100 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
tide of their parental affections. A somewhat less 
revolting custom, since a touch of humanity appears 
still to exist in the misguided parent, is that of 
setting the infant adrift upon the water in a little ark, 
such as is described in the Holy Scriptures as the 
refuge of the infant Moses during the infanticide 
of the males commanded by Pharoah. The author 
feels confident that he need make no apology to his 
readers for displacing a few of his prosaic pages in 
order to give room to the following stanzas, written 
by a young lady. He considers them too full of 
true description to require a word of comment, and 
as to their poetic merit, let the reader judge. 
INFANTICIDE. 
How beautiful is morn, 
Ere up the curving arch of yon blue sky 
The golden chariot of the sun mounts high, 
And panting Nature sinks o’erborne, 
As captive warriors droop and die 
Beneath some conqueror’s car of victory ! 
Lo ! from the grateful shade 
By spreading tamarinds and rich mango made. 
The snowy temple its light dome upreareth ; 
While scattered here and there, 
As though appealing to its guardian care. 
The modest Hindoo hut appeareth. 
Near to the sacred fane, 
O’ershadowed by the banian's linked chain 
