wings," and he alighted on his feet, " unshaken, on the Stygian bottom." The demon, casting a look over his left shoulder, did not, you may rest assured, let the grass grow under his feet; and Japhet, "with fresh zeal, renewed the chase." The fiend, by a terrific mandate, makes a huge gate fly open in a mountain's side, that for a moment, like a solid wall, had seemed to obstruct his flight, and just as he is about to bang it after him, Japhet gets within reach and tips it a touch of the Crutch. The effect is just what might have been expected -it stands immovable-and Christopher pursues the ravisher into a large cavern, "whose limits spread within the central space, extensive as an empire." There he holds his unobstructed way, for many a league," through a realm "named Hades"full of

66

"Poisonous weeds And loathsome reptiles, venomous and foulToads, scorpions, alligators, vampires, snakes, Whose forked tongues sent forth incessant hiss,

That made even demons shudder in their dens."

Here Japhet is at fault, for the demon, who has stuck to his prize like wax, disappears "amidst a labyrinth of tangled streets in Tophet's fulsome city," and there is no running him by the foot in the general stink.

At length Japhet reaches the citadel -and enters the palace of Belial who at sight of the Crutch is cowed, and sings small-saying, sotto voce, “Declare thy wish." In words

"Of peace I ask thee. If thy will be such As, without ruin, we to thee may grant, I promise strict compliance, so that thou

Ye felt a foretaste of the heavier doom Which waits the wicked in profounder hell. How different that sad vault, accursed and foul,

From the bright Eden for those fair ones made,

Who for their spouses chose celestial spirits,
And still maintained fidelity to heaven.
True; some were here, by demon force com-
pelled,

Like virtuous Isamell; but God on these With pity looked, and blest their mortal hour,

Which ever soon he sent for their release, When angels bore their ransomed souls on high."

Japhet emerges with Isamell from the Tartarean gulph, and finds himself on the shore of a dreadful sea. But at a touch of the Crutch its rage subsides, "And with a sudden ebb,

It leaves the shore, on which a path is formed,

Broad, firm and dry, with pearl and corals paved,

And silver sand and shells innumerable Of many a glittering, gay, fantastic dye." Before sunset they reach the farm. Isamell is "to the heart of her rejoicing sire pressed with parental rapture;" and the harp of Irad-who must have been for some time in a shocking state of suspense

"Woke to strains of ecstasy, Poured forth a lover's gratitude and joy For the sweet mistress of his heart restored." But the pilgrims must march eastwards on their mission too long ne

turb

in the realms of Shalmazar, receives from Japhet a token that will gain him aid and protection through Armon's provinces, and prepares to remove with Isamell and all his household to Noah's royal seat.

Passing through innumerable villages and many cities, the minstrels at last reach Gal-Cainah, which seems to us to have resembled Edinburghbut on a considerably larger scalebuilt of marble, instead of Craigleith freestone as beautiful as marble

"At length they at Gal-Cainah's gates arrived,

The mighty capital of half the world,

"Using them as serfs,

Have ever since been ruled by tyrant lords, To furnish them with means of luxury, And in return contempt and stripes receive!"

Japhet is for a time much puzzled how to proceed-but thinks it prudent to pay court to the Anakims, who are passionately fond of music, and "showed favour to the wandering minstrel pair." The son of Noah, we are sorry to say it, compromises his principles so far as to perform " at sacrifices." But their chief occupation is in fiddling or harping, at "balls and banquets." They are all the rage-the Spindler and Wieppert of Gal-Cainah -no evening assemblage in the fashionable world without Japhet and Irad. There is no mention of terms

-but they must have pocketed a good penny-and their meat and drink was the best

"Until their fame reached the luxurious court,

And by Shalmazar's order, they were brought

To minister their heart-enlivening strains For his enjoyment: he was pleased, and o'er The choral band that soothed his Har em hours,

Japhet as chief musician soon was placed,

And next in station Irad was installed." Elevated to a rank so far beyond what he could ever have pictured, in the wildest dreams of youthful ambition, it is not to be wondered at that Prince Japhet, the son of Noah, should forget his mission as well as himself; but an accident soon occurred to recal both to his remembrance. Shalmazar had just returned from quelling a revolt in his empire's northern bounds, and chose to celebrate his victory by a splendid festival. He had failed in making any impression ou the heart of Hadallah; but Asmodeus whispered to him to place her that day beside himself on the throne, and to proclaim her Queen. Insensible to love, she might be overcome by ambition.

'Tis done; and Hadallah, as she is proclaimed " Shalmazar's Queen,"

-hears instrumental music from on

high, which sends " emotions through

her frame she ne'er had known be

fore;" and then a love-song, fraught with mysterious meaning, "that gives her virgin charms a sweeter, brighter glow." She looks up to the orchestra -and lo! Japhet-the leader-whom she recognises as the same beautiful being once seen in a dream. Japhet, too, recognizes in her a loveliest virgin, whom, in a dream, he had freed from a net wound round her by a demon.

"Oh! how his bosom burned His mission to accomplish, and achieve The glorious work of her deliverance.

Hadallah leaves the festal hall, puzzled to know whether she is Queen or not, attended by a splendid train of nymphs, who sing her praises, and strew her path with flowers. Having been put to bed by Jazeda, her thoughts ran on the noble minstrel who had "taught her virgin bosom how to love;" and Asmodeus, perceiving "some new emotion in her breast, of earthly nature, whether

For Heaven, my soul's assured, will save me from

The doom abhorred of joining fates with thee."

