The first is to desire, If you incline, Five hundred lashes for two friends of mine, The next a litter, and two mules, So said, the culprit knaves appear : You may suppose, Her lover for her Muleteer. Then with a voice sweet as an angel's song, And truth and soft persuasion dwelt on her enchanting tongue 'With grief those scenes unwilling I disclose, Whence every error, each misfortune rose: When pleasures, of the lowest, meanest kind, Unnerved your feeble frame, and check'd the progress of your mind, In vain your people's curses, or their tears, Two flattering knaves had charm'd your ears, And Raymond vainly counsel'd, or as vainly rail'd: He was your father's friend, wise, honest, brave, Him you displaced, And, listening to the malice of a slave, The guardian of your crown was banish'd and disgraced. Me too you loved, and I approved the flame, 'But soon your confessor, the crafty priest, Rage, hate, and malice rankling in his breast, With timorous scruples fill'd your wavering mind; In vain each finer feeling strove To guard your heart, and court it to be kind, While haggard superstition triumph'd over love. 'But Justice still pursues betimes; E'en now, for she directs the hour, The priest, and the vile partners of his power, Feel vengeance overtake their crimes. 'The Turk's unnoticed march, last night's surprise, The foe unthought of thundering at the gate, At length have clear'd your eyes; [late. Their treacherous negligence is found, is felt too 'No more of this unpleasing strainIf thinking, acting like a man, Reform'd by slavery's painful chain, Virtue within your breast resume her reign, Inspire your thoughts, and guide your future plan, My heart will still be yours: e'en Raymond too Still loves his prince-to him repair, Confess your faults, his aid demand, The gallant veteran waits but your command, To spread his conquering banners to the air, To sacrifice his life with you, Or rescue and relieve his native land. Abdalla claims my promise in three days: Danger and death attend delays, To say the truth, her speech was rather rough; And took his leave; and ere he went, Call'd her his guardian angel, his tweet tutor, And enter at the gates pellmell. Meantime Abdalla, snug in bed, Finding Almida stay'd away so long, Look'd out; and found his troops were kill'd or Himself a prisoner and alone, And Tancred reigning in his stead. [gone, And now the sore-back'd scoundrels in a trice Came kindly with their counsels and advice, Proposing as a pious work Just to impale, Or stick a hedge stake through the tail Indignant fury flash'd from Tancred's eye--- Ye foes to honour, honesty, and truth, Within the limits of this state Disclose your stay, [fate. Not e'en Almida's self shall save you from your 'Go, brave Abdalla, to your native shore ;- Thanks for your visit, pray return no more, And now, my better angel, whose kind care The mist of error from my sight dispell'd, Burst the vile fetters that my reason held, Restored fair Wisdom's gentle sway, Guided my steps to her, and pointed out the way; VOL. V. HH Now, while my people's eager voice, Inspire my raptured heart, and make it virtuous as your own.' J. H. MOORE. THE COCK AND THE HORSES. A fable. "TWAS long, ay, very long ago, But when or where, I don't exactly know, And if I did, perhaps you would not care; A Cock, a lazy, listless spark, Chancing to saunter up and down, Much like a soldier in a country town, Or just as you Or I might do In Bond-street or the Park; Whether the Devil, The author of all evil, As I judge, Or otherwise misled By his own foolish head, All in a barn, 'mongst hunters, hacks, |