had presented to Tahmina, on the arm of Sobráb, and afterwards exafperated to madness by the refusal of KAOOS, to supply him with a remedy which he poffeffed of infallible efficacy, and the inconfolable anguish of Tahmina on learning the death of her fon, are described by Ferdufi, with great beauty and pathos; and the whole ftory forms one of the most affecting and poetical incidents in the Shahnameh. I wish it were in my power to gratify the reader with a translation of it, but I want both time and abilities for the task. I fhall, however, venture to present him with the version of a few lines, which Ferdufi puts into the mouth of Sohrab, immediately after he had received the fatal wound, describing the mode in which the two heroes discovered each other; the paffage in the original at leaft) is neither deficient in merit nor interest. To find a father only known by name, Wretch that I am, I sought the field of fame.. 1 Or like a fish, the ocean's depths pervade, Or like the night, involve thy form in shade, My sire, pursuing, shall revenge my death. "What sire?" the victor cries with fault'ring breath, "Rustum!" (the youth rejoins) " Tahmina fair, My spotless mother, nam'd me Rustum's heir. " The plan of the propofed Tragedy, appears to have been frequently revised and corrected; the business of each act is detailed, but after all, it is too imperfect for publication. From the introduction of a chorus of Perfian Sages or Magi, it may be inferred, that Sir William Jones propofed writing it, after the model of the Greek tragedy, and he certainly intended to observe a strict adherence to the coftume of the age and country, in which the events of his Tragedy were fuppofed to have occurred. The following Epode, is the only part of the composition fufficiently complete for the reader's perufal. ̧ E PODE. What power, beyond all pow'rs elate, 'Tis not nature, 'tis not fate, 'Tis not the dance of atoms blind, Etherial space, or subtile flame; No; 'tis one vast eternal mind, He forms, pervades, directs the whole; By ways nor seen, nor understood, Which e'en his angels vainly might explore. High, their highest thoughts above, Truth, wisdom, justice, mercy, love, Wrought in his heav'nly essence, blaze and soar. Mortals, who his glory seek, Rapt in contemplation meek, Him fear, him trust, him venerate, him adore. I annex a fac-fimile of the writing ofSir William Jones, and I close the volume with fome lines on his death, written by her Grace the Duchefs of Devonshire, and inferted at the particular request of Lady Jones. On the Death of Sir WILLIAM JONES. Teignmouth, 1795. Unbounded learning, thoughts by genius fram'd, Upright through life, as in his death resign'd, Admir'd and valued in a distant land, The prostrate Hindu own'd his fostering hand, Regret and praise the general voice bestows, But deeper yet must be the grief of those, END OF THE MEMOIRS, |