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ance of buildings. The total circumfe- | Now, in my (Mr. Rich's) account of
rence of the four sides of the Birs is 2286 ruins, it is said that there are no rema
feet; of the Mujelibè 2111 feet;-and of on the western bank; therefore the ri
the tower of Belus, according to the an- must formerly have run through the ru
cient accounts, taking 500 feet for the sta- described by me, on the eastern side, so
dium, about 2000 feet; so that either of to have divided them into two equal p
the mounds, with respect to measurement, tions. But there are certain mounds!
agrees very nearly with that building. down in my plan, which shew that the ri
could not have run in that direction. Th
mounds must consequently be referred
a town of more recent construction,
whose existence Major Rennel ackno
ledges we have no other evidence.

tion of doubt and uncertainty. Alas!
that the contrivers of the measure of
time should be doomed to such oblivion;
and the most glorious works of those
who divided the year into its months,
and invented the Zodiac itself, should
partake so little of the immortality ima-
gined for them, as to be, in the lapse of Though it has been the received opinion
a few centuries, confounded with the that this celebrated tower stood in the
common natural phenomena of moun- eastern quarter of Babylon, it does not ap-
tain and valley. What a lesson to hu-pear to be positively so stated either by
man ambition!-the builders of the Herodotus, Strabo, Pliny, Quintus Cur-
pyramids are not surely known--the tower tius, or Diodorus, though an ambiguous
of Babel, which, from its immensity, construed to favour that position. Should
expression of the latter writer has been
was said to be raised against heaven, has the Birs Nemroud, on the other hand,
only a disputed record on earth!
prove to be the remains of Belus, we must
Hilla, which presents such strong and exclude the Mujelibè, or hold that it was
almost indisputable claims to be considered at one extremity of the city and the Birs at
as the remains of Babylon, is about forty- the other, and that Babylon was an ex-
eight miles from Bagdat. The perfectly tended square of nine miles on each side.
flat country between, and around the for-
There is no trace whatever of the arch in
mer, is occupied by Zobeide Arabs, whose these ruins. The general size of the kiln-
Sheikh is responsible to the Pasha of Bag-burnt brick used, is 13 inches square, by
dat for the safety of travellers on the road. three thick: there are some of half these
Hilla is a place of from 6000 to 7000 dimensions, and a few of different shapes
inhabitants, almost entirely Arabs and for particular purposes. They are of seve-
Jews; there being no Christians, and the ral colours; white, approaching more or
Turks having no population there beyond less to a yellowish cast, which is the finest
the number employed in the government. sort; red, like our ordinary brick; and
It is seated on the Euphrates, which is here some of a blackish cast and very hard. The
about 450 feet broad. The principal struc- sun-dried brick is considerably larger, and
tures of ancient Babylon are rather to be looks like a thick clumsy clod of earth.
conjectured at than traced; but the whole The cements are, bitumen, mortar, and
face of the country is covered with vestiges clay.
of buildings, in some places consisting of
brick walls surprisingly fresh, in others
merely of a vast succession of mounds of
rubbish, of such indeterminate figures,
variety, and extent, as to involve theory
in inextricable confusion. Among these
mounds, however, are two of such prodi-
gious bulk as to impress, at first sight, the
idea that they are the wreek of the greatest
edifices of the oldest Empire in the world.
The Majelibè, situated on the east bank of
the Euphrates, on which side nearly all the
ruins, and especially those of the Kasr held
to be the Palace, lie, had heretofore been
generally considered to be the once mighty
temple of Jupiter Belus, the inventor of
astronomy, and synonymous with the tower
of Babel, which the descendants of Noah
erected on the plains of Shinaar. Benja-
min of Tudela, who first revived the re-
membrance of these ruins, was held to be of
this opinion, and it passed current from his
time. The second mound, which Mr.
Rich contends for, is situated on the east
of the river, and at so considerable a dis-

Such is the substance of Mr. Rich's first Memoir,† which may be considered rather as calling the attention of the learned to an important object hitherto insufficiently noticed, than as advancing a hypothesis to which that gentleman was pertinaciously attached. Major Rennel, however, whose opinion is deservedly of so much weight on such questions, having published some remarks in the Archaeologia, in refutation of the Author's propositions, the latter has been induced to defend them in a second Memoir, at which we heartily rejoice, since it has brought forward many new and curious facts of deep and general interest. To the consideration of these we now proceed, and shall waste very few words on the controversial parts of the subject. But we may briefly state, that

