Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Basem; Or, The Blacksmith. An Oriental Apologue.
it possible for us to go away , " said Giafar , " without being admitted , when the only purpose of our coming- was to wait on you ^ and rake leave before setting outYor our own country to-morrow ! " " May God not decree your safe return ! " said Basem , " you have already got my answer , and if yon do not instantly depart , I swear by my own head that I will send down a shower among ye . " actuall to his threat
Giafar perceiving that he was y preparing put into execution , entreated him to desist . "Be assured , " said he , "O Hadgi , that after this night we will never again intrude on you , and that we only came , as was our duty , to take leave of you , as a friend . '' " I want none of your leave-taking , " replied Basem , " nor do I know of any friendship between us ; but this I know , thtitmydoor of take solemn oaththat
shall not be opened , unless each you a , you will not vex me with your impertinence , by intermeddling with my affairs , and that none of you will ever trouble my house after this nio-ht . " All three having taken this oath , the door- was opened * and they followed Basem up stairs . , to his apartment , where they found every thing prepared with extraordinary profusion . They had been seated but a short while , and Basem had only drank- a few bumpers , when the khalifspeaking aside to Giafar , said , " I am , impatient
, to know whence this profusion ; surely something extraordinary must have happened to-day ; try to prevail on him to tell us . " " It will be better , O lord of the true believers , " replied Giafar , " that we stay till the wine shall have got more into his head ; at present he is not in a disposition to answer questions . Basem in silence continued carousing without concerning himseii d the last niht of
about his guests , till the khalif requeste ( as being g their meeting ) that he would favour them with some of his facetious discourse , or with a jovial song . " Most cheerfully and willingly , " replied Basem . " You must know , my guests ( continued he ) , tha * the spring is the prime of the seasons , and the days of the roses the most delightful of all others . It was long ago said by Hippocrates who does not in the springand
the physician , that the man rejoice ,, rapturously taste the vernal breezes , must have , a faulty constitution which requires physic . Some Persian philosophers speaking of the spring , resemble it to beauty in the face ; a smile that discovers fine teeth ; grandeur and symmetry of stature ; graceful motion ; libe- ? rality ' of mind , and suavity of disposition . " After this grave . harangue , Basem entertained his guests with a number of pleasant drinking songs , not forgetting his bumper between each , nor to smell the roses which were strewn on the table , and to which his
songs often made allusions . The khalif was so highly diverted , and Basem in such excellent humour , that it was late before he again desired Giafar to question Basem about the transactions of the day . Giafar said all . that hq could to dissuade the khalif from incurring the risk of enraging the man who was in good humour with them , and in the height of his jollity ; but'finding his master inflexible he was obliged , to ob . ey ^ ( To be : concluded in our next . )
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Basem; Or, The Blacksmith. An Oriental Apologue.
it possible for us to go away , " said Giafar , " without being admitted , when the only purpose of our coming- was to wait on you ^ and rake leave before setting outYor our own country to-morrow ! " " May God not decree your safe return ! " said Basem , " you have already got my answer , and if yon do not instantly depart , I swear by my own head that I will send down a shower among ye . " actuall to his threat
Giafar perceiving that he was y preparing put into execution , entreated him to desist . "Be assured , " said he , "O Hadgi , that after this night we will never again intrude on you , and that we only came , as was our duty , to take leave of you , as a friend . '' " I want none of your leave-taking , " replied Basem , " nor do I know of any friendship between us ; but this I know , thtitmydoor of take solemn oaththat
shall not be opened , unless each you a , you will not vex me with your impertinence , by intermeddling with my affairs , and that none of you will ever trouble my house after this nio-ht . " All three having taken this oath , the door- was opened * and they followed Basem up stairs . , to his apartment , where they found every thing prepared with extraordinary profusion . They had been seated but a short while , and Basem had only drank- a few bumpers , when the khalifspeaking aside to Giafar , said , " I am , impatient
, to know whence this profusion ; surely something extraordinary must have happened to-day ; try to prevail on him to tell us . " " It will be better , O lord of the true believers , " replied Giafar , " that we stay till the wine shall have got more into his head ; at present he is not in a disposition to answer questions . Basem in silence continued carousing without concerning himseii d the last niht of
about his guests , till the khalif requeste ( as being g their meeting ) that he would favour them with some of his facetious discourse , or with a jovial song . " Most cheerfully and willingly , " replied Basem . " You must know , my guests ( continued he ) , tha * the spring is the prime of the seasons , and the days of the roses the most delightful of all others . It was long ago said by Hippocrates who does not in the springand
the physician , that the man rejoice ,, rapturously taste the vernal breezes , must have , a faulty constitution which requires physic . Some Persian philosophers speaking of the spring , resemble it to beauty in the face ; a smile that discovers fine teeth ; grandeur and symmetry of stature ; graceful motion ; libe- ? rality ' of mind , and suavity of disposition . " After this grave . harangue , Basem entertained his guests with a number of pleasant drinking songs , not forgetting his bumper between each , nor to smell the roses which were strewn on the table , and to which his
songs often made allusions . The khalif was so highly diverted , and Basem in such excellent humour , that it was late before he again desired Giafar to question Basem about the transactions of the day . Giafar said all . that hq could to dissuade the khalif from incurring the risk of enraging the man who was in good humour with them , and in the height of his jollity ; but'finding his master inflexible he was obliged , to ob . ey ^ ( To be : concluded in our next . )