Big swell'd my heart, and own'd the powerful maid,
When fast she dropp'd her tears, as thus she said:
"Farewel the youth whom sighs could not detain;
"Whom Zara's breaking heart implored in vain!
"Yet, as thou go'st, may every blast arise
"Weak and unfelt as these rejected sighs!
"Safe o'er the wild, no perils may'st thou see,
"No griefs endure; nor weep, false youth, like me."
-O let me safely to the fair return;
Say, with a kiss, she must not, shall not mourn;
O! let me teach my heart to lose its fears,
Recall'd by Wisdom's voice, and Zara's tears.
He said, and call'd on Heaven to bless the day
When back to Schiraz' walls he bent his way.
ABRA; OR, THE GEORGIAN SULTANA.
Scene, a Forest.-Time, the Evening.
IN Georgia's land, where Tefflis' 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,
Emyra sung the pleasing cares of love.
Of Abra first began the tender strain,
Who led her youth with flocks upon the plain;
At morn she came, those 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 rural maid;
She knew the monarch, and with fear obey'd.
"Be every youth like royal Abbas moved,
"And every Georgian maid like Abra loved!"
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 fixed 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 fragant hours,
With sure return she sought the sylvan scene,
The breezy mountains, and the forests green.
Her maids around her moved, 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 rung.
"Be every youth like royal Abbas moved,
"And every Georgian maid like Abra loved!"
And oft the royal lover left the care
And thorns of state, attendant on the fair;
Oft to the shades and low-roof'd cot 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 royal Abbas led :
Sweet 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 jewell❜d throne
Be famed for love, and gentlest love alone;
Or wreathe, like Abbas, 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 !”
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 maid 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 pass'd in radiance through the cloudless sky;
Sad, o'er the dews, two brother shepherds fled,
Where wildering fear and desperate sorrow led:
Fast as they press'd their flight, behind them lay
Wide ravaged plains, and valleys stole away:
Along the mountain's bending side they ran,
Till, faint and weak, Secander thus began.
O stay thee, Agib, for my feet deny,
No longer friendly to my life, to fly.
Friend of my heart, O turn thee and survey!
Trace our sad flight through all its length of way!
And first review that long-extended plain,
And yon wide groves already pass'd with pain!
Yon ragged cliff, whose dangerous path we tried!
And, last, this lofty mountain's weary side!
Weak as thou art, yet, hapless, must thou know The toils of flight, 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,
Drops its fair honors to the conquering flame :
Far fly the swains, like us, in deep despair,
And leave to ruffian bands their fleecy care.
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, and 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.
Yet these green hills, in summer's sultry heat, Have lent the monarch oft a cool retreat. Sweet to the sight is Zebra'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 mountain catch the cooling gale, Or breathe the sweets of Aly's flowery vale; Fair scenes! but ah! no more with peace possess'd, With ease alluring, and with plenty bless'd. No more the shepherd's whitening tents appear, Nor the kind products of a bounteous year; No more the date, with snowy blossoms crown'dy But ruin spreads her baleful fires around.
In vain Circassia boasts her spicy groves, For ever famed for pure and happy loves:
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