The sum of Major Rennel's argument is tance from the mass of the other architec-lon into two equal parts; one palace, with as follows: The Euphrates divided Babytural vestiges, as to touch the bounds assigned to Babylon by ancient writers, incredible as these limits appear to be. It is called the Birs Nemroud, and though of astonishing size, has only been noticed by Père Emanuel, and Niebuhr. The Mujelibè is 141, and the Birs Nemroud 198 feet high; and both present the appear

• Mukallibe, but pronounced as above, Mujelibè, or Overturned, by the vulgar Arabs.

the Tower of Belus, stood on the east of it,
and the other immediately opposite it, on
the west, each occupying central situa-
the palaces and temple together formed
tions in their respective divisions; or rather,
the central point of the city, and were
separated from each other by the river.

+ Three plates, 1. Of the Eastern ruins; 2
and 3. Views of the Mujelibè, Birs Nemroud,
and Kasr, on each of their four faces.

Upon this our Author argues ge both from his advantages in persona rally, and we think very successful exploring the scene, and from his p ferring, as we should unquestional prefer, the representations of Herod tus, (who went to Babylon, and who statements are every day acquiring fre authority, as modern research enabl us to appreciate their accuracy,) to tho of Ctesias and his copier Diodor whom Aristotle declared to be unwort of belief :—

That it is no where stated whether

Tower of Belus was on the east or west the Euphrates; that its position in the c tre of the city, or even in one of its di sions, is by no means clearly made out; a that while the description of the best a cient anthor involves no difficulties, t only particulars which embarrass us a supported by the sole testimony of t

worst.

Major Rennel, presuming that t Mujelibè is the Tower or Temple of B lus, reduces every thing else to that ce tre, and supposes a change of course the river to uphold his theory. Th Mr. Rich contradicts, from a survey the ground, and from the improbabil of such a change taking place. He a objects to the later town, supposed have been built by Major R. Such town, if built at all, would not h been built in the midst of ruins, wh the Major plants it. We must refer the publication for the more minute tails of this argument; and acquit selves of our promise to record som the remarkable facts brought forward Mr. Rich.

The burnt bricks of which the ruins principally composed, and which have racter, only found in Babylon and Pers scriptions on them in the cuneiform lis, are all invariably placed in a sin manner, viz. with their faces or writtens downwards. The buildings, it thus appe for when they are found in more mo were erected when the bricks were m constructions, such as Bagdat or Hilla, are placed indifferently without regar

In our review of Morier's Second Jour we noticed that they had also been found in in the north of Persia.-ED,

the writing. This in itself is almost proof within these few years, Dr. Grotefend, of
that these are the ruins of Babylon, since, Frankfort, has made some progress in de-
if the city had been Mahometan or Chris- vising a key to this mystery. Should he
tian, fragments of inscriptions would have ultimately succeed entirely in his difficult
been met with in the Coufic or Stranghelo. and laborious task, as he has already in
Sepulchral urns, filled with ashes and small translating some of the inscriptions on the
pieces of bones, have also been found in the ruins of Persepolis, and one from those
Kasr; and in the northern face of the Mu- of Pasargada, we may expect extraordi-
jelibè, a gallery filled with skeletons in-nary intelligence from the buried world of
closed in wooden coffins, was discovered by the most ancient times. Dr. Grotefend
Mr. Rich. Neither of these modes of bu- observes, that there are three varieties of
rial have been practised since the introduc- those inscriptions, distinguished from each
tion of Islamism, and they consequently other by the greater complication of the
establish the antiquity of the buildings at a characters formed by the radical signs of a
date prior to that event. These discove- wedge (or arrow) and an angle. Each in-
ries are rendered more interesting, as we scription is repeated in all the three
have no reason to suppose that the Babylo- cies. The first, or simplest species, deci-
nians burned their dead; the old Persiansphered by Dr. G. of the times of Cyrus,
we know never did. It is not therefore Darius Hystaspes, and Xerxes, is in Žend,
impossible that the two different kinds of the language of Ecbatana, and there are
burial may indicate the several usages of the grounds for believing that the remaining
Babylonians and Greeks, and that the urns ones are translations into the language of
the other capitals of the Persian empire,
Susa and Babylon.

may contain the ashes of the soldiers of

Alexander and his successors.

