In vain ye hope the green delights to know,
Which plains more bleft, or verdant vales bestow :
Here rocks alone, and tastelefs fands are found,
And faint and fickly winds for ever howl around.
"Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day,
"When first from Schiraz' walls I bent my way!
Curst be the gold and filver which persuade
Weak men to follow far fatiguing trade!
The lily peace outfhines the filver store,
And life is dearer than the golden ore :
Yet money tempts us o'er the defert brown,
To every distant mart and wealthy town...
Full oft we tempt the land, and oft the fea:
And are we only yet repaid by thee?
Ah! why was ruin fo attractive made,
Or why fond man so easily betray'd?
Why heed we not, while mad we hafte along,
The gentle voice of peace, or pleasure's fong?
Or wherefore think the flowery mountain's fide,
The fountain's murmurs, and the valley's pride,
Why think we these less pleasing to behold,
Than dreary deferts, if they lead to gold?
"Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day,
"When first from Schiraz' walls I bent my way!"
O ceafe, my fears !—all frantic as I go,
When thought creates unnumber'd scenes of woe,
What if the lion in his rage I meet !-
Oft in the duft I view his printed feet:
And, fearful! oft, when day's declining light
Yields her pale empire to the mourner night,
By hunger rouz'd, he fcours the groaning plain,
Gaunt wolves and fullen tigers in his train:
Before them death with fhrieks directs their way,
Fills the wild yell, and leads them to their prey.
"Sad was the hour, and lucklefs was the day,
"When firft from Schiraz' walls I bent my way !”
At that dead hour the filent afp shall creep,
If aught of rest I find, upon my fleep:
Or fome fwoln ferpent twift his fcales around,
And wake to anguish with a burning wound,
Thrice happy they, the wife contented poor,
From luft of wealth, and dread of death fecure!
They tempt no deferts, and no griefs they find;
Peace rules the day, where reafon rules the mind.
"Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day,
"When first from Schiraz' walls I bent my way!”
O, hapless youth! for fhe thy love hath won,
The tender Zara will be most undone!
Big fwell'd my heart, and own'd the powerful maid, When falt fhe drops her tears, as thus she said: "Farewell the youth whom fighs could not detain, "Whom Zara's breaking heart implor'd in vain ! "Yet as thou go'st, may every blast arise "Weak and unfelt as these rejected fighs!
"Safe o'er the wild, no perils may'st thou fee,
"No griefs endure, nor weep, false youth, like me.”
O, let me fafely to the fair return,
Say with a kifs, fhe muft not, fhall not mourn;
O! let me teach my heart to lofe its fears,
Recall'd by Wisdom's voice, and Zara's tears.
He faid, 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 Foreft. Time, the Evening.
N Georgia's land, where Tefflis' towers are seen,
In diftant view along the level green,
While evening dews enrich the glittering glade,
And the tall forefts caft a longer fhade,
What time 'tis fweet o'er fields of rice to stray,
Or fcent the breathing maize at fetting day;
Amidst the maids of Zagen's peaceful grove,
Emyra fung the pleafing cares of love.
Of Abra first began the tender strain.
Who led her youth with flocks upon the plain :
At morn fhe came those willing flocks to lead,
Where lilies rear them in the watery mead;
From early dawn the live-long hours fhe told,
Till late at filent eve fhe penn'd the fold.
Deep in the grove, beneath the fecret shade,
A various wreath of odorous flowers fhe made:
Gay-motley'd pinks and sweet jonquils the chofe,
The violet blue that on the moss-bank grows;
That thefe flowers are found in very great abun→ dance in fome of the provinces of Perfia; fee the modern hiftory of Mr. Salmon.
All-fweet to fenfe, the flaunting rofe was there:
The finish'd chaplet well-adorn'd her hair.
Great Abbas chanc'd that fated morn to stray,
By love conducted from the chace away;
Among the vocal vales he heard her fong,
And fought 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 mov'd,
"And every Georgian maid like Abra lov'd!”
The royal lover bore her from the plain;
Yet ftill her crook and bleating flock remain :
Oft as she went, fhe backward turn'd her view,
And bade that crook, and bleating flock adieu.
Fair happy maid! to other scenes remove,
To richer fcenes of golden power and love!
Go leave the fimple pipe, and fhepherd's ftrain;
With love delight thee, and with Abbas reign.
"Be every youth like royal Abbas mov'd,
"And every Georgian maid like Abra lov'd!"
Yet midft the blaze of courts fhe fix'd her love
On the cool fountain, or the fhady grove;
Still with the fhepherd's innocence her mind
To the sweet vale, and flowery mead inclin’d;
And oft as fpring renew'd the plains with flowers,
Breath'd his foft gales, and led the fragrant hours,
With fure return fhe fought the fylvan fcene,
The breezy mountains, and the forests green.
Her maids around her mov'd, a duteous band!
Each bore a crook all rural in her hand:
Some fimple lay, of flocks and herds they fung;
With joy the mountain and the forest rung.
"Be every youth like royal Abbas mov'd,
"And every Georgian maid like Abra lov'd!
And oft the royal lover left the care
And thorns of state, attendant on the fair;
Oft to the fhades and low-roof'd cots retir'd,
Or fought the vale where first his heart was fir'd:
A ruffet mantle, like a fwain, he wore,
And thought of crowns and busy courts no more.
"Be every youth like royal Abbas mov'd,
And every Georgian maid like Abra lov'd!"
Bleft was the life, that royal Abbas led :
Sweet was his love, and innocent his bed.
What if in wealth the noble maid excel;
The fimple fhepherd-girl can love as well.
Let those who rule on Perfia's jewel'd throne,
Be fam❜d for love, and gentleft 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 fay;
O hafte, profufe of bleffings, hafte away!
"Be every youth like royal Abbas mov'd;
"And every Georgian maid like Abra lov'd !"
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