"The Perfian ftyle is faid to be ridiculously bombaft, and this fault is imputed to the flavish spirit of the nation, which is ever apt to magnify the objects that are placed above it: there are bad writers, to be fure, in every country, and as many in Afia as elsewhere; but, if we take the pains to learn the Perfian language, we shall find that those authors, who are generally esteemed in Perfia, are neither flavish in their fentiments, nor ridiculous in their expreffions: of which the following paffage in a moral work of Sadi, entitled Boftân, or, The Garden, will be a fufficient proof.

Shinidem ke, der wakti nezî rewan,
Be Hormuz chunin gufti Nufbirewan:
Ki khatir nigebdari dervishi bash,
Ne der bendi afaifbi khifbi bafb:
Neafaid ender diyari to kes,
Chu afaïfhi khihi khahi wa bes.
Neyayid benezdiki dana pefend,
Shubani khufte, wa gurki der kufpend.
Beru; pafi derifbi mubtáji dar,
Ki hab ez raiyeti búd táji dar.
Raiyet chu bikheft wa foltan dirakht,
Dirakht, ai pifer, bafbed ez bikhi fakht.

That is; I have heard that king Nufhirvan, juft before his death, spoke thus to his fon Hormuz: Be a guardian, my fon, to the poor and helpless; and be not confined in the chains of thy own indolence. No one can be at eafe in thy dominion, while thou feekeft only thy private reft, and fayeft, It is enough. A wife man will not approve the shepherd, who fleeps while the wolf is in the fold. Go, my fon, protect thy weak and indigent people; fince through them is a king raifed to the diadem. The people are the root, and the king is the tree, that grows from it; and the tree, O my fon, derives its ftrength from the root.

"Are thefe mean fentiments, delivered in pompous language? Are they not rather worthy of our moft fpirited writers? And do they not convey a fine leffon for a young king? Yet Sadi's poems are highly esteemed at Conftantinople, and at Ifpahan; though, a century or two ago, they would have been fuppreffed in Europe, for spreading, with too ftrong a glare, the light of liberty and reason."

The Perfians have alfo, according to our author, an Epic Poem, on the delivery of that country by Cyrus, longer than the Iliad of Homer, replete with ftriking characters, bold and animated figures, and of a noble and polished diction.

Of the Turkish poetry, which is cenfured by fome, for being too fervilely imitative of the Perfian, our author hath given the following example, in the tranflation of an Ode of Mefihi, with the original and a literal English verfion fubjoined.

"HEAR

"HEAR how the nightingales, on every spray,
Hail in wild notes the fweet return of May!
The gale, that o'er yon waving almond blows,
The verdant bank with filver bloffoms ftrows:
The fmiling feafon decks each flowery glade.
Be gay too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.
What gales of fragrance fcent the vernal air!
Hills, dales, and woods, their loveliest mantles wear.
Who knows what cares await that fatal day,
When ruder guits shall banish gentle May?
Ev'n death, perhaps, our valleys will invade.
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.
The tulip now its varied hue displays,
And fheds, like Ahmed's eye, celestial rays.
Ah, nation ever faithful, ever true,

The joys of youth, while May invites, pursue!
Will not thefe notes your timorous minds perfuade?
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

DINLEH bulbul kiffa fen kim gildi eiami behar,
Kurdi her bir baghda hengamei hengami behar,
Oldi fim affhan ana ezhari badami behar
Yth u nufh it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Yineh enwei shukufileh bezendi bagh u ragh,
Yth ichun kurdi chichekler fahni gulfhenda otagh,
Kim bilur ol behareh dek kih u kim ola fagh?
Yfh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Tarafi gulfhen nuri Ahmed birleh malamaldur,
Sebzelerinda fehabeh lalehi kheirulaldur,
Hei Mohammed ummeti wakti huzuri haldur.
Yh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Thou heareft the tale of the nightingale," that the vernal feafon ap"proaches." The Spring has spread a bower of joy in every grove, where the almond-tree fbeds its filver bloffoms. Be cheerful; be full of mirth; for the Spring paffes foon away: it will not laft.

The groves and hills are again adorned with all forts of flowers: a pavilion of roses, as the feat of pleasure, is raised in the garden. Who knows, which of us will be alive when the fair feafon ends? Be cheerful, Ec.

The edge of the bower is filled with the light ef Ahmed: among the plants the fortunate tulips reprefent his companions. Come, Opeople of Mohammed, this is the feafon of merriment. Be cheerful, &c.

The fparkling dewdrops o'er the lilies play,
Like orient pearls, or like the beams of day.
If love and mirth your wanton thoughts engage,
Attend, ye nymphs! (a poet's words are fage.)
While thus you fit beneath the trembling fhade,
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

The fresh blown rose like Zeineb's cheek appears,
When pearls, like dewdrops, glitter in her ears.
The charms of youth at once are seen and past;
And nature fays, "They are too sweet to laft."
So blooms the rofe; and fo the blushing maid!
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.
See yon anemonies their leaves unfold,
With rubies flaming, and with living gold!
While cryftal showers from weeping clouds defcend,
Enjoy the prefence of thy tuneful friend.

