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lapfe; and let the hurry of action prevent the returns of unmanly foftnefs. Happily an opportunity offers. Jared, the Bafha of Baffora, is now returning from his government, to prefent himfelf before the Sultan, and be invested with fome higher command. He carries with him half the wealth of the city. The prize is noble; and, in feizing it, we fhall have the additional fatisfac tion of punishing a cruel and inhuman 'oppreffor.'

The heart of Omar throbbed with impatience. The apparently generous and affectionate treatment of Mirza rivetted his attachment; the opportunity of retrieving his reputation, and of difplaying his valour, fired his ambition; and the idea of taking vengeance on the tyrannical Bafhaw palliated the atrocity of the defign. Still, however, he was undeter mined. Abdallah, faid he hesitating, and with a figh, Abdallah must be con• fuited.' · Abdallah,' interrupted_the Arab, will oppofe the enterprize. The time is precious. A moment's delay may be runinous to our expectations. A few days will reftore thee to Abdallah; and, when he beholds thee loaded with fpoils and adorned with conqueft, envious of thy fame, will he upbraid thee? Trust me, it is the danger and uncertainty that render him at prefent inflexible. Succefs will obviate his difpleafure. This artful fophiftry deluded the reafon of Omar. He departed with Mirza, and was received at the camp with congratulation. They marched incontinent against the Bafhaw, whom they aflaulted with undaunted vafour. But, the followers of Jared being no lefs obftinate in their defence than the affailants were vigorous in their attack, the iffue of the conteft feemed for fome time doubtful. The good fortune of Mirza at length prevailed. The Bafhaw was routed, and flain in the purfuit; and all the gold and jewels he had rapaci oufly amaffed at Baflora fell a prey to the enemy. Omar, who had exhibited feats of uncommon valour in the engagement, was defirous of returning to Abdallah, anxious to receive his forgiveness, and hopeful that the fuccefs of his enterprize would enfure his approbation. Mirza, whofe emiffaries were vigilant, being well informed of the ftate of Omar's family, acquiefced in the propofal, and difmiffed him with foine attendants, enjoining their speedy return.

The cottage of Abdallah, fheltered with trees, was fituated in a little valley,

watered by meandering rivulets, and enamelled with flowers. Omar approached the well-known dwelling with a mixture of hope and uneafinefs, He entered with eager folicitude, and was aftonished at the gloomy filence of the place. A thoufand frightful fuggeftions alarmed his imagination; the colour vanifhed from his cheek, and he flew impatient through every corner of the forfaken manfion. At length he fpied a hoary domeftic, whofe limbs were covered with fack cloth, and who bore in his appearance every fympton of the deepeft afflic tion. Of him he demanded his father. The domeftic ftarted as from a trance; he furveyed Omar with an eye of horror and difmay; and feemed in act to withdraw from his prefence. Icharge thee,' cried Omar with a menacing geftare, I charge thee, give me tidings of Abdallah. Parricide !' replied the domeftic, dareft thou utter that venerable name? dareft thou tread the threshold of a dwelling formerly the habitation of peace by thee rendered defolate? Abdallah, delivered from forrow, fhall no longer deplore thine ingratitude. Depart, monfler of inhumanity, depart with 'thy compeers; be blafted in thine unlawful defires, and tormented with the

pangs of remorfe!' The tears of Omar defcended like a fhower. In an attitude of humble entreaty, he befought the faithful attendant to relate the particulars of his misfortune. The old man, softened by his unaffected forrow, addressed him in the following manner: • When Ab

6

dallah received the tidings of your departure with Mirza, and of your designs againft the Bafhaw, his foul languished, and funk in defpondency. He fighed bitterly, but uttered not a word. His tearlefs eyes were fixed on the ground; anon he raised them to heaven like one expoftulating. At midnight he fiole fil nt and unobferved from the cottage. No veftige of his footfteps can be dif'cerned the angel of death hath laid. hold of him, for defpair was preying I upon his fpirit.' Sorrow and remorle feized the bofom of Omar. Motionlefs and defolate, he ftood like a fir-tree on the mountains, blafted by the livid lightening. With an afpect wild and difordered, he turned to his attendants Leave me,' he faid; let the path I tread be avoided! infamous as I am and abhorred! O venerable and ill-requited father! tender to me was thine 'affection; and with bitter anguifh have 'I rewarded thee! Parricide as I am, 'alt

• all nature cries out against me and I am 'doomed to deftruction. Where is the cold and lifelefs body? Expofed to the ravenous beafts of the defart, and to the fowls of heaven; none to comfort thee in the dreary hour of thy departure, and perform due obfequies to thy re'mains;' Three days he journied through the foreft in queit of his father; but in vain. He grew feeble with fatigue and difappointment; and, in proportion as his mind languished, the violence of his grief abated. He then liftened to the entreaty of his friends, and defifted from his fruitlefs labour. He confoled himself with reflecting on the friendship of Mirza, which had hitherto appeared generous and difinterefted; and was eafily perfuaded to leave the habitation of his ancestors, where every object he beheld feemed to accufe and upbraid him.

