He

26.

With earnest eyes the banqueters
Fed on the sight impure;

And Thalaba, he gazed,

But in his heart he bore a talisman,
Whose blessed alchemy

To virtuous thoughts refin'd

The loose suggestions of the scene impure. Oneiza's image swam before his sight, His own Arabian Maid.

rose, and from the banquet room he rush'd, And tears ran down his burning cheek; And nature for a moment woke the thought, And murmured, that, from all domestic joys Estranged, he wandered o'er the world A lonely being, far from all he lov'd. Son of Hodeirah, not among thy crimes That momentary murmur shall be written!

27.

From tents of revelry,

From festal bowers, to solitude he ran ;

And now he reach'd where all the rills

Of that well-watered garden in one tide
Roll'd their collected waves.

A straight and stately bridge

Stretch'd its long arches o'er the ample stream.
Strong in the evening, and distinct its shade
Lay on the watery mirror, and his eye
Saw it united with its parent pile,

One huge fantastic fabric. Drawing near, Loud from the chambers of the bridge below, Sounds of carousal came and song,

And unveil'd women bade the advancing youth Come merry-make with them! Unhearing, or unheeding, Thalaba

Past o'er with hurried

pace,

And plunged amid the forest solitude.

28.

Deserts of Araby!

His soul return'd to you.

He cast himself upon the earth,
And clos'd his eyes, and call'd
The voluntary vision up.

A cry, as of distress,

Arous'd him; loud it came and near ! He started up, he strung his bow, He pluck'd the arrow forth.

Again a shriek.. a woman's shriek ! And lo! she rushes through the trees, Her veil all rent, her garments torn! He follows close, the ravisher.. Even on the unechoing grass

She hears his tread, so near!

Prophet, save me! save me, God!

"Help! help!" she cried to Thalaba;

Thalaba drew the bow.

The unerring arrow did its work of death. He turn'd him to the woma^, and beheld His own Oneiza, his Arabian Maid.

NOTES TO BOOK VI.

Of Solomon came down.-P. 4.

THE Arabian horses are divided into two great branches; the Kadischi, whose descent is unknown, and the Kochlani, of whom a written genealogy has been kept for 2000 years. These last are reserved for riding solely; they are highly esteemed, and consequently very dear; they are said to derive their origin from King Solomon's studs; however this may be, they are fit to bear the greatest fatigues, and can pass whole days without food; they are also said to show uncommon courage against an enemy; it is even asserted, that when a horse of this race finds himself wounded, and unable to bear his rider much longer, he retires from the fray, and conveys him to a place of security. If the rider falls upon the ground, his horse remains beside him, and neighs till assistance is brought. The Kochlani are neither large nor handsome, but amazingly swift; the whole race is divided into several families, each of which has its proper name. Some of these have a higher reputation than others, on account of their more ancient and uncontaminated nobility.

Niebuhr

VOL. II.

B