The Birs Nemroud is called Brouss by M. Beauchamp. Benjamin of Tudela says, the Tower of Belus was destroyed by fire from heaven, and it is curious that the summit of the Birs presents immense vitrified masses, evidently the result of fire. It is now probably in almost the same state in which Alexander saw it; if we give credit to the report, that ten thousand men could only renove the rubbish, preparatory to repairing it, in two months.

From the Appendix to Mr. Rich's Memoir, we are induced to hope for much further information respecting the antiquities of the part of the world in which he sojourns. He promises a Memoir on Nineveh (the modern Mousoul,) where an immense block of stone, on which was sculptured a man on horseback, with a long lance in his hand, followed by many others, on foot,* and animals, was recently found and destroyed; but precautions have been taken to prevent such accidents in future, and preserve the monuments of antiquity, such as the above, cylinders, &c. which are occasionally dug up. In the same manner Hilla is made the general depôt for antiques found throughout the country, and especially on the banks of the Euphrates, from Raka to Samarva. Of these we are

told,

The most interesting are the Sassanian

spe

We have thought it right to mention these circumstances relating to the most ancient character of which we have any knowledge; the origin of which is beyond the researches of the antiquarian, who is only aware that it was used by the great nations of antiquity, the Median, Persian, and Assyrian, and who conjectures that it is in all likelihood the Assyrian writing of Herodotus, and that which Darius Hystaspes engraved on the pillars which he set up on the banks of the Bosphorus.

From its peculiar form, it seems to have been, like the sacred character of the Egyptians, confined to lapidary inscriptions, while there must have been another mode of writing in common use. If so, it would perish with the Macedonian conquest, which left the Persians and Babylonians no monuments to erect, nor events to record. The Sassanians, the professed restorers of the ancient rites and usages of Persia, could not recall this obsolete mode of writing, lost during the long period the Greek dynasties held the sceptre of Iran, and, accordingly, we find their coins and monuments inscribed with a character having an analogy with the Hebrew, Phenician, or Palmyrene, which has been deciphered.

Mr. Rich illustrates his excellent work

with plates, representing stones and
bricks found at Babylon and Nineveh,
with their sculptured figures and inscrip-
tions: also of a brass ornament found in

† On a close examination of further specimens

and Babylonian. Many of the latter con-
tain specimens of the very curious and pri-
mitive system of writing found only in the
Babylonian monuments, and those of Persia
in the first period of its history, previous to
the Macedonian conquests, and rejecting the
romances of Ferdusi. The cuneiform, (i. e.
wedge-form,) or, as it has been called, the sent to him, this learned person states his opi-
arrow-headed character, has heretofore baf-nion in a letter, that these three species are only
fled every attempt at deciphering it; but characters, and that there is in fact but one real
varieties of different modes of writing the same
kind of Babylonian cuneiform writing. This is
*This seems almost a description of the Perse-more consonant to reason than the theory of
politan antiquities of Mr. Morier.
three distinct combinations of characters.-ÉD.

one of the coffins in the Mujelibè Gallery, of cylinders and other antiquities which have been extracted from these ruins. These cylinders are extremely curious, from one to three inches in length, and either of stone or a sort of paste composition. One of them, dug up not long ago in the field of Marathon, is now in the possession of Mr. Fauvel, of Athens. They are principally found in. the ruins of Jerbouiya, and the people of the country use them as amulets. Small figures of brass or copper are also found at Babylon, but no Babylonian coins have yet been discovered.

In taking leave of these interesting volumes, we need scarcely add, even to our imperfect analysis, that they claim the attention of the learned world, in a degree not surpassed by any modern. publication of a similar nature and extent.

ANTAR, a Bedoween Romance. Translated from the Arabic. By Terrick Hamilton, Esq. Oriental Secretary to the British Embassy at Constantinople. London 1819, small 8vo. pp.298.