Thus broken and subdued with affliction, the heart of Omar was peculiarly difpofed to indulge even the weakness of iendship, and impart his forrow to fome faithful breaft. The recent agitation he had undergone left his mind feeble, and in a state of exquifite fenfiblity; no lefs alive to every feeling of tenderness, than awake to every fymptom of decaying regard. Under the femblance of affection affumed by the Arab, he discerned indifference; and was mortified on perceiving him infenfible to his diftrefs. Pained with the apprehenfions of infidelity in his profeffing friend, and,de firous of having his fufpicions either removed or confirmed, he infifted on having his portion of the booty immediately allowed him. Mirza was by this time tired of perfonating a character different from his own: He imagined that Omar, having incurred the hatred of his friends, muft neceffarily remain his dependent; and, inftigatedby the natural rapacity of his avarice, he threw off the mafk of difinterested friendship, and difcovered a temper, fierce, treacherous, and inhuman. Young man,' faid he, with a tone of unufual severity, You have engaged to

follow the fortunes of Mirza, and muft fubmit to his authority. You are valiant, and fo is the reft of my band. If you diftinguish yourself by any uncommon exploit, your conduct fhall not pafs unregarded. Remember too that obedience fhall be exacted rigorously.? Omar now groaned under the accumulated weight of his misfortunes. His eyes were opened to the fraudulent and ferocious character of Mirza. He fhuddered with horror at the profpect that lay be fore him; he was afflicted with regret on recollecting the freedom and felicity

he had forfeited; and was diftracted with felf-condemnation and forrow, when he remembered Abdallah. The manners and principles of his affociates, in every refpect different from his own, gave him frequent uneafinefs; and the difapprobation he teftified expofed him to their contempt.

za,

Meantime, it was reported to Mirthat a powerful force was collected at Baffora, and the places adjacent, to fupprefs his infolence, and ravish from him the spoils he had lately acquired. The measures taken against him were fo vigorous and well-concerted, that he was almoft environed by the enemy before he was aware of their defigns. In the hurry and confufion occafioned by this alar ming intelligence, he formed the refolution of putting to death his captives, left, during the approaching attack, they fhould excite fome diforder. Omar, with fome others, was commanded to execute this inhuman commiffion; but his heart revolted againft the deed, and he refused to obey. Traitor,' exclaimed the Arab, you are fuborned by my pur'fuers, and mean to betay me into their

hands. Excruciating torments are the ' reward of treason.' Omar protefting his innocence, expoftulated with Mirza concerning the barbarity of his intention. In return, he was loaded with severe reproaches. He muft either embrue his hands in the blood of the unarmed, defencelefs prifoners, who filled the air with their cries, or die the painful and dishonoured death of a traitor. The me mory of his former offences piercing his foul with agony; the anguish arifing from the difappointment of his mifguid ed ambition, now fufficiently quelled and corrected; the profpect of guilt and ig.. noble dependence to which he muft neceffarily fubmit, fhould he continue his alliance with the Arab; together with the incitements of compaffion which now reigned in his breaft uncontrouled, rendered him careless of preferving his life on any other conditions than thofe of virtue, and determined him to persevere in his oppofition. The diforder stirred up by the mutiny of Omar, who was joined by fome difcontented Arabs, proved fatal to their common fafety. They were furrounded by their purfuers; they were ftruck with an univerfal panic; and incapable of confulting for themselves, or of paying attention to the commands of their leader, they ran to and fro in confufion. Mirza, perceiving himself irrecoverably loft, and flaming with exafperated fury, rushed upon Omar with

his naked fabre-Perifh,' he cried, 'perfidious and guilty traitor!-The troops of Bafora entering in hafte interpofed; they prevented the execution of his bloody purpole; they overpowered and beheaded him.

