If life has any charm for thee,

The brain of man their food must be !

With the adoption of this deceitful stratagem, Iblis was highly pleased, and congratulated himself upon the success of his wicked exertions, thinking that in this manner a great portion of the human race would be destroyed He was not aware that his craft and cunning had no influence in the house of God; and that the descendants of Adam are continually increasing.

When the people of Irán and Túrán heard that Zohák kept near him two devouring serpents, alarm and terror spread everywhere, and so universal was the dread produced by this intelligence, that the nobles of Persia were induced to abandon their allegiance to Jemshíd, and, turning through fear to Zohák, confederated with the Arab troops against their own country. Jemshíd continued for some time to resist their efforts, but was at last defeated, and became a wanderer on the face of the earth.

To him existence was a burthen now,
The world a desert-for Zohák had gained
The imperial crown, and from all acts and deeds
Of royal import, razed out the very name
Of Jemshid hateful in the tyrant's eyes.

THE STORY OF JEMSHÍD RESUMED.

The Persian government having fallen into the hands of the usurper, he sent his spies in every direction for the purpose of getting possession of Jemshid wherever he might be found, but their labour was not crowned with success. The un

fortunate wanderer, after experiencing numberless misfortunes, at length took refuge in Zabulistán.

Flying from place to place, through wilderness,
Wide plain, and mountain, veiled from human eye,
Hungry and worn out with fatigue and sorrow,

He came to Zábul.

The king of Zabulistán, whose name was Gúreng, had a daughter of extreme beauty. She was also remarkable for her mental endowments, and was familiar with warlike exercises.

So graceful in her movements, and so sweet,
Her very look plucked from the breast of age
The root of sorrow,-her wine-sipping lips,
And mouth like sugar, cheeks all dimpled o'er
With smiles, and glowing as the summer rose-
Won every heart.

This damsel, possessed of these beauties and charms, was accustomed to dress herself in the warlike habiliments of a man, and to combat with heroes. She was then only fifteen years of age, but so accomplished in valour, judgment, and discretion, that Minúchihr, who had in that year commenced hostile operations against her father, was compelled to relinquish his pretensions, and submit to the gallantry which she displayed on that occasion. Her father's realm was saved by her magnanimity. Many kings were her suitors, but Gúreng would not give his consent to her marriage with any of them. He only agreed that she should marry the sovereign whom she might spontaneously love.

It must be love, and love alone,*
That binds thee to another's throne;
In this my father has no voice,

Thine the election, thine the choice.

*Love at first sight, and of the most enthusiastic kind, is the passion described in all Persian poems, as if a whole life of love were condensed into one moment. It is all wild and rapturous. It has nothing of a rational A casual glance from an unknown beauty often affords the subject of The poets whom Dr. Johnson has denominated metaphysical, such

cast.
a pocm.

The daughter of Gúreng had a Kábul woman for her nurse, who was deeply skilled in all sorts of magic and sorcery.

The old enchantress well could say,
What would befall on distant day;
And by her art omnipotent,
Could from the watery element
Draw fire, and with her magic breath,
Seal up a dragon's eyes in death.
Could from the flint-stone conjure dew;
The moon and seven stars she knew ;
And of all things invisible

To human sight, this crone could tell.

as Donne, Jonson, and Cowley, bear a strong resemblance to the Persians on the subject of love.

Now, sure, within this twelvemonth past,

I've loved at least some twenty years or more;
Th' account of love runs much more fast,
Than that with which our life does score:
So, though my life be short, yet I may prove,
The Great Methusalem of love!!!

"LOVE AND LIFE." COWLEY.

The odes of Hafiz also, with all their spirit and richness of expression, abound in conceit and extravagant metaphor.

There is, however, something very

beautiful in the passage which may be paraphrased thus:

Zephyr thro' thy locks is straying,

Stealing fragrance, charms displaying;
Should it pass where Hafiz lies,
From his conscious dust would rise,
Flowrets of a thousand dyes!

