EEYIEWS — THE PILGEIIIAGE AND OTHER POEMS. 305 



The applause resounds, as each invented sleight 

 Of magic art, or fate of Afrite strong 

 By Genii quelled in preternatural fight, 

 Fills, as the story rolls, each breast with fresh delight. 



He little thinks, the tale he loves to tell, 

 Which cheats his willing comrades of their rest, 

 Through many a midnight hour defrauds as well, 

 In foreign garb and other language dressed, 

 Of slumber's boon the children of the West; 

 How many a sad or vacant mind, the page, 

 With the same legendary lore impressed, 

 Has cheered, assuaged life's ills through every stage, 

 Given youth one smile the more, one wrinkle snatched from age. 



For not alone beneath the palm-tree's shade 

 Amid the nargile's ascending cloud, 

 Does Eastern fiction dwell, or Scherezade 

 Dispense her favours to the listening crowd. 

 All ranks, all nations at her shrine have bowed ; 

 The pictured forms her lively pencil drew 

 Please in all climes alike ; and statesmen proud 

 In grave debate have owned her lessons true, 

 Finding that ancient lamps sometimes excel the new. 



Far other task meanwhile for me delays 

 The needful gift of well-earned sleep's repose ; 

 The beam that from my tremulous cresset plays, 

 Its light upon the sacred volume throws. 

 Oh ! who in distant climes the rapture knows, 

 E'en on the spot of which the tale is told, 

 To mark whei e Tabor frowns or Jordan r , ow8 

 To feel at morn our steps shall print ♦' mould 

 Where Gideon pitched his camp or ^ !S ^ a - s chari o t roUed . 



Such rapture ours, when, od . £sdraeWs plaill) 

 Tabor in front and Jezr^, , eft ^^ 

 By Kishon's source r, a pUched Qh , Qe , er again 

 Shall joys, of pow 0r j: ke thes€ tQ fin the ^^ 

 Rise in the c.v llizecl haunts of human kfaA 

 How wer/c I fo^ to watch the 8hivering ray 

 On ^armel's crest ; to hear upon the wind 

 The jackal's howl • or rippling sounds betray 

 Where Kishon's ar\ c ient stream rolled on to Acre'sjbay. 



How, to our *„ent9 when morning's moisture clung, 

 Our raemor y turned to that oracular dew 

 From the f u ]l fleece which pious Gideonflwrung! 

 Twaa h ere perchance that Israel's champion knew 

 The e,gn which spoke his high commission true ; ~ 



Dow/b yonder vale perhaps, by Kishon's ford, 

 I 



