1832.] A Merry Tale with a Merry Moral. 301 



When it was found that change of air, change of scene, and change of 

 physic did no good, the great assembly of the magi of the kingdom was 

 convened, and all the passages to the hall were guarded by military : 

 here Casti takes the opportunity, and seems to rejoice in it (as Tassoni 

 had done before him, vide La Secchia Rapita, c. ii. st. 39), of abusing 

 the manner in which the soldiery usually conducted themselves on such 

 occasions : 



Di soldatesca a duri modi avezza 



Son privilegi impertinenza c asprezza. 



Then we are told of the various suggestions of these van di saper, the 

 convened magi, for the restoration of the sultan's health : some recom- 

 mended the building of a mosque, others a pilgrimage to Mecca ; but 

 the great Abumelec, who was looked up to as a very oracle of wisdom, 

 declared that the sultan never would be well again, until he was clothed 

 in the shirt of a man who was perfectly happy : 



To this most strange suggestion there was no man 



(No Magus rather) dared to make reply : 

 Indeed, the more the scheme appear'd uncommon, 



The greater its infallibility. 

 All wonder'd at the wisdom superhuman 



The virtues of this shirt that could descry : 

 Sans more debate, for every one declined it, 

 The only question now was, where to find it ? 



They soon discovered that there was no chance of obtaining the shirt 

 of a happy man in Ormus and the surrounding country ; and satraps and 

 bashaws were dispatched to search for it among people of all ranks in 

 Armenia, Arabia, Phoenicia, and India. In what I am now about to 

 insert, I have varied from my original very considerably, for Casti is a 

 vast deal too diffuse in his descriptions and remarks. Those who had 

 been sent out to find the shirt were disappointed in every quarter, and 

 in every station 



In monarchs they saw pride of high estate, 



While fell ambition gnaw'd their inmost heart ; 

 Loaded full often with the public hate, 



And daily dreading the assassin's dart, 

 Or still worse evils that on thrones await. 



False spfendour and feign'd joy concealed the smart ; 

 But while uprais'd above the crowd below, 

 Wretched themselves, they made their subjects so. 

 In nobles they beheld an empty boast 



Of mighty ancestors a misty throng ; 

 Those who enjoy 'd the prince's favour most 

 Were victims soon of tyranny and wrong : 

 Envy against them rang'd a fearful host, 

 And bound by vanity in fetters strong, 

 It was quite clear, with all these ills begirt, 

 That such a class could never own the shirt. 



'Mong meaner subjects they observed distress 



In every shape that it could be presented : 

 Lean poverty aspirants would repress, 



And even competence made discontented. 

 Diseases triumph'd o'er the happiness 



Of hundreds, who the noblest works invented ; 

 While often prince's cruelty and whims 

 Depriv'd the virtuous of their lives or limbs. 



