494 HINDA AT HOME ON THE SEA. "And does the long-left home she seeks The flowers she nurs'd-the well-known groves, Shooting around their jaspar fount- In her own sweet acacia bower.- The chill of her approaching doom- As a pale Angel of the Grave."-p. 227, 228. Her vessel is first assailed by a violent tempest, and, in the height of its fury, by a hostile bark; and her senses are extinguished with terror in the midst of the double conflict. At last, both are appeased and her recollection is slowly restored. The following passage appears to us extremely beautiful and characteristic: 66 How calm, how beautiful comes on The stilly hour, when storms are gone; When, 'stead of one unchanging breeze, HINDA A CAPTIVE. "Such was the golden hour, that broke The sea-dog tracks? No! - Strange and new Beneath no rich pavilion's shade, For awning o'er her head are flung."-p. 233-236. 495 She soon discovers, in short, that she is a captive in the hands of the Ghebers! and shrinks with horror, when she finds that she is to be carried to their rocky citadel, and to the presence of the terrible Hafed. The galley is rowed by torchlight through frightful rocks and foaming tides, into a black abyss of the promontory, where her eyes are bandaged and she is borne up a long and rugged ascent, till at last she is desired to look up, and receive her doom from the formidable chieftain. Before she has raised her eyes, the well known voice of her lover pronounces her name; and she finds herself alone in the arms of her adoring Hafed; The first emotion is ecstasy. But the recollection of her father's vow and means of vengeance comes like a thundercloud on her joy; she tells her lover of the treachery by which he has been sacrificed; and urges him with passionate eagerness, to fly with her to some place of safety. The world's a world of love for us! With ev'ry deep-heav'd sob that came."-p. 261, 262. Hafed is more shocked with the treachery to which he is sacrificed than with the fate to which it consigns him: -One moment he gives up to softness and pity-assures Hinda, with compassionate equivocation, that they shall soon meet on some more peaceful shore-places her sadly in a litter, and sees her borne down the steep to the galley she had lately quitted, and to which she still expects that he is to follow her. He then assembles his brave and devoted companions-warns them of the fate that is approaching and exhorts them to meet the host of the invaders in the ravine, and sell their lives dearly to their steel. After a fierce, and somewhat too sanguinary combat, the Ghebers are at last borne down by numbers; and Hafed finds himself left alone, with one brave associate, mortally wounded like himself. They make a desperate effort to reach and die beside the consecrated fire which burns for ever on the summit of the cliff. "The crags are red they've clamber'd o'er, The rock-weed's dripping with their gore And must I leave thee with'ring here, The sport of every ruffian's tread, The mark for every coward's spear? He cries, and, with a strength that seems And fires the pile, whose sudden blaze In that last effort, ere the fires 497 Have harm'd one glorious limb, expires!"-p. 278, 279. The unfortunate Hinda, whose galley had been detained close under the cliff by the noise of the first onset, had heard with agony the sounds which marked the progress and catastrophe of the fight, and is at last a spectatress of the lofty fate of her lover. VOL. II. But see what moves upon the height? In gasping silence tow'rd the shrine Its melancholy radiance sent; K K But, while she speaks, he's seen no more! And Iran's hopes and hers are o'er! Shall reach her innocent heart again!"- p. 283, 284. This sad story is closed by a sort of choral dirge, of great elegance and beauty, of which we can only afford to give the first stanza. "Farewell farewell to thee, Araby's daughter! (Thus warbled a Peri beneath the dark sea) No pearl ever lay, under Oman's green water, More pure in its shell than thy Spirit in thee."- p. 284. The general tone of this poem is certainly too much strained. It is overwrought throughout, and is too entirely made up of agonies and raptures; but, in spite of all this, it is a work of great genius and beauty; and not only delights the fancy by its general brilliancy and spirit, but moves all the tender and noble feelings with a deep and powerful agitation. The last piece, entitled "The Light of the Haram," is the gayest of the whole; and is of a very slender fabric as to fable or invention. In truth, it has scarcely any story at all; but is made up almost entirely of beautiful songs and descriptions. During the summer months, when the court is resident in the Vale of Cashmere, there is, it seems, a sort of oriental carnival, called the Feast of Roses, during which every body is bound to be happy and in good humour. At this critical period, the Emperor Selim had unfortunately a little love-quarrel with his favourite Sultana Nourmahal, which signifies, it seems. the Light of the Haram. The lady is rather unhappy while the sullen fit is on her; and applies to a sort of enchantress, who invokes a musical spirit to teach her an irresistible song, which she sings in a mask to the offended monarch; and when his heart is subdued by its sweetness, throws off her mask, and springs with - |