NAMOUNA, the Enchantress ;-one,
O'er whom his race the golden sun
For unremember'd years has run,
Yet never saw her blooming brow
Younger or fairer than 'tis now.
Nay, rather, as the westwind's sigh
Freshens the flower it passes by,
Time's wing but seem'd, in stealing o'er,
To leave her lovelier than before.
Yet on her smiles a sadness hung,
And when, as oft, she spoke or sung
Of other worlds, there came a light
From her dark eyes so strangely bright,
That all believ'd nor man nor earth
Were conscious of NAMOUNA's birth!
All spells and talismans she knew,
From the great Mantra,* which around
The Air's sublimer Spirits drew,
To the gold gemst of AFRIC, bound
Upon the wandering Arab's arm,
To keep him from the Siltim's‡ harm.
And she had pledg'd her powerful art,
Pledg'd it with all the zeal and heart
Of one who knew, though high her sphere,
What 'twas to lose a love so dear,
He is said to have found the great Mantra, spell or talisman, through which he ruled over the elements and spirits of all denominations."-Wilford.
"The gold jewels of Jinnie, which are called by the Arabs El Herrez, from the supposed charm they contain."-Jack
"A demon, supposed to haunt woods, etc. in a buman shape."-Richardson.
To find some spell that should recall
Her SELIM's smile to NOURMAHAL !
'Twas midnight-through the lattice, wreath'd With woodbine, many a perfume breath'd From plants that wake when others sleep, From timid jasmine buds, that keep Their odour to themselves all day, But when the sun-light dies away, Let the delicious secret out
To every breeze that roams about ;
When thus NAMOUNA:-"'Tis the hour
"That scatters spells on herbs and flower,
'And garlands might be gather'd now,
"That twin'd around the sleeper's brow;
"Would make him dream of such delights,
"Such miracles and dazzling sights.
"As Genii of the Sun behold,
"At evening, from their tents of gold
Upon the horizon-where they play
"Till twilight comes, and ray by ray,
"Their sunny mansions melt away!
"Now, too, a chaplet might be wreath'd
"Of buds o'er which the moon has breath'd,
"Which worn by her, whose love has stray'd
"Might bring some Peri from the skies,
"Some sprite, whose very soul is made
"Of flowrets' breaths and lovers' sighs,
"And who might tell-
Cried NOURMAHAL impatiently,
*The name of Jehanguire before his accession to the throne.
"Oh! twine that wreath for me to-ninght."
Then rapidly, with foot as light
As the young musk-roe's, out she flew
To cull each shining leaf that grew
Beneath the moonlight's hallowing beams
For this enchanted Wreath of Dreams.
Anemones and Seas of Gold,*
And new-blown lilies of the river,
And those sweet flowrets, that unfold
Their buds on CAMEDEVA'S quiver ;-
The tube-rose, with her silvery light,
That in the Gardens of MALAY
Is call'd the Mistress of the Night,
So like a bride, scented and bright,
She comes out when the sun's away.-
Amaranths, such as crown the maids.
That wander through ZAMARA's shades;§-
And the white moon-flower, as it shows
On SERENDIB's high crags to those
Hemasagare, or the Sea of Gold, with flowers of brightest gold colour."-Sir W. Jones.
"This tree [the Nagacesara] is one of the most delightful on earth, and the delicious odour of its blossoms justly gives. them a place in the quiver of Camadeva or the God of Love." -Id.
The Malayans style the tube-rose [Polianthes tuberosa] Sandal Malam, or the Mistress of the Night.-Pennant.
The people of the Batta country in Sumatra (of which Zamara is one of the ancient names) when not engaged in war lead an idle, inactive life, passing the day in playing on a kind of flute, crowned with garlands of flowers, among which the globe-amaranthus, a native of the country, mostly pre vails."-Marsden.
Who near the isle at evening sail,
Scenting her clove-trees in the gale ;-
In short, all flowrets and all plants,
From the divine Amrita tree,*
That blesses heaven's inhabitants
With fruits of immortality,
Down to the basilt tuft, that waves
Its fragrant blossom over graves,
And to the humble rosemary,
Whose sweets so thanklessly are shed
To scent the desert‡-and the dead,-
All in that garden bloom, and all
Are gather'd by young NOURMAHAL,
Who heaps her baskets with the flowers
And leaves, till they can hold no more,
Then to NAMOUNA flies, and showers
Upon her lap the shining store.
With what delight th' Enchantress views
So many buds, bath'd with the dews
And beams of that bless'd hour!-her glance
Spoke something, past all mortal pleasures,
As, in a kind of holy trance,
She hung above those fragrant treasures,
Bending to drink their bamy airs,
"The largest and richest sort [of the Jambu or rose-apple] is called Amrita or immortal, and the mythologists of Tibet apply the same word to a celestial tree, bearing ambrosial fruit."-Sir W. Jones.
† Sweet basil, called Rayhan in Persia, and generally found in church-yards.
"In the Great Desert are found many stalks of lavender and rosemary."-Asiat. Res.
As if she mix'd her soul with theirs,
And 'twas, indeed, the perfume shed
From flow'rs and scented flame that fed
Her charmed life-for none had e'er
Beheld her taste of mortal fare,
Nor ever in aught earthly dip,
But the morn's dew, her roseate lip.
Fill'd with the cool, inspiring smell,
Th' Enchantress now begins her spell;
Thus singing, as she winds and weaves
In inystic form the glittering leaves:-
I know where the winged visions dwell
That around the night-bed play;
I know each herb and flowret's bell,
Where they hide their wings by day.
Then hasten we, maid,
To twine our braid,
To-morrow the dreams and flowers will fade.
The image of love, that nightly flies
To visit the bashful maid,
Steals from the jasmine flower, that sighs
Its soul, like her, in the shade.
The hope, in dreams, of a happpier hour
That alights on misery's brow,
Springs out of the silvery almond-flower,
That blooms on a leafless bough,*
The almond-tree, with white flowers, blossoms on the bare branches."—Hasselquist.
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