Who then rejoiced but Thalaba?

Who then was troubled but the Arabian Maid?

And Moath sad of heart,

Though with a grief supprest, beheld the youth Sharpen his arrows now,

And now new-plume their shafts,

Now, to beguile impatient hope,
Feel every sharpen'd point.

'Why is that anxious look," Oneiza cried, "Still upward cast at noon?

"Is Thalaba aweary of our tent?"

"I would be gone," the youth replied,
"That I might do my task,

"And full of glory to the tent return,

"Whence I should part no more."

But on the noontide sun,

As anxious and as oft Oneiza's eye

Was upward glanced in fear.

And now, as Thalaba replied, her cheek

Lost its fresh and lively hue;

For in the Sun's bright edge

She saw, or thought she saw, a little speck...

The sage Astronomer

Who, with the love of science full, Trembled that day at every passing cloud,.. He had not seen it, 'twas a speck so small.

Alas! Oneiza sees the spot increase!
And lo! the ready Youth

Over his shoulder the full quiver slings,
And grasps the slacken'd bow.

It spreads, and spreads, and now
Hath shadowed half the Sun,
Whose crescent-pointed horns
Now momently decrease.

The day grows dark, the Birds retire to rest; Forth from her shadowy haunt

Flies the large-headed Screamer of the night. Far off the affrighted African,

Deeming his God deceas'd,

Falls on his knees in prayer,

And trembles as he sees

The fierce Hyena's eyes

Glare in the darkness of that dreadful noon.

"

Then Thalaba exclaim'd, " Farewell,

My father! my Oneiza!" the Old Man

Felt his throat swell with grief.

"Where wilt thou go, my Child?" he cried, "Wilt thou not wait a sign

"To point thy destin'd way?"

"God will conduct me!" said the noble youth. He said, and from the Tent,

In the depth of the darkness, departed.

They heard his parting steps,

The quiver rattling as he past away.

NOTES TO BOOK III.

Every gem, &c.—P. 102.

From the Mirror of Stones I extract a few specimens of the absurd ideas once prevalent respecting precious

stones.

The Amethyst drives away drunkenness; for, being bound on the navel, it restrains the vapour of the wine, and so dissolves the ebriety.

Alectoria is a stone of a crystalline colour, a little darkish, somewhat resembling limpid water; and sometimes it has veins of the colour of flesh. Some call it Gallinaceus, from the place of its generation, the intestines of capons, which were castrated at three years old, and had lived seven; before which time the stone ought not to be taken out, for the older it is so much the better. When the stone is become perfect in the Capon, he don't drink. However, it is never found bigger than a large bean. The virtue of this stone is, to render him who carries it invisible. Being held in the mouth, it allays thirst,

and therefore is proper for wrestlers; makes a woman agreeable to her husband; bestows honors, and preserves those already acquired; it frees such as are bewitched ; it renders a man eloquent, constant, agreeable, and amiable it helps to regain a lost kingdom, and acquire a foreign one.

Borax, Nosa, Crapondinus, are names of the same stone, which is extracted from a toad. There are two species; that which is the best is rarely found; the other is black or dun with a cerulean glow, having in the middle the similitude of an eye, and must be taken out while the dead toad is yet panting; and these are better than those which are extracted from it after a long continuance in the ground. They have a wonderful efficacy in poisons. For whoever has taken poison, let him swallow this; which being down, rolls about the bowels, and drives out every poisonous quality that is lodged in the intestines, and then passes through the fundament, and is preserved.

Corvia, or Corvina, is a stone of a reddish colour, and accounted artificial. On the calends of April, boil the eggs, taken out of a Crow's nest, till they are hard; and, being cold, let them be placed in the nest as they were before. When the crow knows this, she flies a long way to find the stone; and, having found it, returns to the nest; and the eggs being touched with it, they become fresh and prolific. The stone must immediately be snatched out of the nest. Its virtue is to increase riches, to bestow honours, and to foretell many future events.

Kinocetus is a stone not wholly useless-since it will cast out devils.