LITERATURE OF THE ARABS. 99 



which the shepherds of the Desert sung their loves 

 and their wars, became under the cahphs a study 

 and a science. Its professors were cherished and 

 honoured in the courts of their sovereigns, who en- 

 couraged their exertions, as they did those of the 

 poets, by handsome rewards. At Bagdad and Cor- 

 dova schools were established expressly for the 

 cultivation of this delightful art ; and from these 

 seminaries issued many illustrious performers. Ot 

 the effects of their skill some very extraordinary but 

 well-attested instances have been recorded, which 

 may justify the remark that, like the famed Timo- 

 theus of old, they could, by the magic touches of 

 their lute, raise or depress at pleasure the passions 

 of their masters. Isaac Almouseli, so called from 

 Mosul where he resided, is ranked by the orientals 

 among the most distinguished musicians that ever 

 lived. Mahadi, father of Haroun al Raschid, having 

 accidentally heard him sing one of his compositions, 

 accompanied by a lute, was so charmed with the 

 performance that he appointed him chief musician 

 to the court, — an office which he filled with univer- 

 sal applause during the reign of five successive ca- 

 liphs. Haroun, whose inauguration he commemo- 

 rated in a short poem still extant, was delighted 

 with his talents, and considered his presence neces- 

 sary in every part of amusement. 



This prince had other reasons for admiring his 

 musical powers. He had quarrelled with his fa- 

 vourite mistress Meridah, and determined never to 

 see her more. The lady became inconsolable. Jaaf- 

 far, the vizier, imparted her distress to Almouseli, 

 and requested him to perform before the caliph a 

 song composed on the occasion ; which he did with 

 such pathos of execution, that in a fit of sudden affec- 

 tion, the repentant monarch rushed into the presence 

 of Meridah, implored her to forgive his indiscretion, 

 and bury their unhappy discords in eternal oblivion. 

 Overjoyed at this unexpected revolution of fortune. 



