"Tis vain my tongue can not impart "My almost drunkenness of heart "When first this liberated eye 830 "Surveyed Earth, Ocean, Sun and Sky, "As if my spirit pierced them through, "And all their inmost wonders knew! "One word alone can paint to thee "That more than feeling I was Free! "E'en for thy presence ceased to pine; "The World - nay Heaven itself was mine! XIX. "The shallop of a trusty Moor 836 "I longed to see the isles that gem "Old Ocean's purple diadem; "I sought by turns, and saw them all: 54 "When all that we design to do "Is done, 'twill then be time more meet "To tell thec, when the tale's complete. XX. ""Tis true, they are a lawless brood, "But rough in form, nor mild in mood; 840 845 "And every creed, and every race, "With them hath found may find a place : "But open speech, and ready hand, 850 "That never sees with terror's eyes; "Friendship for each, and faith to all, "And vengeance vow'd for those who fall, 855 "Have made them fitting instruments "For more than ev'n my own intents, "And some and I have studied all "Distinguished from the vulgar rank, "But chiefly to my council call "The wisdom of the cautious Frank "And some to higher thoughts aspire, "The last of Lambro's 55 patriots there "Anticipated freedom share; 860 "And oft around the cavern fire "On visionary schemes debate, 865 870 "To snatch the Rayahs 36 from their fate. "So let them ease their hearts with prate "Of equal rights, which man ne'er knew; "I have a love for freedom too. "Ay! let me like the ocean-Patriarch 37 roam, "Or only know on land the Tartar's home! 38 "My tent on shore, my galley on the sea, "Are more than cities and Serais to me: 875 66 Borne by my steed, or wafted by my sail, "Across the desart, or before the gale, "Bound where thou wilt, my barb! or glide, my prow! "But be the star that guides the wanderer, Thou! "Thou, my Zuleika, share and bless my bark; "The Dove of peace and promise to mine ark! "Or, since that hope denied in worlds of strife, "Be thou the rainbow to the storms of life! "The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, "And tints to-morrow with prophetic ray! "Bless as the Muezzin's strain from Mecca's wall "To pilgrims pure and prostrate at his call; 886 "Soft as the melody of youthful days, "That steals the trembling tear of spechless praise; "Dear as his native song to Exile's ears, "Shall sound each tone thy long-loved voice endears. "For thee in those bright isles is built a bower "Blooming as Aden 59 in its earliest hour. 890 "A thousand swords, with Selim's heart and hand, "Wait wave defend command! destroy - at thy 895 "Girt by my band, Zuleika at my side, "The spoil of nations shall bedeck my bride. "The Haram's languid years of listless case "Are well resigned for cares-for joys like these: "Not blind to fate, I see, where'er I rove, "Unnumbered perils but one only love! "Yet well my toils shall that fond breast repay, 66 goo Though fortune frown, or falser friends betray. "How dear the dream in darkest hours of ill, "Should all be changed, to find thee faithful still! "Be but thy soul, like Selim's, firmly shown; 905 "To thee be Selim's tender as thine own; "To soothe each sorrow, share in each delight, "Blend every thought, do all - but disunite! "Once free, 'tis mine our horde again to guide; "Friends to each other, foes to aught beside: 910 "Yet there we follow but the bent assigned "By fatal Nature to man's warring kind: "Mark! where his carnage and his conquets cease! "He makes a solitude, and calls it peace! "I line the rest must use my skill or strength, 914 "But ask no land beyond my sabre's length: "Power sways but by division her resource "The blest alternative of fraud or force! "Ours be the last; in time deceit may come "When cities cage us in a social home: 920 "There ev'n thy soul might err - how oft the heart "Corruption shakes which peril could not part! "And woman, more than man, when death or woe "Or even disgrace would lay her lover low, "Sunk in the lap of Luxury will shame 86 "No more remains to win, and much to fear: 925 "Yes, fear! the doubt, the dread of losing thee, "By Osman's power, and Giaffir's stern decree. 930 "That dread shall vanish with the favouring gale "Wich Love to night hath promised to my sail: "No danger daunts the pair his smile hath blest, "Their steps still roving, but their hearts at rest. "With thee all toils are sweet, each clime hath charms; "Earth sea alike—our world within our arms! "Ay let the loud winds whistle o'er the deck, "So that those arms cling closer round my neck, "The deepest murmur of this lip shall be "No sigh for safety, but a prayer for thee! "The war of elements no fears impart 940 "To Love, whose deadliest bane is human Art: "There lie the only rocks our course can check; "Here moments menace there are years of wreck! "But hence ye thoughts that rise in Horror's shape! 945 |