ee ee ee 
1826.) Haroun, the Lonely Mdn of Shiraz. 183 
the presence of the silk merchant, that they might be attired as be- 
came, the wives of the richest poor man in Shiraz, for they must set 
out for the: mosque. that morning, to have all the rites which were to 
transfer them to their new lord, duly solemnized, as became a good 
Mussulman. At this news the wives kissed him very kindly on both 
cheeks, and having set a breakfast of fowl and fruit and a pleasant 
liquor before him, they retired to dress themselves as their beauty 
deserved. Ere he had finished his meal they returned, and truly they 
might have graced, by their comeliness, the house of a much greater 
lord than Haroun Aboulim, the basket-maker of Shiraz. 
_ And now, to sum up the fortunes of Haroun the Lonely Man, now no 
longer so, he honourably and even proudly married the four wives of 
Abu Benzaddin the robber, adopted their children as his, had many 
sons and daughters of hisown by them, and having drawn up the 
twenty jars at cautious intervals of time, he became gradually the 
richest merchant in Persia, and none knew how, unless, as was con- 
jectured, he had been rewarded by some good genius for his patient 
endurance of poverty, and the humane willingness with which he 
submitted to the tender severity of the law, in becoming a kind father 
to the children of Abu Benzaddin. He lived to a good old age, and 
was known to all parts of the trading-world for the rare and exceeding 
worth of the diamonds he dealt in; he acquired the title of “the happy 
man of Shiraz,” instead of his old gloomy title; and the king came 
purposely from Ispahan to visit him, and was wonder-struck at his 
exceeding riches, and happiness, and generosity. His sons became a 
glory to him, for some of them were wiser than most men, and all were 
virtuous; and some became, as his ambitious spirit had dreamed,’ 
princes, for in their travels through the cities of the East in search of: 
adventures, they were beloved by the princesses of the several courts 
at. which they were distinguished visitors, both for their prowess and 
handsomeness ; and the daughters either became princesses, or were’ 
the wives of the richest merchants of the world, and lived as such, for 
splendour and honour. And then Haroun having seen nearly every 
thing accomplished that he had ambitiously desired, died in peace with 
all men, and beloved by all men; is to this day the proudest name and 
example among the merchants of Shiraz; and over his tomb, which is 
constructed of the richest and most costly materials, is still to be seen,’ 
engraved ona plate of gold, his dying words—* Jt was to be, and it is,» 
and every thing is as it should be.” 
7 Co We 
at 
me . MADRIGAL. 
Dt, 
Nai B Qu’avez-vous fait de mon amour, 
2 Bonheur fatal, funeste jouissance ? 
Etoit-ce pour te perdre, 6 trop malheureux jour ! 
Que je vous attendois avec impatience ? 
eB te - Rendez, trompeur, rendez-moi mes désirs, 
4 S00 ©) Et je vous rendrai vos plaisirs. 
ie St. Evremond, tom. t. p. 66. 
Deceitful day, which gave me first 
Of Celia’s charms the long-sought treasure ; 
Restore my hopes, my fears, my passion— 
I will give thee back thy pleasure. 
1963 
‘Prem sios 
