Poems, on sacred and other subjects and songs, humorous and sentimental: By the late William Watt. Third edition of the songs only--with additional songs |
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Lynda and Dormac of Cassimere.
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 | Poems, on sacred and other subjects |  |
346
Lynda and Dormac of Cassimere.
At Achnagar, on Indus' strand,
The paradise of India's land,
Dwelt Lynda, pride of all the plain,
Who vice did treat still with disdain;
For her full many a heart did sigh,
For her was moisten'd many an eye;
And many tales of love she heard,
And was the theme of many a bard;
Yet unavailing all was still,
For reason sway'd her pliant will.
On her the sun ne'er vertic shone;
She ne'er traversed the torrid zone;
From home no farther she'd appear
Than the clear lake of Cassimere;
Or hills which Cabul do surround,
To mark the roving Tartars' bound.
The paradise of India's land,
Dwelt Lynda, pride of all the plain,
Who vice did treat still with disdain;
For her full many a heart did sigh,
For her was moisten'd many an eye;
And many tales of love she heard,
And was the theme of many a bard;
Yet unavailing all was still,
For reason sway'd her pliant will.
On her the sun ne'er vertic shone;
She ne'er traversed the torrid zone;
From home no farther she'd appear
Than the clear lake of Cassimere;
Or hills which Cabul do surround,
To mark the roving Tartars' bound.
In rich palanquin would she ride,
With eastern pomp, without its pride;
Or lonely by the river rove,
And list the music of the grove:
She to religion did incline,
While that with mercy would combine;
But rites contained in Brahma's code
She thought offended nature's God.
With eastern pomp, without its pride;
Or lonely by the river rove,
And list the music of the grove:
She to religion did incline,
While that with mercy would combine;
But rites contained in Brahma's code
She thought offended nature's God.
If e'er on earth was beauty's queen,
Young Lynda was the same, I ween,
And the great boast of Cyprus' isle
Had disappear'd in Lynda's smile.
The Grecian bards had changed their theme,
Had they beheld this nymph supreme.
Young Lynda was the same, I ween,
And the great boast of Cyprus' isle
Had disappear'd in Lynda's smile.
The Grecian bards had changed their theme,
Had they beheld this nymph supreme.
The fame of Lynda swiftly spread,
Which to her many lovers led;
'Mong whom did to her mansion steer
Young Dormac, Prince of Cassimere;
Charm'd by her captivating grace,
He thought her scarce of mortal race.
She night and day was in his mind;
In nothing could he pleasure find,
Save in the company of her
Whom he did to all earth prefer.
'Mong India's beauties found he none
He could admire but her alone;
And oft in transport he'd extol
This only darling of his soul.
He sued that she would be his wife,
For with her was his joy in life;
Placed all his riches in her power,
Which heaven abundantly did shower;
So, after many a fond essay,
They set the pompous nuptial day.
Which to her many lovers led;
'Mong whom did to her mansion steer
Young Dormac, Prince of Cassimere;
Charm'd by her captivating grace,
He thought her scarce of mortal race.
She night and day was in his mind;
In nothing could he pleasure find,
347
Whom he did to all earth prefer.
'Mong India's beauties found he none
He could admire but her alone;
And oft in transport he'd extol
This only darling of his soul.
He sued that she would be his wife,
For with her was his joy in life;
Placed all his riches in her power,
Which heaven abundantly did shower;
So, after many a fond essay,
They set the pompous nuptial day.
“Oh, well-away! sweet Lynda cried,
Could not young Dormac be denied?
Ah, no! the potent god of love
Can every obstacle remove.
Methinks I could, without a sigh,
Hear the grave Bramin's deathless tie;
And, should my Dormac first expire,
I'd mount for him the fatal pyre,
And thus would I resign my breath
With him whom I do love to death.”
Could not young Dormac be denied?
Ah, no! the potent god of love
Can every obstacle remove.
Methinks I could, without a sigh,
Hear the grave Bramin's deathless tie;
And, should my Dormac first expire,
I'd mount for him the fatal pyre,
And thus would I resign my breath
With him whom I do love to death.”
