her baleful fires around.'

Secander.

• In vain Circassia boasts her spicy groves, For ever famed for pure and happy loves : In vain she boasts her tairest of the fair, Their eyes' blue languish, and their golden hair. Those eyes in tears their fruitless grief must send; Those hairs the Tartar's cruel hand shall rend.'

your fair:

Agib. • Ye Georgian swains, that piteous learn from far Circassia's ruin, and the waste of war: Some weightier arms than crooks and staffs

prepare, To shield your harvests, and defend The Turk and Tartar like designs purstie, Fix'd to destroy, and steadfast to undo. Wild as his land, in native deserts bied, By lust incited, or by malice led, 'The villain Arab, as he prowls for prey, Oft marks with blood and wasting fames the way; Yet none so cruel as the Tartar foe, To death inured, and nursed in scenes of woe.'

He said: when loud along the vale was heard A shriller shriek, and nearer fires appear'd. Th' affrighted shepherds through the dews of night, Wide o'er the moonlight hills renew'd their flight.