We hasten to give some account of this remarkable work, which, as far as our knowledge consists, may be considered in many points as thoroughly unique in European literature. We no doubt possess many Eastern tales, supernatural and romantic narratives, in which all the metaphor and glow of oriental style is employed in adorning fictions of unbounded splendour and fancy. These place before our enchanted senses the manners and customs of Asia;-but they are chiefly the manners and customs of palaces and mighty sovereigns. They are derived too from the pens of Turkish or Persian poets, who gild every object with the brilliancy of their own imagination; and, except perhaps in the Koran itself, we might say, that previous to the perusal of Antar, we were ill informed of the peculiar habits of ancient Arabia,—of that shepherd people whose characteristics were but one stage removed from those in the first recorded history of associated

man.

speak not of the wild adventures of the In offering these observations, we theme of this Bedoueen story. The fables of Greek mythology are not more incredible than his super-human feats; but there is a simplicity which runs through their relation, a perpetual reference to the institutions and ways of these tribes, an individuality and freshness of pastoral and wandering, yet warlike description, that possess extraordinary interest, and raise this romance far above

its class, as the most curious picture of Arabian life in early times which has ever met the eye of Europe.

The families of Carad and Zeead were the next in power to Zoheir, who

Was established in his dominions, and all him, and sent him presents from every the Arabs and Kings of the age obeyed quarter. And the tribe of Abs passed their time in plundering and killing the Chieftains, till all Arabia was overawed by their power, and all the dwellers of the deserts feared them.

It was in one of these plundering expeditions that Shedad, of the family of Carad, took prisoner 66 a black woman, uncommonly beautiful and well-shaped, her appearance elegant and striking;" and with her two children.

of course anxious that France should | i. e. ennobled, and her name be published reap the honour of its first translation: among the Arabs; and they used to say Antar (says the Introduction) is no ima- that the wife of such a one is ennobled. While we trace the career of the Arab ginary personage. He was the son of an Hercules, staggering belief with its Arab Prince of the tribe of Abs, by a black prodigious exploits, and contemplate the woman, whom his father had made captive exaggerated hero performing such won- himself, by the heroic qualities which he in a predatory excursion; and he raised ders as only the heroes of antiquity could displayed from his earliest youth, and by perform; while we listen to the vaunts his extraordinary genius for poetry, from of his own valiant deeds, and his power in the state of slavery in which he was born, battle, compared with which all the boast-to the confidence of his king, and to a preings of modern braggardism are perfect eminence above all the chiefs of Arabia. He modesty; while we are charmed by the flourished during the close of the sixth, harmony of the love strains of this strange the Christian era; there is consequently and the early part of the seventh century of but fervent lover, shining even through little or no allusion to the customs or institranslation with rare felicity of thought tutions of Islamism throughout the work; and beauty of expression; we are still though the hero is frequently designated as more attracted by the multitude of na-" He by whom God organized the earth tive traits, which, as it were, make us and the world for the appearance of the This woman's name was Zebeeba, and inmates of the Arabs' tents, introduce us Lord of Slaves." the two children were her's; the eldest was to their families, and shew us the qualiThis romance was first put together pro-called Jereer, and the youngest Shiboob. ties and rights of the ruler, the father or bably from traditionary tales current at the Shedad visited her morning and evening ; head, the wife, the child, the slave, time, by Osmay, one of the eminent scho- and thus matters continued till she became through all the gradations of society in Raschid, and of his two learned successors lars who adorned the Courts of Haroun-Al- pregnant; and when her time came, she its youth. Al-Amyn, and Al-Mamoun; and it still like an elephant, flat-nosed, blear-eyed, brought forth a boy, black and swarthy continues to be the principal source whence harsh-featured, shaggy-haired; the corners the story-tellers of the Coffee-houses in of his lips hanging down, and the inner Egypt, Syria, and Arabia, draw their most angles of his eyes bloated; strong boned, interesting tales; but notwithstanding its long footed; he was like a fragment of a general circulation in the Levant, the name cloud, his ears immensely long, and with of Antar is hitherto only known to us in eyes whence flashed sparks of fire.

