Although the mortal, quite as fresh and fair, And wrapt him closer, lest the air, too raw, Should reach his blood; then o'er him, still as death, Bent, with hushed lips, that drank his scarce-drawn breath. And thus, like to an angsl o'er the dying, Who die in righteousness, she leaned; and there As o'er him lay the calm and stirless air: A lesson in her tongue; but by surmise, ... No doubt, less of her language than her look; Turns oftener to the stars than to his book; "Tis pleasing to be schooled in a strange tongue They smile so when one's right, and when one's wrong. Haidee and Juan at the Feast Haidee and Juan carpeted their feet On crimson satin, bordered with pale blue; Their sofa occupied three parts complete Of the apartment-and appeared quite new; The velvet cushions-for a throne more meetWere scarlet, from whose glowing centre grew A sun embossed in gold, whose rays of tissue, Meridian-like, were seen all light to issue. Crystal and marble, plate and porcelain, Had done their work of splendour; Indian mats And dwarfs and blacks, and such-like things, that gain To say, by degradation-mingled there As plentiful as in a court or fair. There was no want of lofty mirrors, and With mother-of-pearl or ivory, stood at hand, Or were of tortoise-shell or rare woods made, Fretted with gold or silver--by command, The greater part of these were ready spread With viands and sherbets in ice-and wineKept for all comers, at all hours to dine. Of all the dresses, I select Haidee's: She wore two jelicks-one was of pale yellow; Of azure, pink, and white was her chemise 'Neath which her breast heaved like a little billow; With buttons formed of pearls as large as peas, All gold and crimson shone her jelick's fellow. One large gold bracelet clasped each lovely arm, Around, as princess of her father's land, A light gold bar above her instep rolled Announced her rank; twelve rings were on her hand; Her hair was starred with gems; her veil's fine fold Below her breast was fastened with a band Of lavish pearls, whose worth could scarce be told; Her orange-silk full Turkish trousers furled About the prettiest ankle in the world. Her hair's long auburn waves down to her heel And still they seemed resentfully to feel The silken fillet's curb, and sought to shun Round her she made an atmosphere of life; Her eyelashes, though dark as night, were tinged— Her nails were touched with henna; but again Juan had on a shawl of black and gold, The sparkling gems beneath you might behold, Like small stars through the Milky-way apparent; His turban, furled in many a graceful fold, An emerald aigrette with Haidee's hair in 't Dwarfs, dancing-girls, black eunuchs, and a poet; The last was of great fame, and liked to shew it: And for his theme-he seldom sung below it, As the Psalms say, 'inditing a good matter.' The Death of Haidee. Afric is all the sun's, and as her earth, Her Human clay is kindled; full of power The Moorish blood partakes the planet's hour. Her daughter, tempered with a milder ray, Like summer clouds all silvery, smooth, and fair, But, overwrought with passion and despair, Where late he trod, her beautiful, her own; Her writhing, fell she like a cedar felled. A vein had burst, and her sweet lips' pure dyes Were dabbled with the deep blood which ran o'er, And her head drooped as when the lily lies O'ercharged with rain: her summoned handmaids bore Their lady to her couch with gushing eyes; Of herbs and cordials they produced their store: But she defied all means they could employ, Like one life could not hold nor death destroy. Days lay she in that state unchanged, though chill- Corruption came not, in each mind to kill All hope to look upon her sweet face bred New thoughts of life, for it seemed full of soul She had so much, earth could not claim the whole..... Her handmaids tended, but she heeded not; Her father watched, she turned her eyes away; She recognised no being, and no spot, However dear or cherished in their day; They changed from room to room, but all forgot; At length those eyes, which they would fain be weaning And then a slave bethought her of a harp: The harper caine and tuned his instrument: At the first notes, irregular and sharp, On him her flashing eyes a moment bent; Then to the wall she turned, as if to warp Her thoughts from sorrow through her heart re-sent; Of ancient days ere tyranny grew strong. Anon her thin wan fingers beat the wall In time to his old tune; he changed the theme, And sung of Love; the fierce name struck through all Of what she was, and is, if ye could call To be so being: in a gushing stream The tears rushed forth from her o'erclouded brain, Twelve days and nights she withered thus; at last, And they who watched her nearest could not know Her sweet face into shadow, dull and slow, Thus lived-thus died she; never more on her Its dwellings down its tenants passed away; PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY. PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY was born at his father's seat, Field Place, near Horsham, in Sussex, August 4, 1792. His grandfather, Sir Bysshe Shelley, was then living, and his father, Timothy Shelley (who afterwards succeeded to the title and estate), was a member of the House of Commons. The family was of great antiquity, tracing its descent from one of the followers of William of Normandy. In worldly prospects and distinction the poet therefore surpassed most of his tuneful brethren; yet this only served to render his un happy and strange destiny the more conspicuously wretched. When ten years of age, he was put to a public school, Sion House, where he was harshly treated both by his instructors and by tyrannical schoolfellows. He was fond of reading, especially wild romances and tales of diablerie; and when very young he wrote two novels, Zastrozzi,' and St. Irvyne, or the Rosicrucian.' From Sion House, Shelley was removed to Eton, where his sensitive spirit was again wounded by illusage and by the system of fagging tolerated at Eton. His resistance to all established authority and opinion displayed itself while at school, and in the introduction to his 'Revolt of Islam,' he has portrayed his early impressions in some sweet and touching stanzas: Thoughts of great deeds were mine, dear friend, when first The clouds which wrap this world from youth did pass. I do remember well the hour which burst My spirit's sleep: a fresh May-dawn it was, When I walked forth upon the glittering grass, And then I clasped my hands and looked around, Which poured their warm drops on the sunny ground; And just, and free, and mild, if in me lies The selfish and the strong still tyrannise Without reproach or check.' I then controlled My tears, my heart grew calm, and I was meek and bold. And from that hour did I with earnest thought Wrought linked armour for my soul, before It might walk forth to war among mankind; Thus power and hope were strengthened more and more A sense of loneliness, a thirst with which I pined. With these feelings and predilections (exaggerated, however, in expression, as all his personal statements were), Shelley went to Oxford. He studied hard but irregularly, and spent much of his leisure in chemical experiments. He incessantly speculated, thought, and read, as he himself has stated. At the age of fifteen he wrote two short prose romances. He had also great facility in versification, and threw off various effusions. The 'forbidden mines of lore' which had captivated his boyish mind at Eton were also diligently explored, and he was soon an avowed republican and sceptic. He published a volume of political rhymes, entitled 'Posthumous Poems of my Aunt Margaret Nicholson,' the said Margaret being the unhappy maniac who at tempted to stab George III.; and he issued a syllabus from Hume's 'Essays,' at the same time challenging the authorities of Oxford to a |