The Poetical Works of William Collins; With a Memoir Part 5

'Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day, 'When first from Schiraz' walls I bent my way!' 30

'Curst be the gold and silver which persuade Weak men to follow far fatiguing trade!

The lily peace outs.h.i.+nes the silver store, And life is dearer than the golden ore: Yet money tempts us o'er the desert brown, 35 To every distant mart and wealthy town.

Full oft we tempt the land, and oft the sea; And are we only yet repaid by thee?

Ah! why was ruin so attractive made?

Or why fond man so easily betray'd? 40 Why heed we not, whilst mad we haste along, The gentle voice of peace, or pleasure's song?

Or wherefore think the flowery mountain's side, The fountain's murmurs, and the valley's pride, Why think we these less pleasing to behold 45 Than dreary deserts, if they lead to gold?

'Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day, 'When first from Schiraz' walls I bent my way!'

'O cease, my fears!--all frantic as I go, When thought creates unnumber'd scenes of woe, 50 What if the lion in his rage I meet!-- Oft in the dust I view his printed feet: And, fearful! oft, when day's declining light Yields her pale empire to the mourner night, By hunger roused, he scours the groaning plain, 55 Gaunt wolves and sullen tigers in his train: Before them Death with shrieks directs their way, Fills the wild yell, and leads them to their prey.

'Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day, 'When first from Schiraz' walls I bent my way!' 60

'At that dead hour the silent asp shall creep, If aught of rest I find, upon my sleep: Or some swoln serpent twist his scales around, And wake to anguish with a burning wound.

Thrice happy they, the wise contented poor, 65 From l.u.s.t of wealth, and dread of death secure!

They tempt no deserts, and no griefs they find; Peace rules the day, where reason rules the mind.

'Sad was the hour, and luckless was the day, 'When first from Schiraz' walls I bent my way!' 70

'O hapless youth!--for she thy love hath won, The tender Zara will be most undone!

Big swell'd my heart, and own'd the powerful maid, When fast she dropt her tears, as thus she said: "Farewell the youth whom sighs could not detain; 75 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 mayst thou see, No griefs endure, nor weep, false youth, like me." 80 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, 85 When back to Schiraz' walls he bent his way.

VARIATIONS.

Ver.

1. In silent horror o'er the desert waste

83. Go teach my heart to lose its painful fears.

ECLOGUE III.

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, 5 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. 10 At morn she came those willing flocks to lead, Where lilies rear them in the watery mead; From early dawn the livelong hours she told, Till late at silent eve she penn'd the fold.

Deep in the grove, beneath the secret shade, 15 A various wreath of odorous flowers she made: Gay-motley'd[12] 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. 20

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; 25 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: 30 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; 35 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 fix'd her love On the cool fountain, or the shady grove; 40 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 fragrant hours, With sure return she sought the sylvan scene, 45 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. 50 '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 cots retired, 55 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!' 60

Blest was the life that royal Abbas led: Sweet was his love, and innocent his bed.

What if in wealth the n.o.ble maid excel?

The simple shepherd girl can love as well.

Let those who rule on Persia's jewel'd throne 65 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! 70 'Be every youth like royal Abbas moved, 'And every Georgian maid like Abra loved!'

VARIATION.

Verses 5 and 6 were inserted in the second edition.

FOOTNOTES:

[12] That these flowers are found in very great abundance in some of the provinces of Persia, see the Modern History of the ingenious Mr.

Salmon. C.

ECLOGUE IV.

AGIB AND SECANDER; OR, THE FUGITIVES.

SCENE, A mountain in Circa.s.sia.

TIME, Midnight.

In fair Circa.s.sia, 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, 5 And past 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: 10 Along the mountain's bending sides they ran, Till, faint and weak, Secander thus began.

SECANDER.

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! 15 Trace our sad flight through all its length of way And first review that long extended plain, And yon wide groves, already past with pain!

Yon ragged cliff, whose dangerous path we tried!