112 
[No. 2, 
Indian Idylls, No. I. 
Yet by their lays the ancient Sons of Song # 
Give me free access to the glorious throng ; 
As diamonds pierce the way for silk to string 
Rich pearls to deck the forehead of a king. 
Yes, I must dare : their noble deeds inspire, 
And lend me somewhat of a poet’s fire. 
Yes, I will sing, although the hope he vain 
To tell their glories in a worthy strain, 
Whose holy fame in earliest life was won, 
Who toiled unresting till the task was done. 
Far as the distant seas all owned their sway, 
High as the Heaven none checked their lofty way. 
Constant in worship, prompt at Duty’s call, 
Swift to reward the good, the bad appal, 
They gathered wealth, hut gathered to bestow, 
And ruled their words that all their truth might know. 
In glory’s quest they risked their noble lives, 
For love and children married gentle wives. 
On holy lore in childhood’s days intent, 
In love and joy their youthful prime they spent ; 
As hermits mused in life’s declining day, 
Then in Devotion dreamed their souls away. 
Come, hear my song, ye just, whose bosoms glow 
With Virtue’s flame, and good from evil know : 
As fire assays the purity of gold, 
Judge ye the merit of these Chiefs of old. 
First Manu reigned, revered by every sage, 
First, like the mystic word in Scripture’s page.f 
From him Dilipa traced his high descent, 
Of his pure race a purer ornament ; 
A peerless prince, — so, free from cloud and stain, 
Rose the bright moon from out the milky main.J 
* Valmiki, author of the Ramayan, and others, 
f The sacred syllable OM, prefacing the prayers and most of the writings of 
the Hindus. 
I Alluding to the churning of the ocean, told in the Mahabharata, when 
the moon and other buried treasures were recovered from the sea. 