Many parts, as might be expected, bear a strong resemblance to the historical books of the Old Testament: the poetry also has its nearest parallels in that sacred volume, and in Ossian: but the roman

There is reason to believe that this is the first attempt to transpose into an European language, a real Arabian story, depicting the original manners of the Arabs of the refined customs of the neighbouring cities desert, uncorrupted by the artificial and in Syria, Egypt, and Persia.

tic nature of the work, leading into si-Europe, as that of the author of one of the
tuations different from any detailed in
seven poems suspended in the temple of
the Bible or by the Scottish Bard, the re- Mecca, and from that circumstance called
semblance is often contrasted with a "The Moallakat.”
dissimilitude which gives the whole an
air of great novelty and originality. The
contests are quite Homeric, though the
modes of dealing death are far from
being so varied. Antar has, in truth, a
considerable sameness in his style of dis-
posing of his enemies;-he cuts man and
horse generally into four equal parts by
a stroke of his sword; or, by way of a
change, grasps his adversary, raises him
aloft, and dashes him to atoms upon
the earth or he seizes one warrior by
the heels, and hurling him against
another, destroys both at once. His
terms of reproach are also fewer and
more select than modern abuse or de-
fiance would be contented with. Coward'

- Dastard''Slave'-' Cuckold' and Son of a two thousand horned Cuckold seem nearly to comprehend his vocabulary.

But we had better end our introduction, and let him speak for himself, only premising, that the sequel of his history is stated by the editor to have been not yet received in England; and that, if we are rightly informed, we owe the expeditious appearance of what is published to a sharp race between Mr. Hamilton and a French scholar, who also got possession of the Arabian treasure, and was

The work sets out with an account of the tribes of Ab and Adnan, and some of the wars of their kings the predecessors of Zoheir, who was contemporary with Antar. This King married Temadhur," blooming as the dawning sun, and her forehead bright as its rays, and her cheeks red as the piony, her hair as black as night." There is a little matrimonial juggling between them, as he obtains her by a stratagem, and she she secures herself an honourable dower; revenges herself by another, by which a matter of feminine pride in these days, as it may be sometimes a matter of female solicitude even in our more liberal era. After this affair was settled to their mutual satisfaction, we must suppose that they lived in harmony, for she brought forth "ten sons, all like lions, and afterwards one daughter, Moolejeredah."

And it was the custom among the Arabs, that when a woman brought forth ten male children, she should be called Moonejeba,

This amiable infant was our friend Antar: and

When Zebeeba wished to wean him, he grumbled and growled exceedingly, and the corners of his eyes became fiery red, so that he appeared like a mass of crimson blood; and this was his condition till he

was weaned.

We are persuaded that babies take it very ill to be weaned, especially if mustard usurp the place of their sweet food, (though we do not suspect the Arabs, or tian refinement ;), but we never read so even black Mrs. Zebeeba, of this Chrisforcible a description of dissatisfaction

as this of Antar. Time flies!

Now Antar was becoming a big boy, and grew up, and used to accompany his mother to the pastures, and he watched the cattle; and thus he continued to do till he increased cles were strengthened, his frame altogein stature. He used to walk and run about to harden himself, till at length his musther more robust, and his bones more firm and solid, and his speech correct. He then began to tyrannize over boys of the same age, and to beat his brothers; and when he returned from the pastures, he amused himself with the servants and women, and he would eat nothing but what he liked;

and whoever offended him he would thrash

with a stick, till he tortured him; and all the tribe were his enemies. His days were passed in roaming about the mountains' sides, sometimes riding upon the dogs, by which he acquired courage and intrepidity;

and thus he went on till he attained his tenth year. One day he was wandering over the deserts with the flocks, and when the sun was burning hot, he left his people and climbed up a tree, and took shelter from the heat, whilst the flocks grazed, and he watched them; when lo! a wolf started from behind the trees and dispersed them. But Antar seeing how the animal dispersed the herds, he descended and ran after him, till he overtook him, and struck him with his staff between the eyes; he made the oil of his brains fly out between his ears, and slew him ;-he then cut off his head and his legs, and returned growling like an angry lion.

After this glorious exploit our hero rode the horses, hurled his reed spear at trees, and became wonderfully bold and hardy, as he was of tremendous strength.

