And then-as Gray describes of life's divorce,

With "longing lingering look" prepared to walk,—

Having thro' one delighted sense, at least,

Enjoy'd a sort of Barmecidal feast,

And with prophetic gestures, strange to see,
Forestall'd the civic Banquet yet to be,
Its callipash and callipee!

A pleasant prospect-but alack!

Scarcely each Alderman had turn'd his back,
When seizing on the moment so propitious,

And having learn'd that they were so delicious
To bite and sup,

From praises so high flown and injudicious,-
And nothing could be more pernicious!

The Turtles fell to work, and ate each other up!

MORAL.

Never, from folly or urbanity,

Praise people thus profusely to their faces,

Till quite in love with their own graces,

They're eaten up by vanity!

THE DESERT-BORN.

"Fly to the desert, fly with me."-LADY HESTER STANHOPE.

'Twas in the wilds of Lebanon, amongst its barren hills,To think upon it, even now, my very blood it chills !— My sketch-book spread before me, and my pencil in my hand,

I gazed upon the mountain range, the red tumultuous

sand,

The plumy palms, the sombre firs, the cedars tall and

proud,

When lo! a shadow pass'd across the paper like a cloud, And looking up I saw a form, apt figure for the scene, Methought I stood in presence of some oriental queen!

The turban on her head was white as any driven snow; A purple bandalette past o'er the lofty brow below,

And thence upon her shoulders fell, by either jewell'd ear; In yellow folds voluminous she wore her long cachemere; Whilst underneath, with ample sleeves, a Turkish robe

of silk

Enveloped her in drapery the colour of new milk;

Yet oft it floated wide in front, disclosing underneath A gorgeous Persian tunic, rich with many a broider'd wreath,

Compelled by clasps of costly pearl around her neck to

meet

And yellow as the amber were the buskins on her feet!

Of course I bowed my lowest bow-of all the things on earth,

The reverence due to loveliness, to rank, or ancient birth, To pow'r, to wealth, to genius, or to any thing uncommon, A man should bend the lowest in a Desert to a Woman! Yet some strange influence stronger still, though vague and undefin'd,

Compell'd me, and with magic might subdued my soul

and mind;

There was a something in her air that drew the spirit nigh,

Beyond the common witchery that dwells in woman's eye! With reverence deep, like any slave of that peculiar land, I bowed my forehead to the earth, and kissed the arid sand;

And then I touched her garment's hem, devoutly as a

Dervise,

Predestinated (so I felt) for ever to her service.

Nor was I wrong in auguring thus my fortune from her face, She knew me, seemingly, as well as any of her race; "Welcome!" she cried, as I uprose submissive to my feet; "It was ordained that you and I should in this desert

meet!

Aye, ages since, before thy soul had burst its prison bars, This interview was promis'd in the language of the stars!" Then clapping, as the Easterns wont, her all-commanding hands,

A score of mounted Arabs came fast spurring o'er the sands,

Nor rein'd they up their foaming steeds till in my very face They blew the breath impetuous, and panting from the

race.

"Fear nought," exclaimed the radiant one, as I

66

off aloof,

sprang

Thy precious frame need never fear a blow from horse's

hoof!

Thy natal star was fortunate as any orb of birth,

And fate hath held in store for thee the rarest gift of earth. Then turning to the dusky men, that humbly waited near, She cried, "Go bring the BEAUTIFUL-for lo! the MAN is here!"

Off went th' obsequious train as swift as Arab hoofs could flee,

But Fancy fond outraced them all, with bridle loose and

free,

And brought me back, for love's attack, some fair Circassian bride,

Or Georgian girl, the Harem's boast, and fit for sultan's

side;

Methought I lifted up her veil, and saw dark eyes beneath, Mild as gazelle's, a snowy brow, ripe lips, and pearly teeth, A swanlike neck, a shoulder round, full bosom, and a waist Not too compact, and rounded limbs, to oriental taste.