No. III. AN ODE OF JAMI,. In the PERSIAN form and measure. How sweet the gale of morning breathes! Thou know'st, dear maid! when to thine ear Sweet news of my delight he brings; the tuneful bird of night, he brings. be led, his captives, through the sky, must ardent flames excite, he brings. he pass'd, and kiss'd the fragrant hem ; and jasmine's mantle white, he brings. to some base rival oft is ow'd; false tales, contriv'd in spite, he brings. since destiny my bliss forbids? to me no ray of light he brings. in vain a childish trouble gives, of heartsick love-lorn wight, he brings. no guidance can sad JAMI find, to thine all-piercing sight he brings. No. IV. A SONG, from the PERSIAN, paraphrased in the measure of the original. 1. SWEET as the rose that scents the gale, Bright as the lily of the vale, Yet with a heart like summer hail, Marring each beauty thou bearest. 2. Beauty 2. Beauty like thine, all nature thrills; 3. Where could those peerless flowrets blow? Whence are the thorns that near them grow? Wound me, but smile, O lovely foe, Smile on the heart thou tearest. 4. Sighing, I view that cypress waist, 5. Spreading thy toils with hands divine, Darting thy shafts at hearts like mine, 6. See at thy feet no vulgar slave, Frantic, with love's enchanting wave, Lady Jones having been exposed to some danger in an evening walk over the plains of Plassey, Sir William almost immediately wrote the following stanzas: No. V. PLASSEY-PLAIN*, A BALLAD, addressed to Lady JONES, by her Husband. "Tis not of Jâfer, nor of Clive, On Plassey's glorious field I sing; "Tis of the best good girl alive, Which most will deem a prettier thing. The Sun, in gaudy palanqueen, Curtain'd with purple, fring'd with gold, When Anna, to her bard long dear, Of Elwy swift, or Testa clear?) Tripp'd thro' the palm grove's verdant ranks. Where thou, bloody-thirsty Subahdár, Wast wont thy kindred beasts to chase, Till Britain's vengeful hounds of war, Chas'd thee to that well-destin'd place. Aug. 3, 1784. *It can scarcely be necessary to recall to the recollection of the reader, the victory gained by Lord Clive, over Seraj'uddoula, Subahdár or Viceroy of Bengal, on Plassey Plain. She knew what monsters rang'd the brake, To worth, and innocence approv'd, Wild perroquets first silence broke, Next, patient dromedaries stalk'd, A serpent dire, of size minute, With necklace brown, and freckled side, Three elephants, to warn her, call, But they no western tongue could speak; Fame says, a brother jabber'd Greek. * A common expression for the Hindustanee, or vernacular language of India. Superfluous Superfluous was their friendly zeal; For what has conscious truth to fear? Fierce boars her pow'rful influence feel, Mad buffaloes, or furious deer. E'en tigers, never aw'd before, And panting for so rare a food, No wonder since, on Elfin Land, Prais'd in sweet verse by bards adept, A lion vast was known to stand, Fair virtue's guard, while UNA slept. Yet, oh! had ONE her perils known, (Tho' all the lions in all space Made her security their own) He ne'er had found a resting place. No. VI. On seeing Miss *** ride by him, without knowing her. So lightly glanc'd she o'er the lawn, So lightly through the vale, Cardigan, August 14th, 1780. That not more swiftly bounds the fawn, Full well her bright-hair'd courser knew, And proudly shook the tassels blue, That on his neck he wore. Her |