The day arrived, and Dormac came
His greatest earthly bliss to claim,
In all the glow of eastern grandeur,
Of Soubah-pride and garnish'd splendour;
With stately elephants, array'd
In golden tissue, rich display'd;
And Lynda left her sire's abode,
And with her Dormac homeward rode,
In all the flush of nuptial joy,
Devoid of mixture or alloy.
But wild revenge did rudely rave
In Vender's bosom, of Devave,
Whose love, rejected, turn'd to hate,
And seal'd the lovers' bloody fate.
A Tartar leader he had been,
Who many foughten fields had seen;
But insurrection made him leave
Parch'd Eskerdu for green Devave:
There heard he of gay Lynda's fame,
And off in suit of her he came,
Who loathed his rude unpolish'd look,
And still his company forsook.
His greatest earthly bliss to claim,
In all the glow of eastern grandeur,
Of Soubah-pride and garnish'd splendour;
With stately elephants, array'd
In golden tissue, rich display'd;
And Lynda left her sire's abode,
And with her Dormac homeward rode,
In all the flush of nuptial joy,
Devoid of mixture or alloy.
But wild revenge did rudely rave
In Vender's bosom, of Devave,
Whose love, rejected, turn'd to hate,
And seal'd the lovers' bloody fate.
A Tartar leader he had been,
Who many foughten fields had seen;
But insurrection made him leave
Parch'd Eskerdu for green Devave:
There heard he of gay Lynda's fame,
And off in suit of her he came,
348
And still his company forsook.
He hired a band of ruffians vile,
Who traced the marriage route the while,
Till it arrived at Cassimere,
And enter'd Dormac's castle there,
Whence rang the sound of festival,
Both night and day, within the hall;
Such mirth as hotter blew the fire
Of Vender's breast, deep fraught with ire:
For he ere long did strike the blow
Which turn'd this joy to deepest woe.
Who traced the marriage route the while,
Till it arrived at Cassimere,
And enter'd Dormac's castle there,
Whence rang the sound of festival,
Both night and day, within the hall;
Such mirth as hotter blew the fire
Of Vender's breast, deep fraught with ire:
For he ere long did strike the blow
Which turn'd this joy to deepest woe.
One day this lovely pair did rove
Within the fragrant cooling grove,
Beside the clear unruffled lake,
And, sweet, of mutual love they spake:
But Vender, with his ruthless band,
Did lie in ambush nigh at hand,
Who rush'd upon the hapless pair,
And instantly did slay them there.
No pity did the caitiff show,
For Vender pity never knew,
Else had mild Lynda's angel face
Deterr'd him from his purpose base.
He sank their bodies in the lake,
And did himself to flight betake.
The servants all in Dormac's dome
Did weary for their coming home:
The night arrived, but came not they;
The sun arose with radiant ray,
But Dormac, with his Lynda sweet,
Return'd no more, their friends to greet.
The wood was search'd all round and round,
But the fond pair could not be found:
Hence goes this tale through Cassimere,
That they were tired of staying here,
And had fled up into the air,
To dwell along with Bramah there.
Within the fragrant cooling grove,
Beside the clear unruffled lake,
And, sweet, of mutual love they spake:
But Vender, with his ruthless band,
Did lie in ambush nigh at hand,
Who rush'd upon the hapless pair,
And instantly did slay them there.
No pity did the caitiff show,
For Vender pity never knew,
Else had mild Lynda's angel face
Deterr'd him from his purpose base.
He sank their bodies in the lake,
And did himself to flight betake.
The servants all in Dormac's dome
Did weary for their coming home:
The night arrived, but came not they;
The sun arose with radiant ray,
But Dormac, with his Lynda sweet,
Return'd no more, their friends to greet.
The wood was search'd all round and round,
But the fond pair could not be found:
Hence goes this tale through Cassimere,
That they were tired of staying here,
And had fled up into the air,
To dwell along with Bramah there.
| Poems, on sacred and other subjects | |