THE PICTURE OF A FOP. HOW much at home was Charles in all Or a chased snuff-box, with its gems And while he sneered or quizzed or flirted, Charles was a master, a professor No more with buckram or with wool One glance from you is quite enough A THEME FOR A POET.* BY JAMES MONTGOMERY. • What shall I do to be forever known? THE arrow that shall lay me low, I turn, it meets me; Death Has given such impulse to that dart, It points forever at my heart, And soon of me it must be said, A few may weep a little while, Can I bequeath to deathless fame, Let Southey sing of war's alarms, The glory and the guilt Of nations treacherously enslaved, Let Scott in wilder strains, delight The tournament, the chase, Or picturesquely trace The hills that form a world so high, Let Wordsworth weave in mystic rhyme, And sympathies unknown; Let Campbell's sweeter numbers flow Hope's dreaming dreams display Or Linden's dreadful day; Let Byron with untrembling hand, Lit at the flames of heil, Go down, and search te human heart, 'Till fiends from every corner start, Their crimes and plagues to tell; Then let him fling his torch away, And sun his soul in heaven's pure day. COWLEY. • Written in the year 1814, in contemplation of a Poem which has never been published. Transcendant Masters of the Lyre! Not to your honours I aspire, Humbler, yet higher views Have touch'd my spirit into flame; The pomp of Faction I disclaim; Fair Truth! be thou my Muse; Reveal in splendour deeds obscure; Above the proud, exalt the poor. I sing the men who left their home, Strong is the great Redeemer's name, O thou of old in Bethlehem born, Whose kingdom shall extend, 'Till earth like heaven, thy name shall fill, And men, like angels, do thy will: Thou, whom I love, but cannot see; ST. VALENTINE'S EVE, OR THE FIRE-SIDE FAIRIES. [By the Author of Legends of Lampidosa, Annals of Public Justice, &c.] "I DRINK the dew from the cup of the flow'r, This eve when curfew-bells have rung, Telling Dorcas how her eyes That she breathes like flowers in June- O how mortal maids believe !" So sang the best of Fairy race, But in the chimney's highest nook, That years have join'd and still are blest. I have no sport in lovers' freaks, We fairies love in bower or hall. I laugh'd to hear them, and in spring, Whene'er those sisters walk'd, my wing Wafted the blossom'd pea's sweet breathings, And swept the cobweb from its wreathings: But chiefly on this eve I came To watch their hearth or candle's flame In likeness of a moth, while he Who ruled their home, with gamesome glee So soon a grief becomes a joy; A sweet and tender joy, that stays Mix'd with the dearest dreams of other days." THE From the Asiatic Journal, Aug. 1820. NARRATIVE OF A NAUTCH IN HONOUR OF A MARRIAGE. HE marriage of Neemullick's child was celebrated in a more superb manner than has been usual for some time in India; for though on such an occasion both the wealthy Hindoos and Musselmans are in the habit of giving large fêtes and inviting the whole community, both European and native, to the Nautches, yet it is seldom they incur such a heavy expense in the preparation, or throw such sums away in the execution of the festivities, as was lavished on this occasion; it has, therefore, induced me to make memorandums of what I saw, and the following is as nearly as I can recollect. The principal entrances to Neemullick's house were decorated and illuminated for a mile on each side, the whole distance having ranges of pasteboard figures of mermaids variously painted, and each figure decorated with a great number of lamps of different colours; as the figures were very close and the streets narrow, the effect of this illumination was very beautiful, and gave as much light as if it were broad day. When we came to the house we were astonished by the sight of an immense gate of a fortress covered with soldiers, 2C ATHENEUM VOL. 8. all dressed in the European fashion, and the officers apparently giving orders, whilst the battlements were covered by the inhabitants. All this was exceedingly well executed and looked to the life. After entering under the gateway, we came to a small square, completely covered on every side with pictures, one over the other, from the ground to twelve feet high; and all round the bottom of the square were statues of the natives of almost all climates, some exceedingly well done. The pictures, to be sure, were but sad daubs; yet from the quantity of light and the singularity of their appearance, the dresses or the attitudes of the individuals in the portraits (all intended for Europeans) it was altogether an amusing sight. From this small square we entered into a larger one; and here the scene of enchantment apparently commenced. To describe this would require the fairy pen of Queen Mab dipped in the hues of the rainbow and adorned with the Gossamer's wing; for such an extraordinary sight bursts on the vision, as almost to overpower one's senses. faint idea may be collected from the following rapid sketch of what is not A to be described, but which to be appreciated must be seen. On entering the square,after your eyes have been accustomed to the first blaze of light, which throws an almost intolerable degree of splendour on the sumptuous building which you are then able to see, you observe that the whole square is nearly filled by a fairy palace, in the shape of a parallelogram; its sides being at about one hundred feet by seventy feet. The interior of this building is composed of an inner room with a broad colonnade all round; the roof is supported by two ranges of pillars glittering apparently with precious stones, but which, in fact, is tinsel of various colours made to imitate a silver ground studded with jaspers, agate, onyx, emeralds, and other stones. The upper part of the outer range of pillars had a beautiful