Sir W. Jones, in quoting this distich, seems to have neglected the peculiar turn of the thought, and has translated the second line, a hundred thousand flowers will spring from the earth that HIDES his corse! But the passage implies that even the ashes of the Poet will still retain enough of sensibility to be affected by the presence, or by any token, of his beloved. Cowley has a similar notion, but he pursues and amplifies it till it becomes ridiculous.

"Tis well, 'tis well with them, say I,

Whose short-lived passions with themselves can die;
Whatever parts of me remain,

Those parts will still the love of thee retain ;

My affection no more perish can,

Than the first matter that compounds a man!

Hereafter, if one dust of me,

Mix'd with another's substance be;

'Twill leaven that whole lump with love of thee!
Let nature if she please, disperse

My atoms over all the universe;

At the last they easily shall

Themselves know, and together call;

For thy love, like a mark, is stampt on all!

ALL-OVER LOVE.

This Kabul sorceress had long before intimated to the damsel that, conformably with her destiny, which had been distinctly ascertained from the motions of the heavenly bodies, she would, after a certain time, be married to king Jemshid, and bear him a beautiful son. The damsel was overjoyed at these tidings, and her father received them with equal pleasure, refusing in consequence the solicitations of every other suitor. Now according to the prophecy, Jemshíd arrived at the city of Zábul* in the spring season, when the roses were in bloom; and it so happened that the garden of king Gúreng was in the way, and also that his daughter was amusing herself at the time in the garden. Jemshid proceeded in that direction, but the keepers of the garden would not allow him to pass, and therefore, fatigued and dispirited, he sat down by the gardendoor under the shade of a tree. Whilst he was sitting there a slave-girl chanced to come out of the garden, and, observing him, was surprised at his melancholy and forlorn condition. She said to him involuntarily: "Who art thou?" and Jemshid raising up his eyes, replied :-"I was once possessed of wealth and lived in great affluence, but I am now abandoned by fortune, and have come from a distant country. Would to heaven I could be blessed with a few cups of wine, my fatigue and affliction might then be relieved." The girl smiled, and returned hastily to the princess, and told her that a young man, wearied with travelling, was sitting at the garden gate, whose countenance was more lovely even than that of her mistress, and who requested to have a few cups of wine. When the damsel heard such high praise of the stranger's features she

*

Zábul, or Zábulistán, the name of a province, bordering on Hindústan, which some place in the number of those now composing the country of Sind. It abounds in rivers, forests, lakes, and mountains. It was also called Rustemdar. The ancient Persians considered Zábulistán and Sístán, or Segestán, as one principality, where Rustem usually resided with his family, and which they held in appanage from the Kings of Persia. Segestan is the Drangiana of the Greeks. It was formerly the residence of many Persian Kings. One of its cities, Ghizni, produced the celebrated Mahmúd, the patron of Firdausí.

was exceedingly pleased, and said: "He asks only for wine, but I will give him both wine and music, and a beautiful mistress beside."

This saying, she repaired towards the gate,
In motion graceful as the waving cypress,
Attended by her hand-maid; seeing him,
She thought he was a warrior of Irán

With spreading shoulders, and his loins well bound.
His visage pale as the pomegranate flower,

He looked like light in darkness. Warm emotions
Rose in her heart, and softly thus she spoke :
"Grief-broken stranger, rest thee underneath
These shady bowers; if wine can make thee glad,
Enter this pleasant place, and drink thy fill."

Whilst the damsel was still speaking and inviting Jemshid into the garden, he looked at her thoughtfully, and hesitated; and she said to him: "Why do you hesitate? I am permitted by my father to do what I please, and my heart is my own.

"Stranger, my father is the monarch mild
Of Zábulistán, and I his only child;
On me is all his fond affection shown;
My wish is his, on me he doats alone."

Jemshid had before heard of the character and renown of this extraordinary damsel, yet he was not disposed to comply with her entreaty; but contemplating again her lovely face, his heart became enamoured, when she took him by the hand and led him along the beautiful walks.

With dignity and elegance she passed

As moves the mountain partridge through the meads;
Her tresses richly falling to her feet,

And filling with perfume the softened breeze.

In their promenade they arrived at the basin of a fountain, near which they seated themselves upon royal carpets, and the damsel having placed Jemshid in such a manner that they might face each other, she called for music and wine.