When a camel would stray away, he would cry out and make it stop, and he would struggle with and subdue the mightiest of the herds; and when he seized one

by the tail, he tore it off; and when they resisted him, he would strike them on the back of the head, or tear open their mouths; and thus he continued his feats till all the servants were afraid of him, and every one, far and near, dreaded him,

This fine picture of savage nature does

not, as it would in a civilized state, denote that the being thus acting was vicious and devilish. On the contrary, Antar was only the tyrant of matchless uncultivated powers in his nature he was virtuous, noble, and heroic, and, with the proper allowances for the habits of those with whom his lot was cast, his disposition was generous and His next deed was one which did him honour, and had considerable influence on his future life. Daji, a bullying slave, belonging to Shas, the eldest son of King Zoheir, provoked his wrath, by taking possession of the water for

humane.

heard what Antar said, he almost fainted
from indignation; he met him, and struck
him a blow over the face that nearly knocked
out his eyes. Antar waited till he had re-
covered from the blow, and his senses re-
turned; he then ran at the slave, and seiz-
ing him by one of the legs, threw him on his
back. He thrust one hand under his thighs,
and with the other he grasped his neck,
and raising him by the force of his arm, he
dashed him against the ground. And his
length and breadth were all one
When the deed was done his fury was un-
bounded, and he roared aloud even as a
lion.

mass.

66

occurs in this place,-he addresses the
son of an uncircumcised
slave as the
mother"! One morning Antar,

Went galloping in different directions till he came to a plain called the plain of lions, and here were many ferocious animals and wild beasts. Here he let the cattle graze, and Antar only came to this valley, because he knew there was in it abundance of grass of the height of a man. Now not a servant of the whole tribe of Abs would ever enter or approach this valley, because it was very extensive, and filled with lions and tigers. As soon as Antar found himself in it, he said to himself, This action brought down upon him Perhaps I shall now find a lion, and I will the vengeance of Shas, who would slay him. Thus, whilst the cattle were have slain him, had he not been pre-feeding, and he from a mound was looking round on all sides, behold, a lion appeared vented by his brother Malik, a good in the middle of the valley; he stalked prince, who was thenceforward the about, and roared aloud wide were his warm and constant friend of Antar, in nostrils, and fire flashed from his eyes: the all the difficulties into which the hate of whole valley trembled at every gnash of his others or his own ungovernable temper fangs he was a calamity, and his claws plunged him. King Zoheir also parti- more terrific than the deadliest catastrophe cipated in this regard, and always pro-thunder pealed as he roared-vast was tected Antar, as far as the limited autho-his strength, and his force dreadful-broad rity of an Arab sovereign allowed. But were his paws, and his head immense. As tle scented him and fled away in terror, the great reward for this championing the soon as he appeared in the valley, the catcause of women, was the approbation of and the camels were dispersed to the right his cousin Ibla, the daughter of Malik, and the left. No sooner did Antar perone of his father Shedad's brothers. ceive this extraordinary movement, than he descended into the valley, that he might observe what was the matter, brandishing his sword. He there saw the lion, terrible in

This

Ibla was younger than Antar, and a merry lass; she was lovely as the full moon, and perfectly beautiful and elegant. She frequently joked with Antar, and was very familiar with him, as he was her servant. As soon as she came up to him on that day, "O you base-born," she cried, "why didst thou kill the slave of Prince Shas? Who can now protect thee from him?" Indeed, my mistress, he replied, I did no more than he deserved, for he had insulted a poor woman; he threw her down and made the servants laugh at her.

"Thou hast acted

tail. Antar cried out to him, and the mounhis strength, and lashing his sides with his tains re-echoed to the cry. Welcome, thou father of lions-thou dog of the plainsthou foulest of the wild beasts of the deserts. Now then, thou wilt exert thy power and thy might, and thou wilt pride thyself narch and ruler of the brute creation, and in thy roar; for, no doubt, thou art the moall obey thy commands-but, return to filth and contempt, thou meetest now no ordinary man.

I deal death to the bravest, and and render children orphans. Dost thou think, foul-mouthed beast, now about to

most properly," said Ibla, smiling,
we are rejoiced that thou art safe, for thou
West Juice thers consider thee as their

his master's camels to use, and rudely son, and we look on thee as a brother, on/ die, that thou canst frighten me with thy

repelling all the poor who ventured to bring their cattle to drink. One forlorn old woman humbly solicited his permission that her sheep might quench their

thirst:

As soon as Daji heard these words, (her petition) and perceived the crowd of women and men, his pride increased, and his obstinacy was not to be moved, but he struck the woman on the stomach, and threw her and uncovered her

down on her back,

nakedness, whilst all the slaves laughed at her. When Antar perceived what had oc

account of thy services."