Now, while the wines are brought, the fofa's lay'd,
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

Kildi fhebnem yineh jeuherdari tighi fufeni,
Zhalehler aldi hewai doiyile leh gulfhene,
Gher temasha ifeh makfudun beni esleh beni.
Ysh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.
Rukhleri rengin giuzellar dur gulileh lalehlar,
Kim kulaklarineh durlu jeuher asinish zhalehlar,'
Aldanup fanma ki bunlar boileh baki kalehlar.
Yh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.
Gulistanda giorunin laleh u gul naoman leh
Baghda kan aldi fhemfun nifhteri baran leh.
Arefun bu demi khosh gior bu giun yaran leh,
Yfh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Again the dew glitters on the leaves of the lily, like the water of a bright fymitar. The dewdrops fall through the air on the garden of rofes. Liften to me, liften to me, if thou defireft to be delighted. Be cheerful, &c.

The roles and tulips are like the bright cheeks of beautiful maids, in whofe ears the pearls bang like drops of dew. Deceive not thyfelf, by thinking that thefe charms will have a long duration. Be cheerful, &c.

Tulips, rofes, and anemonies, appear in the gardens: the fhowers and the funbeams, like fharp lancets, tinge the banks with the colour of blood. Spend this day agreeably with thy friends, like a prudent man. Be cheerful, &c.

The

The plants no more are dried, the meadows dead,
No more the rose-bud hangs her penfive head:
The shrubs revive in valleys, meads, and bowers,
And every stalk is diadem'd with flowers;
In filken robes each hillock stands array'd.
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

Clear drops each morn impearl the rofe's bloom,
And from its leaf the Zephyr drinks perfume;
The dewy buds expand their lucid fitore:

Be this our wealth: ye damfels, afk no more.
Though wife men envy, and though fools upbraid,
Be gay: too foor. the flowers of Spring will fade.

The dewdrops, fprinkled by the mufky gale,
Are chang'd to effence ere they reach the dale.
The mild blue fky a rich pavilion spreads,
Without our labour, o'er our favour'd heads.
Let others toil in war, in arts, or trade.
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

Gitti ol demler ki olup febzeler fahib ferash,
Guncheh fikri gulfhenun olmishdi bagherinda bash,
Gildi bir dem kim karardi laleh lerle dagh u tafh,
Yih u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Ebr gulzari uftuneh her fubh goher bariken,
Nefhei badi feher
por nafei tatariken:
Ghafil olmeh alemun mahbublighi wariken.
Yfh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Buyi gulzar itti fholdenlu hewai mushknab
Kim yereh inengeh olur ketrei fhebnem gulab.
Cherkh otak kurdi gulistan uftuneh giunlik fehab.
Yfh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

The time is paffed in which the plants were fick, and the rofe-bud bung its thoughtful bead on its bofom. The feafon comes in which mountains and rocks are coloured with tulips. Be cheerful, &c.

Each morning the clouds fhed gems over the rose garden: the breath of the gale is full of Tartarian musk. Be not neglectful of thy duty through too great a love of the world. Be cheerful, &c.

The fweetness of the bower has made the air fo fragrant, that the dew, before it falls, is changed into rofe-water. The Sky Spreads a pavilion of bright clouds over the garden. Be cheerful, &c.

The

Late gloomy winter chill'd the fullen air,
Till Solfman arofe, and all was fair.

Soft in his reign the notes of love resound,
And pleasure's rofy cup goes freely round.

Here on the bank, which mantling vines o'erfhade,
Be gay: too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.
May this rude lay from age to age remain,
A true memorial of this lovely train.

Come, charming maid, and hear thy poet fing,
Thyfelf the rofe, and He the bird of fpring:
Love bids him fing, and Love will be obey'd.
Be gay too foon the flowers of Spring will fade.

Gulistanun her ne sen aldi fiah badi khuzan,
Adl idup bir bir ileh wardi yineh shahi jehan.
Deuletinda badehler kam oldi fakii kamran.
Ysh u nush it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.
Omerem buleh, Mefihi, bu merbai ishtihar,
Ehlene ola bu charabru u giuzeller yadgar,
Bulbuli khosh gui fen gulyuzluler leh yuriwar.
Yih u nufh it kim gicher kalmaz bu eiami behar.

Whoever thou art, know that the black gufts of autumn had feized the garden; but the king of the world again appeared difpenfing justice to all: in bis reign the happy cupbearer defired and obtained the flowing wine. Be cheerful, &c.

By thefe firains I hoped to celebrate this delightful valley: may they be a memorial to its inhabitants, and remind them of this affembly, and these fair maids! Thou art a nightingale with a fweet voice, O Mefibi, when thou walkeft with the damfels, whofe cheeks are like rojès. Be cheerful; be full of mirth; for the Spring passes foon away: it will not laft.”

To the tranflations of oriental pieces are added a tranflation of Petrarch's Ode to the Fountain of Valchiusa, Laura, an Elegy from the fame poet, with an original English Poem on the Game of Chefs, and fome tranflations, imitations, and originals in Latin (which were not in the first edition), well worthy the perufal of the claffical reader; to whom we shall prefent the following fhort but elegant fpecimen, which is an allufion to the learned author's profeffional character.

AD MUSA M.

"VALE, Camena, blanda cultrix ingenî,

Virtutis altrix, mater eloquentiæ !

Linquenda alumno eft laurus & chelys tuo:
At tu dearum dulcium dulciffima,
Seu Suada mavis five Pitho dicier,
A te receptus in tuâ vivam fide:
Mihi fit, oro, non inutilis toga,
Nec indiferta lingua, nec turpis manus."

VOL. VI.

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