004 BYRON'S

For, not unhappy in her master’s love.

And joyful in a mother’s gentlest cares,

Blest cares! all other feelings far above!

Herself more sweetly rears the babe she bears,Who never quits the breast, no meaner passionshares.

LXII.

In marble-paved pavilion, where a springOf living water from the centre rose,

Whose bubbling elid a genial freshness fling,

And soft voluptuous couches breathed reposo,

Ali reclined, a man of war and woes:

Yet in his lineaments ye cannot trace,

While Gentleness her milder radiance throwsAlong that aged venerable face,

The deeds that lurk beneath, and stain him withdisgrace.

LXIIL

It is not that yon hoary lengthening heardIII suits the passions which belong to youth:

Love conquers age—so Hafiz hath averr’d,

So singB the Teian, and he sings in sooth;

But crimes that scorn the tender voice of ruth,Beseeming all men ill, but most the manIn years, have mark'd him with a tiger’s tooth:Blood follows blood, and through their mortalspan,

In bloodier acts conclude those who with bloodbegan.

LXIV.

’Mid many things most new to ear and eyeThe pilgrim rested here his weary feet,

And gazed around on Moslem luxury,

Till quickly wearied with that spacious seat,

Of Wealth and Wantonness, the choice retreatOf sated Grandeur, from the city’s noise:

And were it humbler, it in sooth were sweet;

But Peace abhorreth artificial joys,

And Pleasure, leagued with Pomp, the zest of bothdestroys.

LXV.

Fierce are Albania ’s children, yet they lack .

Not virtues, were those virtues more mature.Where is the foe that ever saw their back ?

Who can so well the toil of war endure ?

Their native fastnesses not more secureThan they in doubtful time of troublous need :Their wrath how deadly! but their friendshipsure,

When Gratitude or Valour bids them bleed,Unshaken rushing on where'er their chief may lead.

lxvi.

Childe Harold saw them in their chieftain’stower,

Thronging to war in splendour and success;

And after view'd them, when, within theirpower,

Himself awhile the victim of distress;

That saddening hour when bad men hotlierpress:

But these did shelter him beneath their roof,When less barbarians would have cheer’d himless,

WORKS.

And fellow-countrymen have stood aloof *—

In aught that tries the heart how few withstand theproof!

LX VII.

It chanced that adverse winds once drove hisbark

Full on the coast of Suli’s shaggy shore,

When all around was desolate and dark;

To land was perilous, to sojourn more;

Yet for awhile the mariners forbore,

Dubious to trust where treachery might lurk:

At length they ventured forth, though doubting,sore

That those who loathe alike the Frank and TurkMight once again renew their ancient butcher-work.

Lxvm.

Vain fear! the Suliotes stretch'd the welcomehand,

Led them o'er rocks and past the dangerousswamp,

Kinder than polish’d slaves, though not so bland,And piled the hearth, and wrung their garmentsdamp,

And fill’d the bowl, and trimm’d the cheerful lamp.And spread their fare : though homely, all theyhad:

Such conduct bears Philanthropy 's rare stamp—To rest the weary and to soothe the sad,

Doth lesson happier men, and shame at least thebad,

LXIX.

It came to pass, that when he did addressHimself to quit at length this mountain land.Combined marauders half-way barr’d egress,And wasted far and near with glaive and brand;And therefore did he take a trusty bandTo traverse Acarnania 's forest wide,

In war well season d, and with labours tann’d,Till he did greet white Aehelous’ tide.

And from his further bank iEtolia's wolds espied.

LXX.

Where lone Utraikey forms its circling cove,And weary waves retire to gleam at rest.

How brown the foliage of the green hill’s grove,Nodding at midnight o’er the calm bay’s breast.As winds come whispering lightly from the west*Kissing, not ruffling, the blue deep’s serene:Here Harold was received a welcome guest;

Nor did he pass unmoved the gentle scene.

For many a joy could he from Night’s soft presenceglean,

LXXI.

On the smooth shore the night-fires brightlyblazed,

The feast was done, the re *4 wine circling fast,!And he that unawares had there ygazedWith gaping wonderment had stared aghast;For ere night's midmost, stillest hour was past,The native revels of the troop began;

Each Palikar his sabre from him casLjAnd bounding hand in hand, man link'd to mm 1 *Yelling their uncouth dirge, long daunccd th 0kirtled clan.

* Alluding to the wreckers of Cornwall.

t The Albanian Mussulmans do not abstain from wine, and, indeed, very few of the others,t Palikar, a general name for a soldier amongst the Greeks and Albanese who speak Romaic : it means;properly, a “ lad.”