These words 'mistress' and 'servant'
ing to
are not to be understood accorung
the phraseology of later times. Antar,
by his birth, was a slave, and all his
father's relations were in reality his
masters and mistresses. Notwithstand-
ing this difference of station, however,
Antar fell desperately in love with Ibla,
and like another Cymon, resolved to de-

serve her.

roar or alarm me with thy bellow? I will not condescend to slay thee with an arrow or a sword, but I will make thee drink of the cup of death from my single arm; and she rushed towards him, he addressed him in verse.

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I am the far-famed lion, the warrior whose exploits every one fears on the day the property of of wars. I save, protect my father Shedad, and I punish the foe with the edge of my sword. When my hand wields the scimitar on the day of bat

tle, every heart of the horsemen throbs

with fear. Now will I meet thee in the

We will not particularize any other of all his limbs, and he could not endure the By killing a slave of Rebia, the son of vicissitudes of fortune. I heed not death curred, his pagan pride played throughout Antar's youthful feats against individuals. waste, and make thee drink a cup of the

sight. He ran up to the slave, and calling mean you by this disgusting action? Do out to him, "You bastard," said he, "what you dare to violate an Arab woman? May God destroy your limbs, and all that consented to this act." When the slave

every tongue can express. Now then I will throw my sword out of my hand-away when I meet him, and I comprehend what then with thee-and I will destroy thee, thou dog of the desert, with my hand's

of that chief, and incurred the sore dis-
Zeead, he provoked the lasting, hatred
pleasure of his own father, in somuch
that he, with his brothers, joined those
who sought his life. A curious phrase | alone,"

Just at that moment Shedad and his bro- | thers came up to kill Antar. They saw him address the lion, and heard what he repeated: he sprung forward, and fell on him like a hail storm, and hissed at him like a black serpent-he met the lion as he sprang, and outroared his bellow; then, giving a dreadful shriek, he seized hold of his mouth with his hand, and wrenched it open to his shoulders, and he shouted aloud the valley and the country round echoed back the war: he stuck to him until he was dead, and then dragged him by the legs without the valley; and having cut down some wood, he took out his Zanad (wood to make a light with,) struck a light, and made a fire. He waited until it blazed; he then ripped up the lion, took out the entrails, and cut off his four legs, and threw them into the fire; and when he perceived they were roasted, he took them out and ate thereof till he finished it; he then ran to a fountain and drank till he was satisfied; and having washed his mouth and hands, he went to a shady tree, where she put the lion's head under his own as a pillow, and wrapping up his head in a part of his sleeve, he fell asleep. His father and uncles were observing him and his actions, and as they saw all he did, they were quite terrified and scared. Verily this

slave, said Zakmetool Jewad, has not his
equal; no one in his senses would engage
What shall
him. Malik also trembled.
we do with this wretch? said he. Great
indeed has been the deed he has done; none
of us can harm him; he would soon destroy
us and tear out our entrails, or do as he has
done with the lion. Let us return home,
said Shedad, our honour still remains safe;
we must find some other means to kill him
and accomplish our wishes.

With hope of victory the contest held,

read their prefaces and introductions one
would really think that the system of Till one, thro' loss of breath gave up the field.
By use grown bold, and by example more,
deceiving the finny tribes was bottomed I deeper wade, then plunge toward the shore;
on some wonderful and recondite science, I splash and struggle hard, and float and sink,
more curious than alchemy, more grave Half suffocated ere I reach the brink.
Proud as a monarch seated on a throne,
than theology. We have ourselves been This oft repeated, and more buoyant grown,
I sail around, triumphant, and as vain
fishers in our happier days, but never
fancied while we filled our basket with As Conqueror of a new subdued domain.
gasping prey, how learned and import-Ne'er will my heart forget the honest pride,
Which filled it, when I thus the deep could rid
ant a study we were pursuing; nor are
Thus Man adventurous on the stream of life
we sure now, that if ever kind fortune
permitted us again to dance the feathered
cheat over the surface of all-lovely
Tweed, we should be one iota more
blessed with our knowledge than we
were in the delightful ignorance of care-
less youth.

