Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Maimoune.
MAIMOUNE .
FORGOTTEN POETRY . From the "Etonian . " CAHTO II . THE fair Badoura had concciv'd a whim in
Her lovely head , of wisdom most profound ; Her brain in Avild fantastic dreams AA'as SAvimming , Such as Avith maidens UOAV and then abound
, But rarely vex the pates of married Avomen—She fancied she might search tho Avorld around , Ancl find no husband in its dreary Avaste , To suit her very reasonable taste .
^ nd much she argued on the wiles of men , Their base decit , ' their gross dissimulation , Their falsehood and their cruelty ; and then She prais'd the virtues of a single
station : And "if she should be married , Avhen oh I Avhen Could she enjoy such mirth and recreation , Such joyous freedom , such unbounded sport , As she Avas used to at her father ' s court 1 "
Ah ! poor Badoura I in a luckless hour Thou coni ' st to urge thine innocent entreaty ; No , thought thy bright ancl eloquent eyes should sliOAver A sea of tears upon thy father's feet , he Will
never yield to their persuasive poAv ' r IHe had , in fact , just ratified a treat y By which his daughter Avas declar'd the Queen Of the young hopeful heir of Fadladeen . For six Avhole months the mischief had been brewing
With such sagacious secrecy , that feAv Suspected half the plans that Avere pursuing , And not a soul in all the kingdom kneAv That his respected Monarch had been
doing What none but Monarchs have the face to do ; And sign'd tho contract Avhich he felt Avould sever His child from hope ancl happiness for ever .
Alas ! poor Royalty ! hoAv far remov'd Art thou horn all the blessedness of earth ! Is't not enough that thou has never prov'd The bliss of friendship , nor enjoy'd the mirth
Of happy sjih'its , loving and belov'd ? Is't not enough that thou must feel the dearth Of cheering looks , ancl languidly repress The hoUoAv smiles of palace heartlessness 1
Is't not enough that tranquil sleep is driven From thy uneasy pilloAv?—that thy brain Must throb for ever , and thy heart he riven With Aveariness and careand scarce
, retain A dream obscure , a wandering ray of heav ' n , So closely fetter ' cl by the earth ' s dull chain 1 Is't not enough that Fancy's self hath
left Thy broken slumber of her joys bereft ? Oh ! is not this enough I but must thou link Thy care-worn heart to an unloving
mate , And for the bliss of chaste affection , drink The bitter cup of carelessness or hate , Hnsolac'd and unpitied ?— -Canst thoti think There is on a thing earth so desolate
As thou , Avho yieldest for thy tinsel prize Love ' s self , our last faint ray fro " Paradise ? So felt perchance Badoura , as she knelt
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Maimoune.
MAIMOUNE .
FORGOTTEN POETRY . From the "Etonian . " CAHTO II . THE fair Badoura had concciv'd a whim in
Her lovely head , of wisdom most profound ; Her brain in Avild fantastic dreams AA'as SAvimming , Such as Avith maidens UOAV and then abound
, But rarely vex the pates of married Avomen—She fancied she might search tho Avorld around , Ancl find no husband in its dreary Avaste , To suit her very reasonable taste .
^ nd much she argued on the wiles of men , Their base decit , ' their gross dissimulation , Their falsehood and their cruelty ; and then She prais'd the virtues of a single
station : And "if she should be married , Avhen oh I Avhen Could she enjoy such mirth and recreation , Such joyous freedom , such unbounded sport , As she Avas used to at her father ' s court 1 "
Ah ! poor Badoura I in a luckless hour Thou coni ' st to urge thine innocent entreaty ; No , thought thy bright ancl eloquent eyes should sliOAver A sea of tears upon thy father's feet , he Will
never yield to their persuasive poAv ' r IHe had , in fact , just ratified a treat y By which his daughter Avas declar'd the Queen Of the young hopeful heir of Fadladeen . For six Avhole months the mischief had been brewing
With such sagacious secrecy , that feAv Suspected half the plans that Avere pursuing , And not a soul in all the kingdom kneAv That his respected Monarch had been
doing What none but Monarchs have the face to do ; And sign'd tho contract Avhich he felt Avould sever His child from hope ancl happiness for ever .
Alas ! poor Royalty ! hoAv far remov'd Art thou horn all the blessedness of earth ! Is't not enough that thou has never prov'd The bliss of friendship , nor enjoy'd the mirth
Of happy sjih'its , loving and belov'd ? Is't not enough that thou must feel the dearth Of cheering looks , ancl languidly repress The hoUoAv smiles of palace heartlessness 1
Is't not enough that tranquil sleep is driven From thy uneasy pilloAv?—that thy brain Must throb for ever , and thy heart he riven With Aveariness and careand scarce
, retain A dream obscure , a wandering ray of heav ' n , So closely fetter ' cl by the earth ' s dull chain 1 Is't not enough that Fancy's self hath
left Thy broken slumber of her joys bereft ? Oh ! is not this enough I but must thou link Thy care-worn heart to an unloving
mate , And for the bliss of chaste affection , drink The bitter cup of carelessness or hate , Hnsolac'd and unpitied ?— -Canst thoti think There is on a thing earth so desolate
As thou , Avho yieldest for thy tinsel prize Love ' s self , our last faint ray fro " Paradise ? So felt perchance Badoura , as she knelt