PARADISE AND THE PEIR.

ONE morn a Peri at the gate
Of Eden stood, disconsolate;
And as she listen'd to the Springs

Of life within, like music flowing,
Had caught the light upon her wings
Through the half-open portal glowing,
She wept to think her recreant race
Should e'er have lost that glorious place!

"How happy," exclaim'd this child of air, "Are the holy Spirits who wander there,

"Mid flowers that never shall fade or fall: "Though mine are the gardens of earth and sea, "And the stars themselves have flowers for me, "One blossom of Heaven out-blooms them all!

"Though sunny the lake of cool CASHMERE, "With its plane-tree Isle reflected clear,*

"And sweetly the founts of that Valley fall; Though bright are the waters of SING-SU-HAY,

"Numerous small islands emerge from the Lake of Cashmere. One is called Ghar Chenaur, from the plane trees upon it."-Forster.

And the golden floods, that thitherward stray,* "Yet-oh 'tis only the blest can say

"How the waters of Heaven outshine them all!

"Go wing thy fight from star to star,
"From world to luminous world, as far
"As the universe spreads its flaming wall;
"Take all the pleasures of all the spheres,
And multiply each through endless years,
"One minute of Heaven is worth them all!"

The glorious Angel, who was keeping
The gates of Light, beheld her weeping;
And, as he nearer drew and listen'd
To her sad song, a tear-drop glisten'd
Within his eyelids, like the spray

From Eden's fountain, when it lies On the blue flow'r, which-Bramins sayBlooms no where but in Paradise! "Nymph of a fair, but erring line!" Gently he said-" One hope is thine. "'Tis written in the Book of Fate, "The Peri yet may be forgiven "Who brings to this Eternal Gate "The Gift that is most dear to Heaven! "Go, seek it, and redeem thy sin;"Tis sweet to let the Pardon'd in!" Rapidly as comets run

To th' embraces of the Sun :

*"The Altan Kol, or Golden River of Tibet, which runs into the Lakes of Sing-su-hay, has abundance of gold in its sands, which employs the inhabitants all summer in gathering it,"Description of Tibet in Pinkerton.

Fleeter than the starry brands,
Flung at night from angel hands*
At those dark and daring sprites,
Who would climb th' empyreal heights,
Down the blue vault the PERI flies,

And, lighted earthward by a glance
That just then broke from morning's eyes,
Hung hovering o'er our world's expanse."

But whither shall the Spirit go

To find this gift for heav'n?" I know
"The wealth," she cries, "of every urn,
"In which unnumber'd rubies burn,
"Beneath the pillars of CHILMINAR ;†-
"I know where the Isles of Perfume are
"Many a fathom down in the sea,
"To the south of sun-bright ARABY;‡—
"I know too where the Genii bid

"The jewell'd cup of their King JAMSHID,§
"With Life's elixir sparkling high-

But gifts like these are not for the sky. Where was there ever a gem that shone "Like the steps of ALLA's wonderful Throne?

The Mahometans suppose that falling stars are the firebrands where with the good angels drive away the bad, when they approach too near the empyreum or verge of the Heav ebs."-Fryer.

The Forty Pillars: so the Persians call the ruins of Persepolis. It is imagined by them that this palace and the edifices at Balbec were built by a Genii, for the purpose of hiding in their subterraneous caverns immense treasures, which still remain there.--D'Herbelot, Volney.

The Isles of Panchaia.

"The cup of Jamshid, discovered, they say, when digging for the foundations of Persepolis."--Richardson.

"And the Drops of Life-oh! what would they be
"In the boundless Deep of Eternity?"

While thus she mus'd, her pinions fann'd
The air of that sweet Indian land,
Whose air is balm; whose ocean spreads
O'er coral rocks and amber beds;
Whose mountains, pregnant by the beam
Of the warm sun, with diamonds teem;
Whose rivulets are like rich brides,
Lovely, with gold beneath their tides;
Whose sandal groves and bowers of spice
Might be a Peri's Paradise!

But crimson now her rivers ran

With human blood-the smell of death
Came reeking from those spicy bowers,
And man, the sacrafice of man,

Mingled his taint with every breath
Upwafted from the innocent flowers!
Land of the Sun ! what foot invades
Thy Pagods and thy pillar'd shades-
Thy cavern shrines, and Idol stones,
Thy Monarchs and their thousand Thrones?
'Tis He of GAZNA!*-fierce in wrath

He comes, and INDIA's diadems
Lie scatter'd in his ruinous path.-

His blood-hounds he adorns with gems, Torn from the violated necks

Mahmood of Gazna, or Ghizni, who conquered India in the beginning of the 11th century.v. his History in Dow and Sir J. Malcolmn.

Of many a young and lov'd Sultana;* Maidens within their pure Zenana, Priests in the very fane he slaughters, And choaks up with the glittering wrecks Of golden shrines the sacred waters!

Downward the PERI turns her gaze,
And, through the war-field's blody haze
Beholds a youthful warrior stand,

Alone, beside his native river,—
The red blade broken in his hand

And the last arrow in his quiver. "Live," said the Conquerer, "live to share

"The trophies and the crowns I bear!"
Silent that youthful warrior stood--
Silent he pointed to the flood

All crimson with his country's blood,
Then sent his last remaining dart,
For answer to th' Invader's heart.
False flew the shaft, though pointed well;
The Tyrant liv'd, the Hero fell !—

Yet mark'd the PERI where he lay,
And when the rush of war was past,
Swiftly descending on a ray

Of morning light, she caught the last-
Last glorious drop his heart had shed,
Before its free-born spirit fled!

* It is reported that the hunting equipage of the Sultan Mahmood was so magnificent, that he kept 400 grey-hounds and blood-hounds, each of which wore a collar set with jewels, and a covering edged with gold and pearls."--- Universal History, vol. iii.