Persian love elegies To which is added The nymph of Tauris [by John Wolcot] |
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| II. |
ELEGY II.
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| X. |
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| XII. |
| XIII. |
 | Persian love elegies |  |
3
ELEGY II.
[From Spahan's walls the pride of Persia stray'd]
HE GIVES AN ACCOUNT OF MIRVA'S RETIRING FROM SPAHAN, THE CAPITAL OF PERSIA, TO THE VALLEY OF ZULPHA.
From Spahan's walls the pride of Persia stray'd,
With peace to wander through the flow'ry vale;
With meek Content to smile, the dove-ey'd maid,
And breathe with rosy health the morning gale,
With peace to wander through the flow'ry vale;
With meek Content to smile, the dove-ey'd maid,
And breathe with rosy health the morning gale,
Where Sandru's streams the banks of Zulpha lave,
And crown her valley with unfading bloom;
Where, to the winds, whole woods of fragrance wave,
And tuneful rapture floats from gloom to gloom.
And crown her valley with unfading bloom;
Where, to the winds, whole woods of fragrance wave,
And tuneful rapture floats from gloom to gloom.
From courts she flew, where Envy's imps reside,
Where prostitution pours her wanton songs,
Where abject slav'ry bends the neck to pride,
And Tumult thunders with his thousand tongues.
Where prostitution pours her wanton songs,
Where abject slav'ry bends the neck to pride,
And Tumult thunders with his thousand tongues.
Tho' Courts admir'd, the modest damsel chose
To steal her beauties from the public view:
How like the berry that through Zulpha glows,
And hides beneath the leaf its blushing hue.
To steal her beauties from the public view:
How like the berry that through Zulpha glows,
And hides beneath the leaf its blushing hue.
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Tho' Mirva's smiles so dear to ev'ry eye,
Life, like the sun, to Persia's realms impart;
Tho' at her bloom the rose of Salem die,
What are the virgin's beauties to her heart!
Life, like the sun, to Persia's realms impart;
Tho' at her bloom the rose of Salem die,
What are the virgin's beauties to her heart!
To Mirva's hand, I own my wish aspires;
Mean are my merits, hers how far above!
Yet can I boast what she alone requires,
A heart to guard her, and a soul to love.
Mean are my merits, hers how far above!
Yet can I boast what she alone requires,
A heart to guard her, and a soul to love.
Few are the wants which wait the happy pair:
What, tho' no gold their humble cot displays:
Content, divine Content with careless air,
'Midst folly's palace bids the bauble blaze.
What, tho' no gold their humble cot displays:
Content, divine Content with careless air,
'Midst folly's palace bids the bauble blaze.
Contentment shuns the splendid domes of kings,
Where rankling Jealousies in ambush lie;
Where mad Ambition plum'd with eagle wings,
Strikes at the stars his wild aspiring eye.
Where rankling Jealousies in ambush lie;
Where mad Ambition plum'd with eagle wings,
Strikes at the stars his wild aspiring eye.
Kings, like their slaves who lick the dust, can mourn,
Yet slav'ry scarce can dream of royal woe!
Too oft they bleed by mis'ry's goading thorn,
And look with envy on the world below.
Yet slav'ry scarce can dream of royal woe!
Too oft they bleed by mis'ry's goading thorn,
And look with envy on the world below.
5
In rural bow'rs, Content delights to dwell,
To cull the sweets of nature's simple vale,
To join the hermit in the moss-clad cell,
And carol with the daughters of the dale.
To cull the sweets of nature's simple vale,
To join the hermit in the moss-clad cell,
And carol with the daughters of the dale.
To fortune's radiant shrine let thousands bow.
And to their wishes heap their golden piles;
To one fair virgin let me breathe my vow,
And let my only treasure be her smiles.
And to their wishes heap their golden piles;
To one fair virgin let me breathe my vow,
And let my only treasure be her smiles.
| Persian love elegies | |