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ERRATA.

Line 300, Canto I

For" is it me?" read" is it I?"

Omitted, Canto II. page 47, after line 449.

"So that those arms cling closer round my neck

READ

"The deepest murmur of this lip shall be

"No sigh for safety, but a prayer for thee!

THE

BRIDE OF ABYDOS.

CANTO I.

I.

KNOW ye the land where the cypress and myrtle
Are emblems of deeds that are done in their clime,
Where the rage of the vulture-the love of the turtle-
Now melt into sorrow-now madden to crime?-

Know ye the land of the cedar and vine?

Where the flowers ever blossom, the beams ever shine

Where the light wings of Zephyr, oppressed with perfume, Wax faint o'er the gardens of Gúl1 in her bloom;

Where the citron and olive are fairest of fruit,

And the voice of the nightingale never is mute;

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Where the tints of the earth, and the hues of the sky,

In colour though varied, in beauty may vie,

And the purple of Ocean is deepest in die;

Where the virgins are soft as the roses they twine,

And all, save the spirit of man, is divine

B

"Tis the clime of the east-'tis the land of the Sun

Can he smile on such deeds as his children have done? *

Oh! wild as the accents of lovers' farewell

Are the hearts which they bear, and the tales which they tell.

II.

Begirt with many a gallant slave,
Apparelled as becomes the brave,

Awaiting each his Lord's behest

To guide his steps, or guard his rest,
Old Giaffir sate in his Divan,

Deep thought was in his aged eye;
And though the face of Mussulman
Not oft betrays to standers by

The mind within, well skill'd to hide

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All but unconquerable pride,

His pensive cheek and pondering brow

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Did more than he was wont avow.

III.

"Let the chamber be cleared"—the train disappeared

"Now call me the chief of the Haram guard-"

With Giaffir is none but his only son,

And the Nubian awaiting the sire's award.

"Haroun-when all the crowd that wait
"Are passed beyond the outer gate,
" (Woe to the head whose eye beheld

(6 My child Zuleika's face unveiled!)

"Hence, lead my daughter from her tower—

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"Her fate is fixed this very hour;

"Yet not to her repeat my thought— By me alone be duty taught!"

"Pacha! to hear is to obey."
No more must slave to despot say—
Then to the tower had ta'en his way,
But here young Selim silence brake,
First lowly rendering reverence meet;
And downcast looked, and gently spake,

Still standing at the Pacha's feet.

For son of Moslem must expire,

Ere dare to sit before his sire!

"Father!-for fear that thou should'st chide "My sister, or her sable guide

"Know-for the fault, if fault there be,

"Was mine-then fall thy frowns on me!

B 2

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"So lovelily the morning shone,

"That-let the old and weary sleep

"I could not; and to view alone

"The fairest scenes of land and deep, "With none to listen and reply

"To thoughts with which my heart beat high "Were irksome-for whate'er my mood,

"In sooth I love not solitude:

"I on Zuleika's slumber broke,

66 And, as thou knowest that for me "Soon turns the Haram's grating key, "Before the guardian slaves awoke

"We to the cypress groves had flown,

"And made earth, main, and heaven our own! "There lingered we, beguiled too long ́

"With Mejnoun's tale, or Sadi's song; "Till I, who heard the deep tambour 4 "Beat thy Divan's approaching hour— "To thee and to my duty true,

3

"Warn'd by the sound, to greet thee flew : "But there Zuleika wanders yet

"Nay, father, rage not-nor forget

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