cornice, with apparently a veranda beyond it, so well executed, that many went up to it under the illusion that they might walk in it. The pillars have lights attached to them, by which a magnificent effect is produced. The inner room has a throne at the end opposite the entrance; the throne is raised about two feet, and the ground is composed of rich red velvet; the canopy of the same was supported by four golden pillars beautifully fluted and lit by two immense clusters of lights multiplying by a dozen in a branch. The whole of the inner room, except a portion in the centre, where chairs were placed for the Europeans, was covered with red velvet formed into cushions and places to sit on. The roof was ornamented with pictures and hung with splendid chandeliers. The room was open on the sides, but the visitors were prevented coming in, except through the doorway, by the velvet cushions between the pillars being elevated three feet from the ground. All the cornices and places where pictures were not hung, were most beautifully ornamented with the same materials the pillars were composed of; and the inner range of pillars along the side of the room was thrown into arches variously decorated with coats of arms and other embellishments. The tout ensemble was grand beyond any thing I had ever seen, and brought to my mind some of the fairy palaces, which the powerful wand of magic, in the Arabian Nights, erected for the favourites of fortune. At ten o'clock the bridegroom is conducted in great state splendidly attired, and seated under the throne; when the conjurors, dancing girls, and singing ladies, all perform their various parts. If the crowd is very great, the Nautch girls are placed at each corner of the building under the colonnade, and there sing and dance all the night; the centre was occupied by a Cashmerian boy, who performed several wonderful feats. The relations of Neemullick went about presenting nosegays of roses, &c. to the guests, and sprinkling them with rosewater. The crowd was immense; all descriptions of Europeans were admitted for three nights, and of natives for five more. Supper was provided, but amongst such a motley crew of Europeans every thing vanished as speedily as it was produced. One peculiarity attending this Nautch is very uncommon; the band of H. M.'s 17th regt. were allowed to perform in the inner square; and you might thus hear, at the same time, the martial music of England, and the languishing native airs, all very like Taze e be Taze, and not very agreeable to my ears: however, it completed the arrangements for gratifying all the senses at once; and altogether this was one of the most extraordinary Nautches I have ever seen in India. The wedding, the artists, presents, &c. are supposed to have cost five lacs of rupees. Yours, &c. N. A. From La Belle Assembleo. THE ABBOT OF UNREASON. (Concluded from page 190.) HAVING given the reader a summary of particulars collected from the jovial company of domestics, we shall follow Dulsibella to her bower. Alice soon left her to watch the motions of the assemblage in the servants' ball, and she fell into melancholy thoughts of her own situation. A heretic in the eyes of her father and his household, yet convinced she should die to maintain the doctrines they would condemn. During the life of her grandmother, they had not ventured to question ber. There seemed to be a tacit compact never to agitate inquiries that must end in discord; but the object of restraint was no more. The Dowager had, indeed, assured her, she had taken effectual measurers to secure for her all the privileges of her religion, but was then too feeble to make explanations. Dulsibella brushed away her tears, as a hasty step roused her from her reverie. My lady, my dear lady," said Alice, "I have just met the brandy messenger on the stairs, going away. He has made the old folks drunk. I crept into the servants' hall, got the key of the wicket on the table, and locked the hall door, on the outside, hard and fast. If you, my lady, would condescend to disguise yourself like such as I, we could go to the Abbot of Unreason, and have our fortunes read, before the drunken old fools awake." "Poor souls!" said Dulsibella, "want of employment, or amusement, has insensibly led them to kill time over their cups. Surely living in the world has at least this one advantage-that people need not betake themselves to oblivion of their rational faculties on account of a deficiency in means to exercise them." "But my dear lady, shall we not be going; one of your long lawn morning dresses, and your own beautiful ring Dulsibella smiled languidly; but assuming a graver aspect, replied, "I will gratify you, Alice, so far as to admit the fortune-tellers by the wicket. I will metamorphose myself into a simple country maid-more simple than you, Alice, that was bred at Edinburgh-but I will not go out of the castle." 66 Then, my lady, I will run and overtake the messenger, and bid him send those seers." Alice ran, though she well knew the messenger, an old acquaintance, waited her instructions. We must abridge our story by omitting the predictions made to the damsels that gathered round the spaewives, warlocks, and interpreters of dreams. They were led by a stately figure in a long black velvet mantle, embroidered with gold. He professed himself the true and lineal descendant of the sage of Ercildown, and must converse with the lady of the castlethe lady Dulsibella. He laid hold of her arm, drawing her apart from her damsels. Dulsibella gently, yet steadily, resented. "Come with me," said he, " to yonder remote end of the hall. May not these silvered hairs, this grizzled beard, flowing even to my girdle, claim some confidence ?" Dulsibella permitted herself to be led where the communications of the sage could not be overheard. |