We really cannot help thinking that, all things considered, Hadallah might have treated the demi-fiend more mildly; for her good sense must have told her that, for a son of Belial, his behaviour had not been so very much amiss! True, he began his courtship ill by doing what he could to burn her father. But Jathuran was in heaven;

and it is remarkable that Hadallah never once mentions him at least we do not remember her doing so-during the whole poem. What more could the demi-fiend do to show the sincerity of his passion, than to make her his queen? And his queen, she had suffered herself to be proclaimed in presence of the whole court. Farther, for a few minutes she had taken his protestations into consideration; nay, seemed to incline her ear favourably to his suit; and though she had done so under the evil influence of Asmodeus, still she was not without

from any act of violence. We question if, in all the annals of mankind, such abstemious conduct will be found recorded of any other demi-fiend. Cyrus and Scipio were not demi-fiends; and there was just so much the less virtue in their abstinence. We suspect, indeed, that there was not a syllable of truth in Jazeda's story of the rape and murder of Adda, and that Shalmazar himself countenanced it merely as a ruse. Hadallah owed to him many pleasant hours with Captain Ellam; and as she never could have divined the demi-fiend's object in confiding her to the charge of that accomplished. person, she should have been obliged to him for the opportunity afforded her of converting the handsome guardsman to the true faith. Perhaps we may now safely venture to avow our regard for the demi-fiend. Cruel we cannot call him for cruelty, like every thing else, is comparativeand he sinks into a humane character, too prone to the womanly weaknesses of commiseration and pity, when compared with Nero, Caligula, or Domitian. Hadallah might have done worse than marry him and we believe in our conscience-we do, indeed -that he would have made a very good husband-for a king. It would have been too much to expect that she could ever have made a convert of him like

the Captain but it cannot be doubted that she might have insisted, as the pious condition on which she would surrender the fortress, on the insertion of a clause in the marriage-settlement, binding him to pull down, on the nuptial morn, that golden statue. What good might she not have wrought among that idolatrous people! Perhaps prevented the Flood!

We feel, somewhat sadly, that it is too late now to indulge longer in such speculations; and beg to turn attention to Japhet. He seems to have had the entrée; for, at midnight,

"Gently opening, moved her chamber-door And in her presence stood the minstrel youth."

He beseeches "the fairest of created forms," not to be alarmed for that Heaven has sent him, "from distant

far above all his other claims on her good nature, she ought suitably to have acknowledged his forbearance

her from the tyrant's power.

"Our means of flight from this polluted land,

Here in defiance of the tyrant's threats Shem gave them welcome, and supplied

And haste to leave impending ills behind. ' I go,' she said, 'for firmly I believe, Thy mission is from God, whose gracious hand

Thus aids me in the extremity of peril." " Captain Ellam-who had planned the escape kills the giant sentinel on his post at the outer harem gate, and they soon arrive at a grove, where Irad is ready with "four noble steeds," for fleetress all unmatched, even by the fleetest in the royal stalls (probably stolen therefrom), " each mounted one," and Ellam, who "knew well the country," led the way.

"O'er many a hill, and dale, and flowery plain,

And mountain high, and roaring river wide,

All unimpeded, on they hold their way, For thrice seven days with unrelaxing speed;

Till in the province nearest to the west, Of the broad realms o'er which Shalmazar ruled,

They reached the rocky summit of a mount, Which overlooked a region large and rich, And gay with numerous populous vil

lages.

But, to their startled and abhorrent sight,
Not far remote a multitude appear'd,
In midst of which a blazing pile efused
Its gray and crimson columns to the sky."

They save Jotham from the flames -but where is Isamell? A captive in a neighbouring tower, under orders to be sent without delay to the capital " with her surpassing beauty to adorn the harem of Shalmazar." Japhet remains to guard Hadallah among the rocks-and Irad and Ellam rush to the rescue. The guards are few, and off their guard, and are easily cut to pieces-Irad makes her get up behind and in ten minutes they are in the mountain-refuge.

"A

short repast and short repose they take;" and pursue their journey westwards for three days ere they get clear of the Cainite empire.

Passing through a well-cultivated country, they reach the city of Sabbatah, the eastward bulwark of Armonia-and who should be reigning there but "Shem, Prince Japhet's brother!"

their wants

With hospitable care. The city hence was called Sabbatah, or their place of rest.* Japhet beholds again the Temples of the Living God, and longs once more in consecrated halls to worship his Creator, as in youth he oft had done in manner of his vows." These lines seem to indicate that he had been among the Cainites for many years. But it could not well have been so-and hitherto the action of the poem seems to have included not many months. Be that as it may. Book seventh has a happy termination-and so has the July number of Blackwood's Maga

zine.

"Soon he receives his brother's glad embrace

And joyous welcome as from death restored;

While all Sabbatah's population join
In acclamations for his safe return,
And praises for his glorious triumph o'er
The power of demons and of wicked men.
And soon the pious prince a temple seeks,
Where he might pour the o'erflowings of
his heart,

In fervent thanks, before the people all,
Confessing that to God alone he owed
The prosperous issue of his pilgrimage.
His loved Hadallah he that day espoused
With solemn rite; and in the public ear
Proclaimed her steadfast faith and piety.
That she was beautiful they all beheld;
That she had suffered in the cause of

Heaven

And shrunk not in the trial, now they heard, And every heart and tongue joined in her praise.

"Thou too, young Irad, then obtained thy bride,

The lovely Isamell, and shared the joy
And glory of that virtue-crowning day.
And, Ellam, theu didst also reap the meed
Of joy, for duty done and Heaven revered.
Joyful thou didst behold thy loved one
blest,

Nor envied that another made her so;
And gladly thou didst join the general
voice
In praise of Him whose grace conducted
To light from darkness, and thy soul re-
From bonds of guilt to joys of piety.