Big fwell'd my heart, and own'd the powerful maid, When faft fhe dropt her tears, as thus fhe faid: Farewell the youth whom fighs could not detain, "Whom Zara's breaking heart implor'd in vain! "Yet as thou go'ft, may every blast arise "Weak and unfelt as these rejected fighs! "Safe o'er the wild, no perils may'st thou fee, Say with a kiss, she must not, shall not mourn; He faid, and call'd on heaven to bless the day, 85 When back to Schiraz' walls he bent his way. AGIB AND SECANDER; OR, THE FUGITIVES. SCENE, A MOUNTAIN IN CIRCASSIA. TIME, MIDNIGHT. IN N fair Circaffia, where, to love inclin'd, Each swain was bleft, for every maid was kind; At that ftill 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 paft in radiance thro' the cloudless sky; Sad o'er the dews, two brother fhepherds fled, 10 SECANDER. O ftay thee, Agib, for my feet deny, Friend of my heart, O turn thee and furvey, 15 20 AGIB. Weak as thou art, yet hapless must thou know The toils of flight, or fome feverer woe! Still as I hafte, the Tartar fhouts behind, 25 And shrieks and forrows load the faddening wind: 30 SECANDER. Unhappy land, whofe bleffings tempt the fword, In vain, unheard, thou call'ft thy Perfian lord! In vain thou court'ft him, helpless, to thine aid, To shield the fhepherd, and protect the maid! Far off, in thoughtless indolence refign'd, Soft dreams of love and pleasure footh his mind: 'Midft fair fultanas loft in idle joy, No wars alarm him, and no fears annoy. AGIB. 35 40 Yet these green hills, in fummer's fultry heat, Have lent the monarch oft a cool retreat. Sweet to the fight is Zabran's flowery plain, And once by maids and fhepherds lov'd in vain! No more the virgins fhall delight to rove By Sargis' banks, or Irwan's fhady grove; On Tarkie's mountain catch the cooling gale, 45 Or breathe the fweets of Aly's flowery vale: Fair scenes! but, ah! no more with peace poffeft, With ease alluring, and with plenty bleft. No more the fhepherd's whitening tents appear, Nor the kinds products of a bounteous year; 50 No more the date, with fnowy blossoms crown'd! But Ruin spreads her baleful fires around. SECANDER. In vain Circaffia boafts her fpicy groves, For ever fam'd for pure and happy loves: In vain the boafts her faireft of the fair, 55 Their eyes blue languish, and their golden hair! Thofe eyes in tears their fruitless grief must send; Those hairs the Tartar's cruel hand fhall rend. AGIB. 60 Ye Georgian fwains, that piteous learn from far Circaffia's ruin, and the wafte of war; Some weightier arms than crooks and staffs prepare, To fhield your harvests, and defend your fair : The Turk and Tartar like defigns pursue, Fix'd to destroy, and stedfast to undo. Wild as his land, in native deserts bred, By luft incited, or by malice led, The villain Arab, as he prowls for prey, 61 Oft marks with blood and wafting flames the way; Yet none fo cruel as the Tartar foe, To death inur'd, and nurst in scenes of woe. 70 He faid; when loud along the vale was heard A fhriller fhriek, and nearer fires appear'd: Th' affrighted shepherds, thro' the dews of night, Wide o'er the moon-light hills renew'd their flight. V. 56. eye's. ODE ON THE DEATH OF MR. THOMSON. BY THE SAME. THE SCENE OF THE IN FOLLOWING STANZAS IS SUPPOSED TO LIE ON THE THAMES, I. N yonder grave a Druid lies Where flowly winds the stealing wave! The year's beft fweets fhall duteous rife, To deck its Poet's fylvan grave! II. In yon deep bed of whifp'ring reeds, * His airy harp fhall now be laid, III. Then maids and youths fhall linger here, Shall fadly feem in Pity's ear To hear the Woodland Pilgrim's knell. 5 10 The harp of AEOLUS, of which fee a defcription in the CASTLE OF INDOLENCE. |