Omar, during the tumult and rapine that enfued, made his efcape to the moun tains, more folicitous to avoid the fetters and captivity impofed by the conquerors, than anxious to preferve his life. He entered into a gloomy cavern over arched by a rugged rock: the entrance was perplexed with thorns, and the infide was covered with mofs. Here he threw himself on the ground, and abandoned his foul to forrow. Meantime, an old man apparelled like a hermit entered the cave. Be not afraid,' said Omar, raifing himself from the ground, and perceiving the furprise and embaraffinent of the ftranger, Be not afraid of a wretch · weary of life, who flattered himself that this folitary retreat would have been the ultimate fcene of his mifery.' The old man furveyed him with close attention; he seemed difconcerted; but recollecting himself, he expreffed compat fion for his sufferings, and inquired into their caufe. Omar related briefly the commencement of his connection with the Arab, with all its fatal confequences; and concluded with expreffions of forrow and unfeigned repentance. The hermit was affected and endeavoured to confole him: You feem,' faid he, in the pre of youth, and the ftorms incident to that blooming period, though violent, are foon difperfed. The complaints of mortals proceed from the disappointment of indulged or habituated paffions; infamy and difgrace are the 'greatest calamities that beal the ambitious; and a fiate of indigence dreaded by the mifer as the completion of all human misfortunes; bur, in youth, the capacity of enjoying happinefs is unimpaired; for no particular appetite hath become fo habitual by reiterated acts of indulgence, or hath gained an afcendency fo abfolute as to diminish the energy, and fuperf-de the authority of the reft.' "The fenfe of misfortune,' faid Omar, may be foftened, but the consciousness of guilt and the pangs of remorfe are eternal. Abdallah was my friend, my counfellor, and my conductor; I defpifed his counfels, rejected his admonitions, loaded his old age with affliction, and fent him forrowing to the grave. Deftructive thirst of applaufe; by thee I was de

is

luded; by thee, lured to my ruin!' Blame not the love of fame,' faid the ftranger. It is a generous paffion, it conduces to happiness; and improves our virtue. But its real nature and tendency must be afcertained. It is not gratified by mere celebrity, nor by the parade and pageantry of external gran deur. Thele may impofe on the multitude, but they yield no vital, no intrinfic joy to the owner. The pleasure arifing from true renown depends on the correfpondence between the o'pinion of others, and the confcicufness of upright acts and intentions. It refembles the pleafure produced by the harmony of a mufical inftrument tuned in unifon with a melodious voice, and replying to its fweet modulations. It " may be enjoyed no less in the vale of retirement, than amid the fplendour and 'neife of the public; for in both situations the principles of felf-command and beneficence may be cultivated and exercife' While the hermit was thus difcourfing, the countenance and demeanour of Omar betrayed every fign of remorfe. Painful recollection,' faid he, torments me. Thele maxims were often inculcated by Abdallal.. But my heart was preju diced, and my reafon obfcured. Ο Abdallah! Abdallah! happy art thou in the gardens of the bleffea; delivered from thy forrows by death; never more 'fhail Ibhold thee; never mere fhall I enjoy thy friendship, and profit by thy inftructions. Be comforted,' faid the hermit, Abdallah is happy, but not in the gardens of the bieffed; delivered from forrow, but not by the angel of death. My fon! my fon! lift up thine eyes on thy father. Dearly hast thou paid the forfeit of thine error, and fuf ficiently have mifguided paffions been chaftened.' On.ar, under the difguife of the hermit, recognized the venerable Abdallah. His hands were held forth to receive the filial embraces of his fon; an air of ferene delight was diffufed through his countenance; he seemed fimiling; yet a tear, fpringing from affection, giiftened in his eyes, as they beamed their tender light upon Omar. Omar fell proftrate before him. 'lam unworthy,' he faid, I am unworthy, O my father, of thy forgivenefs! But thou art alive! Holy Allah, accept my thanks!' The favour of Heaven,' anfwered Abdallah, railing him from the ground, and the benediction of a father be upon thee; forget thy woes, and be happy.' Thus the contrition of Omar was ge

6

nuine and complete; and the forgivenes of Abdallah was neither allayed by fufpicion, nor embittered with reproach. They returned to their valley; and on fight of their fequefered cottage, the feelings of Omar broke forth in the following addrefs. Haii! peaceful retreat of innocence. Ye woods! ye meadows! and ye ftreams! foft fcenes of my infant fports and my youthful paftime, receive the fugitive, admit me to your quiet receffes, and let me tafte your uncorrupted pleafures. Return, ny flock! too long have you wandered amid rocks and thickes, forrowful and untended! A

6

'gain will your shepherd protect you, again conduct you to the upland paltures, and at noontide to the watered retreats. "O ye nymphs and shepherds of this hap py valley, let the paftoral reed be war'ble, let me liften to the fimple and affecting minstrelly! let me participate in your pleafures, and contribute to your enjoyment. Bear witness, ye hills, and groves, and lucid ftreams, no felicity hata Omar tafted fince he forfook you; and never, O never, mifled by the 'counfels of folly, will he relinquish these 'peaceful retirements, and forfeit his repose.'

O DE

For the KING's BIRTH DAY. Written by MR WARTON, And set to Music by Mr PARSONS. I.

