LALLA ROOKп had had a dream the night before, which, in spite of the impending fate of poor HAFED, made her heart more than usually cheerful during the morning, and gave her cheeks all the freshened animation of a flower that the Bidmusk has just passed over. She fancied that she was sailing on the Eastern Ocean, where the sea-gipsies who live for ever on the water, enjoy a perpetual summer in wandering from isle to isle, when she saw a small gilded bark approaching her. It was like one of those boats which the Maldivian islanders annually send adrift, at the mercy of winds and waves, loaded with perfumes, flowers, and odoriferous wood as an offering to the Spirit whom they call King of the Sea. At first, this little bark appeared to be empty, but on coming nearer She had proceeded thus far in relating the dream to her Ladies, when FERAMORZ appearded at the door of the pavilion. In his presence, of course, every thing else was forgotten, and the continuance of the story was instantly requested by all. Fresh wood of aloes was set to burn in the cassolets; the violet sherbets were hastily handed round, and, after a short prelude on his lute, in the pathetic measure of Nava, which is always used to express the lamentation of absent lovers, the Poet thus continued: THE day is lowering—stilly black Sleeps the grim wave, while heaven's rack. Of a young war-horse in the blast;— The mighty womb that gave him birth. Was now in fierce career for earth, "The Easterns used to set out on their longer voyages with music."-Harmer. Nor friends upon the lessening strand And where was stern AL HASSAN then? With that keen, second-scent of death, In the still warm and living breath! While o'er the wave his weeping daughter Is wafted from these scenes of slaughter, "The Gate of Tears, the straits or passage into the Red Sea, commonly called Babelmandel. It received this name from the old Arabians, on account of the danger of the navigation, and the number of shipwrecks by which it was distinguished; which induced them to consider as dead, and to wear mourning for all who had the boldness to hazard the passage through it into the Ethiopic occan."-Richardson. "I have been told than whensoever an animal falls down dead, one or more vultures, unseen before, instantly appear."- Penannt. As a young bird of BABYLON,* Let loose to tell of victory won, And does the long-left home she seeks To tell her ruby rosary In her own sweet acacia bower.- And o'er the wide, tempestuous wave, They fasten some writing to the wings of a Bagdat, or Babylonian pigeon."-Travels of certain Englishmen. "The Empress of Jahan-Guire used to divert herself with feeding tame fish in her canals, some of which were many years afterwards known by fillets of gold, which she caused to be put round them."-Harris. Looks, with a shudder to those towers, 'Where art thou, glorious stranger! thou, "Th' unhallowed name thou'rt doom'd to bear, "Nor worship ev'n Thyself above him "For oh! so wildly to I love him, "Thy Paradise itself were dim "And joyless, if not shar'd with him! And, though her lip, fond raver! burn'd Yet was there light around her brow, Which show'd--though wandering earthward now,-Her spirit's home was in the skies. Yes-for a spirit, pure as hers, Is always pure, ev'n while it errs; Though turn'd astray, is sunshine still! |