"The Perfian ftyle is faid to be ridiculously bombaft, and this fault is imputed to the flavish spirit of the nation, which is ever apt to magnify the objects that are placed above it: there are bad writers, to be fure, in every country, and as many in Afia as elfewhere; bur, if we take the pains to learn the Perfian language, we fhall find that thofe authors, who are generally esteemed in Perfia, are neither flavish in their fentiments, nor ridiculous in their expreffions: of which the following paffage in a moral work of Sadi, entitled Boftán, or, The Garden, will be a fufficient proof.

Shinidem ke, der wakti nezî rewan,
Be Hormuz chunin gufti Nufbirewan:
Ki khatir nigebdari dervishi bash,
Ne der bendi afaishi khishi bafb:
Neafaid ender diyari to kes,
Chu áfaïfhi khihi khahi wa bes.
Neyayid benezdiki dana pejend,
Shubani khufte, wa gurki der kufpend.
Beru; pafi dervishi mubtaji dar,
Ki fbab ez raiyeti búd táji dar.
Raiyet chu bikheft wa foltan dirakht,
Dirakht, ai pijer, bashed ez bikhi fakht.

That is; I have heard that king Nufhirvan, juft before his death, fpoke thus to his fon Hormux: Be a guardian, my fon, to the poor and helpless; and be not confined in the chains of thy own indolence. No one can be at eaje in thy dominion, while thou feckeft only thy private reft, and fayeft, It is enough. A wife man will not approve the shepherd, who fleeps while the wolf is in the fold. Go, my fon, protect thy weak and indigent people; fince through them is a king railed to the diadem. The people are the root, and the king is the tree, that grows from it; and the tree, O my son, derives its ftrength from the root.

"Are these mean fentiments, delivered in pompous language? Are they not rather worthy of our moft fpirited writers? And do they not convey a fine leffon for a young king? Yet Sadi's poems are highly esteemed at Conftantinople, and at Ifpahan; though, a century or two ago, they would have been fuppreffed in Europe, for spreading, with 100 ftrong a glare, the light of liberty, and reafon."

The Perfians have alfo, according to our author, an Epic Poem, on the delivery of that country by Cyrus, longer than the Iliad of Homer, replete with ftriking characters, bold and animated figures, and of a noble and polished diction.

Of the Turkish poetry, which is cenfured by fome, for being too fervilely imitative of the Perfian, our author hath given the following example, in the tranflation of an Ode of Mefihi, with the original and a literal English verfion subjoined.

"HEAR

"HEAR how the nightingales, on every fpray,
Hail in wild notes the fweet return of May!
The gale, that o'er yon waving almond blows,
The verdant bank with filver bloffoms ftrows:
The fmiling feafon decks each flowery glade.
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.
What gales of fragrance fcent the vernal air!
Hills, dales, and woods, their loveliest mantles wear.
Who knows what cares await that fatal day,
When ruder gufts fhall banish. gentle May?
Ev'n death, perhaps, our valleys will invade.
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.
The tulip now its varied hue difplays,
And fheds, like Ahmed's eye, celestial rays.
Ah, nation ever faithful, ever true,

The joys of youth, while May invites, pursue!
Will not these hotes your timorous minds perfuade?
Be gay too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

DINLEH bulbul kiffa fen kim gildi eiami behar,
Kurdi her bir baghda hengamei hengami behar,
Oldi fim affhan ana ezhari badami behar
Yfh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.
Yineh enwei shukufileh bezendi bagh u ragh,
Yfh ichun kurdi chichekler sahni gulfhenda otagh,
Kim bilur ol behareh dek kih u kim ola fagh?
Yfh u nufh it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Tarafi gulfhen nuri Ahmed birleh malamaldur,
Sebzelerinda fehabeh lalehi kheirulaldur,
Hei Mohammed ummeti wakti huzuri haldur.
Ysh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Thou heareft the tale of the nightingale," that the vernal feafon ap"proaches." The Spring has spread a bower of joy in every grove, where the almond-tree Sheds its filver bloffoms. Be cheerful; be full of mirth; för the Spring paffes foon away: it will not laft.

The groves and hills are again adorned with all forts of flowers: a pavi tion of rofes, as the feat of pleafure, is raised in the garden. Who knows which of us will be alive when the fair feason ends? "Be cheerful, c.

The edge of the bower is filled with the light ef Ahmed: among the plants the fortunate tulips reprefent his companions. Come, O people of Mohammed, this is the feafon of merriment. Be cheerful, &c.

The fparkling dewdrops o'er the lilies play,
Like orient pearls, or like the beams of day.
If love and mirth your wanton thoughts engage,
Attend, ye nymphs! (a poet's words are fage.)
While thus you fit beneath the trembling fhade,

Be

gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

The fresh blown rose like Zeineb's cheek appears,
When pearls, like dewdrops, glitter in her ears.
The charms of youth at once are seen and past;
And nature fays, "They are too sweet to laft."
So blooms the rose; and so the blushing maid!
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.
See yon anemonies their leaves unfold,
With rubies flaming, and with living gold!
While crystal showers from weeping clouds defcend,
Enjoy the prefence of thy tuneful friend.