Timid at first, afraid of jars and strife,
Kicks-struggles-plunges still more dari

grows,

And reaps experience e'en from fortune's blow Till rising gradually, 'bove frowns of fate, He sails life's course towards a future state. Such are the author's episodiacal me On the subject of ladies fishin Attaching, however, as much weight sures. to the subject as its advocates demand, he seems enthusiastic, as it affords and meaning no disrespect to hunting, much delight to their male companion shooting, coney-catching, bat-fowling, but yet he cannot help giving the sex or any other science which unites polite-sly hit occasionally, He speaks of the trout to gain, ness and research, we are rather at a loss to decide by what canon of criticism As woman ticklish and as woman vain! the work before us should be examined. And after this ungallant simile teach The epic test seems due to its ten us how to catch them, videlicet t cantos, and we are inclined to refer it to trouts, by GROPING! A brief extra the poetical code; but then its rules for will exemplify the more business par catching Barbel, Bream, Pike, &c. are of the volume. It relates to the captu so complete, that we are tempted on the of Carp, and in nothing else shall other hand, to consider it as a philoso-prove ourselves carping critics. phical work, and analyse its axioms for obtaining and cooking a good meal of fish. Probably our readers will excuse us if we do neither. We shall therefore only mention, that Walton's incomparable Compleat Angler" has been

Now let us change the scene-for sameness tir
Variety the soul anew inspires.
Courage! my float wheels off-Ill-natured wee
There from my book a gallant fish was freed.
Not so this Tench escapes-a dainty prize,
Welland's famed stream ne'er fed a bulk
size.

Again I seek the Carp; but lo! the light

Not to encroach too much upon a sin-advantageously consulted by our author, Colours the mountain top, avoid his sight; who does not appear to have been acgle Number, we for this week take an unwilling leave of this singularly wild quainted with his only poetical prede-Lest your betraying shade before you run, cessor on the art, Giannetazzi, the Italian Turn, like the Persian, to the rising sun. and curious volume, but we are sure Jesuit, whose Latin versification was our readers will meet us again next highly celebrated, and who wrote two Saturday with some interest for the con- volumes on Fishing and Navigation. tinuation of the ADVENTURES OF ANTAR,

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THE ANGLER: a Poem, in ten Cantos: With proper Instructions in the Art, &c. &c. By Piscator. London 1819. 12mo. pp. 234.

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We do not know why it is that the art of Angling is always spoken of by its votaries with more respect and reverence, than any similar pastimes by those who -are fond of them. The writers who give us precepts how to catch fish, talk much of the profoundness' of preceding authors on that subject (no doubt they often go to the very bottom of the deep;) and of their extraordinary skill, not only in skimming the surface of the matter, as if they were fly-fishing, but in providing for every possible argument against their favourite pursuit, as if arguments were trouts or gudgeons. To

Ha! Fortune smiles: he's hook'd-a dari bite!

Keep now a bended rod, and hold him tight;

He wheels amain; he plunges to the mud,
He floats-my net transports him from

flood.

Subjects of this sort are difficult to versify, and the present is as unequal in Full-sized, fair, plump, all goodly to behold, His scales bright glist'ning with bedropping go its merits as if written by several amateurs. Piscatory pleasures are painted We ought not to conclude our noti with grand gusto, and not less is evinced without mentioning that this little volu in telling of the delicious modes of dress-is beautifully printed, and that its or ing and devouring the produce of the ments are very finely engraved. T line and net, when appetites are sharp-head and tail-pieces to each canto a ened by long fasting on the side of pond small wood-cuts, and their taste or river. Kill and eat, is a favourite execution is worthy of the highest par Occasional anecdotes enliven motto. gyric. the poetry, and instructive notes enforce We shall the precepts of the Muse. give an example of the verse. Oft, in my youthful days, those days of joy! Whene'er a holiday rejoiced each boy, With heart devoid of every earthly care, Through Devon's vales, I'd to the Exe repair; There first I, fearful, tried the treacherous wave, In summer's heat content my limbs to lave; In mirthful mood dash'd o'er each playful mate The show'r which he return'd; while both elate

* In Northamptonshire - famous for la Tench.

THE PRETENDER; PRINCE CHARLES EDWARD STUART. From King's Anecdotes of his own Times In reviewing this amusing work, noticed the very extraordinary account the Pretender which it contained, a

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