IT IN what fountain's craggy

cell

Delights the goddefs Health to dwell? Where from the rigid roof diftils Her richest stream, in fteely rills? What mineral gems entwine her humid locks

Lo, fparkling high from potent springs To Britain's fons her cup fhe brings! Romantic Matlock! are thy tufted rocks, Thy fringed declivities, the dim retreat Where the coy Nymph has fix'd her fav'rite feat?

And hears, recln'd along the thundering fhore,

Indignant Darwent's defultory tide

His rugged channel rudely chide; Darwent, whofe fhaggy wreath is ftain'd with Danish gore!

II.

Or does the drefs her Naiad-cave

With coral fpoils from Neptune's wave,
And hol' fhort revels with the train
Of Nymphs that tread the neighbouring
main ?

And from the cliffs of Avon's *cavern'd fide

Temper the balmy beverage pure, That fraught with "drops of precious cure,"

Brings back to trembling Hope the drooping bride;

That in the virgin's check renews the rofe, And wraps the eye of Pain in quick repofe!

*The Avon at Bristol.

While oft the climbs the mountains shelv. ing fteeps,

And callsher votaries wan to catch the gale That breaths o'er Afhton's elmy vale, And from the Cambrian hills the billowy Severn sweeps

III.

Or broods the Nymph withwatchful wing O'er ancient Badon's myftic fpring? And speeds with its fulphureous fource The fteamy torrent's fecret course; And fans th' eternal sparks of hidden fire, In deep unfathom❜d beds below By Bladad s magic taught to glow, Bladad, high theme of Fancy's Gothic lyre!

Or opes the healing Power her chosen fount

In the rich veins of Malvern's ample mount?

From whofe tall ridge the noontide wanderer views,

Pomona's purple realm, in April's pride, Its blaze of bloom expanding wide, And waving groves array'd in Flora's faireft hues.

IV.

Haunts fhe the scene, where nature low.

ers

O'er Buxton's heath in lingering fhowers?

Or loves the more, with fanda! fleet,

In mattin dance the Nymphs to meet, That on the flowery marge of Chelder § play?

Who, boaftful of the ftately train, That deign'd to grace this fimple plain, Late, with new pride, along his reedy

way,

Bort

Heray'd,

The flow'r of Lennox' ancient race;
On his beaming front difplay'd

High valour and majestic grace:
He comes, as when the god of day
Hears on theeaftern hills his proud steeds
neigh,

And chides the lagging hours—thine eye Avert, nor trust, fond Queen, the treacherous fympathy:

Thy heart, that fwells with love's voluptuous tide,

Shall mourn the coldness of thine alter'd nate;

The ftorm of boisterous paffion fhall fubfide,

And ardent throbs expire in jealous hate: Scar'dpleafure flies from thy unhallow'd bed, While vengeance ftalks around, and beckons to the dead.

What fadly-foothing ftrain, What mournful melody hath caught mine ear?

Ah! no more the notes I hear

The leffening cadence dies along the plain:

Sweet minstrel, whose enchanting art
In ecftafy can lap the heart;
Why hath thy muse advent'rous stray'd
From Doria's ftream and Sufa's warb-
ling fhade?

In clattering hawberk clad, thro'
night's ftill gloom,

Stern Ruthven fiercely talks with hag gard mien ;

With thundering tone proclaims the
victim's doom.

And tears her minion from a doating
Queen;

'Thro' the arch'd courts, and storied chambers high,

Loud fhrieks of terror ring, and death's expiring cry.

* Bid the deep tempeft roar,
And whelm a baleful crew;
Proud lord of Iniftore!

Be thine, thy guilt to rue-
Pent in the dungeon's dark and ftony

womb,

O'er thee be rais'd a living tomb;
Grim fiends and spectres dire
Hover round thy coward head,
And fwart melancholy shed

Her chilling dews that quench th' ethereal fire;

For lo! yon form, that rides the ftorm, Traitor, 'tis thy murder'd king!

He joins the hofts of monarchs ghosts; Of the days of old they fing→

With founds of loud lament they hail His fanguine fhade, that fires the misty air;

Sublime they float, and o'er the mountains bare

In majefty of midnight fail: Down heav'n's broad fteep defcend in dread

array,

And in the fhadowy moon's pale confine melt away.

Ill fated Queen! thy star, that stood

On the pure zenith's blazing height,
Now reddening meets the troubled flood,

And streams with melancholy light:
In yonder cloud, the book of Fate,
Read the long fufferings of thy captive
ftate;

There count the groans, whofe nightly
found

Thrills the wide-water'd moat, and castle's lonefome round:

Tho' in thy veinsrich streamsof honour flow, Tho' thy proud hand a double fceptre preft;

No genial ties fuspend the ruthless blow,

Nor love, nor pity melt a rival's breast : "Perish the traitor! perifh!" Shrewsbury cries,

While gentle Melvil veils his forrow. Arcaming eyes.'