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The first is to desire,

If you incline,

Five hundred lashes for two friends of mine,
And just as many for a friar;

The next a litter, and two mules,
The heavy hours of absence to amuse,
Besides a Muleteer that I shall choose,
At my disposal, subject to my rules,'

So said, the culprit knaves appear :
Upon each rascal's pamper'd hide
The stripes are in due form applied;
Which done, she chose,

You may suppose,

Her lover for her Muleteer.

Then with a voice sweet as an angel's song,
While Tancred with attentive ear
In silent rapture stoop'd to hear,
The beauteous maid the silence broke,
Conviction follow'd as she spoke,

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,
Your heart assail'd;

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,
In hopes my counsels might have weight
To prompt you to redress the state,
And save from infamy your sinking name.

'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:
Think then on me.

Danger and death attend delays,
Be virtuous, be daring, and be free.'
The lady's sermon was a little long,
Not but she talk'd both well and wittily,
And then she look'd so prettily,
Her eyes excused the freedoms of her tongue.
For when a favourite mistress speaks,
We always think her in the right,
E'en though she talk for days or weeks,
Or in the middle of the night.

To say the truth, her speech was rather rough;
But as she promised him her heart,
Upon the whole he took it in good part,
And, as he loved her, liked it well enough.
So thank'd her for the good advice,

And took his leave; and ere he went,
By way of compliment,

Call'd her his guardian angel, his tweet tutor,
And kiss'd her fair hand once or twice,
And swore to be a good boy for the future.
In short, it was so settled; the third night,
By good luck too 'twas dark as hell,
Tancred with Raymond and a chosen band
Surprise the guards, who in their fright
Make but a shabby stand,

And enter at the gates pellmell.

Meantime Abdalla, snug in bed,

Finding Almida stay'd away so long,
Suspecting there was something wrong,

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
Of the poor Turk.

Indignant fury flash'd from Tancred's eye---
'Ye vile corruptors of my youth,

Ye foes to honour, honesty, and truth,
Hence from my sight, nor offer a reply:
If the third day

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 ;-
From sloth, from vice, from infamy
Your kind instruction and assistance
Have haply set me free;

Thanks for your visit, pray return no more,
Let us be always friends, but at a distance.

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,
And Raymond too confirms my choice,
O, come, my heavenly fair!
Ascend, adorn, and bless my throne;
Still with that cheering influence preside,
My life, my future conduct guide,

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,
Owed him a grudge,
Or that benighted,

Or otherwise misled

By his own foolish head,
Howe'er it was, he lighted

All in a barn, 'mongst hunters, hacks,
And many a coach-horse, taller, larger
Than a militia major's charger;

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