Now, while the wines are brought, the fofa's lay'd,
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

Kildi fhebnem yineh jeuherdari tigbi fufeni,
Zhalehler aldi hewai doiyile leh gulfhene,
Gher temasha iseh maksudun beni efleh beni.
Yfh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.
Rukhleri rengin giuzellar dur gulileh lalehlar,
Kim kulaklarineh durlu jeuher asmish zhalehlar,
Aldanup fanma ki bunlar boileh baki kalehlar.
Yih u nufh it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Guliftanda giorunin laleh u gul naoman leh
Baghda kan aldi shemfun nifhteri baran leh.
Arefun bu demi khofh gior bu giun yaran leh,
Ysh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Again the dew glitters on the leaves of the lily, like the water of a bright feymitar. The dewdrops fall through the air on the garden of rofes. Liften to me, listen to me, if thou defireft to be delighted. Be cheerful, &c.

The roles and tulips are like the bright cheeks of beautiful maids, in whose ears the pearls bang like drops of dew. Deceive not thyjelf, by thinking that thefe charms will have a long duration. Be cheerful, &c.

Tulips, rofes, and anemonies, appear in the gardens: the flowers and the funbeams, like fharp lancets, tinge the banks with the colour of blood. Spend this day agreeably with thy friends, like a prudent man. Be cheerful, &c.

The

The plants no more are dried, the meadows dead,
No more the rofe-bud hangs her penfive head:
The fhrubs revive in valleys, meads, and bowers,
And every stalk is diadem'd with flowers;
In filken robes each hillock ftands array'd.
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

Clear drops each morn impearl the rofe's bloom,
And from its leaf the Zephyr drinks perfume;
The dewy buds expand their lucid store:

Be this our wealth: ye damfels, afk no more.
Though wife men envy, and though fools upbraid,
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

The dewdrops, fprinkled by the musky gale,
Are chang'd to effence ere they reach the dale.
The mild blue fky a rich pavilion spreads,
Without our labour, o'er our favour'd heads.
Let others toil in war, in arts, or trade.
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

Gitti ol demler ki olup febzeler fahib ferash,
Guncheh fikri gulfhenun olmishdi bagherinda bash,
Gildi bir dem kim karardi laleh lerle dagh u tash,
Yfh u nufh it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.
Ebr gulzari uftuneh her fubh goher bariken,
Nefhei badi feher por nafei tatariken:
Ghafil olmeh alemun mahbublighi wariken.
Yfh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Buyi gulzar itti fholdenlu hewai mushknab
Kim yereh inengeh olur ketrei fhebnem gulab.
Cherkh otak kurdi gulistan uftuneh giunlik fehab.
Yfh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

The time is paffed in which the plants were fick, and the rofe-bud hung its thoughtful bead on its bofom. The feafon comes in which mountains and rocks are coloured with tulips. Be cheerful, &c.

Each morning the clouds fhed gems over the rofe-garden: the breath of the gale is full of Tartarian musk. Be not neglectful of thy duty through too great a love of the world. Be cheerful, &c.

The fweetness of the bower has made the air fo fragrant, that the dew, before it falls, is changed into rofe-water. The fky Spreads a pavilion of bright clouds over the garden. Be cheerful, &c.

The

Late gloomy winter chill'd the fullen air,
Till Solfman arofe, and all was fair.
Soft in his reign the notes of love refound,
And pleafure's rofy cup goes freely round.
Here on the bank, which mantling vines o'erfhade,
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.
May this rude lay from age to age remain,
A true memorial of this lovely train.

Come, charming maid, and hear thy poet fing,
Thyfelf the rofe, and He the bird of fpring:
Love bids him fing, and Love will be obey'd.
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

Gulistanun her ne sen aldi fiah badi khuzan,
Adl idup bir bir ileh wardi yineh shahi jehan.
Deuletinda badehler kam oldi fakii kamran.
Yfh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.
Omerem buleh, Mefihi, bu merbai ishtihar,
Ehlene ola bu charabru u giuzeller yadgar,
Bulbuli khofh gui fen gulyuzluler leh yuriwar.
Yfh u nufh it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiámi behar.

Whoever thou art, know that the black gufts of autumn bad feized the garden; but the king of the world again appeared difpenfing justice to all: in his reign the happy cupbearer defired and obtained the flowing wine. Be cheerful, &c.

By thefe ftrains I hoped to celebrate this delightful valley: may they be a memorial to its inhabitants, and remind them of this affembly, and thefe fair maids! Thou art a nightingale with a fweet voice, O Mefihi, when thou walkeft with the damfels, whofe cheeks are like rofes. Be cheerful; be full of mirth; for the Spring paffes foon away: it will not laft."

To the tranflations of oriental pieces are added a translation of Petrarch's Ode to the Fountain of Valchiufa, Laura, an Elegy from the fame poet, with an original English Poem on the Game of Chefs, and fome tranflations, imitations, and originals in Latin (which were not in the first edition), well worthy the perufal of the claffical reader; to whom we shall prefent the following fhort but elegant fpecimen, which is an allufion to the learned author's profeffional character."

A D MUSA M.

"VALE, Camena, blanda cultrix ingenî,
Virtutis altrix, mater eloquentiæ !

Linquenda alumno eft laurus & chelys tuo:
At tú dearum dulcium dulciffima,
Seu Suada mavis five Pitho dicier,.
A te receptus in tuâ vivam fide:
Mihi fit, oro, non inutilis toga,

Nec indiferta lingua, nec turpis manus.”

W.

An