ing to the sweet voice of FERAMORZ, or reading in his eyes what yet he never dared to tell her, the most exquisite moments of her whole life were passed. One evening, when they had been talking of the Sultana Nourmahal, the Light of the Haram*, who had so often wandered among these flowers, and fed with her own hands, in those marble basins, the small shining fishes of which she was so fond †, — the youth, in order to delay the moment of separation, proposed to recite a short story, or rather rhapsody of which this adored Sultana was the heroine. It related, he said, to the reconcilement of a sort of lovers' quarrel which took stuff. The Turks say this mosque was made in that place, because Mahomet being come so far, would not enter the town, saying it was too delicious.". - Thevenot. This reminds one of the following pretty passage in Isaac Walton:-"When I sat last on this primrose bank, and looked down these meadows, I thought of them as Charles the Emperor did of the city of Florence, that they were too pleasant to be looked on, but only on holidays.' *Nourmahal signifies Light of the Haram. She was afterwards called Nourjehan, or the Light of the World. † See note, Vol. VI. p. 263. place between her and the Emperor during a Feast of Roses at Cashmere; and would remind the Princess of that difference between Harounal-Raschid and his fair mistress Marida*, which was so happily made up by the soft strains of the musician, Moussali. As the story was chiefly to be told in song, and FERAMORZ had unluckily forgotten his own lute in the valley, he borrowed the vina of LALLA ROOKн's little Persian slave, and thus began: * "Haroun Al Raschid, cinquième Khalife des Abassides, s'étant un jour brouillé avec une de ses maîtresses nommée Maridah, qu'il aimoit cependant jusqu'à l'excès, et cette mesintelligence ayant déjà duré quelque tems commença à s'ennuyer. Giafar Barmaki, son favori, qui s'en appercût, commanda à Abbas ben Ahnaf, excellent poëte de ce tems là, de composer quelques vers sur le sujet de cette brouillerie. Ce poëte exécuta l'ordre de Giafar, qui fit chanter ces vers par Moussali en présence du Khalife, et ce prince fut tellement touché de la tendresse des vers du poëte et de la douceur de la voix du musicien qu'il alla aussi-tôt trouver Maridah, et fit sa paix avec elle." D'Herbelot. WHO has not heard of the Vale of CASHMERE, With its roses the brightest that earth ever gave*, Its temples, and grottos, and fountains as clear As the love-lighted eyes that hang over their wave? Oh! to see it at sunset,-when warm o'er the Lake Its splendour at parting a summer eve throws, Like a bride, full of blushes, when ling'ring to take A last look of her mirror at night ere she goes! When the shrines through the foliage are gleaming half shown, And each hallows the hour by some rites of its own. Here the music of pray'r from a minaret swells, Here the Magian his urn, full of perfume, is swinging, And here, at the altar, a zone of sweet bells Round the waist of some fair Indian dancer is ringing.† * "The rose of Kashmire for its brilliancy and delicacy of odour has long been proverbial in the East." Forster. t "Tied round her waist the zone of bells, that sounded with ravishing melody.” - Song of Jayadeva. Or to see it by moonlight,-when mellowly shines Or at morn, when the magic of daylight awakes *The little isles in the Lake of Cachemire are set with arbours and large-leaved aspen-trees, slender and tall.” — Bernier. +"The Tuckt Suliman, the name bestowed by the Mahommetans on this hill, forms one side of a grand portal to the Lake.". Forster. But never yet, by night or day, As now it shines- all love and light, Visions by day and feasts by night! With quicker spread each heart uncloses, The Valley holds its Feast of Roses* The Flow'ret of a hundred leaves †, 'Twas when the hour of evening came Behind the palms of BARAMOULE‡, ; "The Feast of Roses continues the whole time of their remaining in bloom." - See Pietro de la Valle. +"Gul sad berk, the Rose of a hundred leaves. I believe a particular species."— Ouseley. + Bernier. |