LITERATURE OF THE ARABS. 115 



dently attached. But the rude and natural strains in 

 which the shepherds of the Desert sung their loves 

 and their wars, became under the caliphs a study 

 and a science. Its professors were cherished and ho- 

 noured in the courts of their sovereigns, who encou- 

 raged their exertions, as they did those of the poets, 

 by handsome rewards. At Bagdad and Cordova 

 schools were established expressly for the cultivation 

 of this delightful art ; and from these seminaries 

 issued many illustrious performers. Of the effects 

 of their skill some very extraordinary but well-at- 

 tested instances have been recorded, which may 

 justify the remark that, like the famed Timotheus 

 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 acci- 

 dentally 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 necessary in 

 every party 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 



