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                      POEMS FROM EASTERN SOURCES:
                         THE STEADFAST PRINCE;
                           AND OTHER POEMS.

                                  BY
                       RICHARD CHENEVIX TRENCH.

                                LONDON:
                      EDWARD MOXON, DOVER STREET.
                              MDCCCXLII.




                                LONDON:
              BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS.




CONTENTS.


POEMS FROM EASTERN SOURCES.

                                                    PAGE

ALEXANDER AT THE GATES OF PARADISE.—A LEGEND
  FROM THE TALMUD                                      3

CHIDHER’S WELL                                        11

THE BANISHED KINGS                                    14

THE BALLADS OF HAROUN AL RASCHID:
      I.—THE SPILT PEARLS                             20
     II.—THE BARMECIDES                               24
    III.—THE FESTIVAL                                 35

THE EASTERN NARCISSUS                                 41

THE SEASONS:
      I.—WINTER                                       43
     II.—SPRING                                       46
    III.—SUMMER                                       49
     IV.—AUTUMN                                       52

MOSES AND JETHRO                                      55

PROVERBS, TURKISH AND PERSIAN                         60

“THE GOOD THAT ONE MAN FLINGS ASIDE”                  64

LOVE                                                  67

THE FALCON                                            69

LIFE THROUGH DEATH:

      I.—“A PAGAN KING TORMENTED FIERCELY ALL”        71

     II.—“A DEW-DROP FALLING ON THE WILD SEA
              WAVE”                                   73

    III.—“THE SEED MUST DIE, BEFORE THE CORN
              APPEARS”                                74

THE WORLD                                             75

THE MONK AND SINNER                                   78

“WHAT, THOU ASKEST, IS THE HEAVEN, AND THE
  ROUND EARTH AND THE SEA”                            81

THE SUPPLIANT                                         84

THE PANTHEIST; OR, THE ORIGIN OF EVIL                 87

GHAZEL                                                90

THE RIGHTEOUS OF THE WORLD                            91

MAXIMS                                                94

THE FALCON’S REWARD                                   96

THE CONVERSION OF ABRAHAM                            101

SONNET                                               103

THE DEAD DOG                                         104

“FAIR VESSEL HAST THOU SEEN WITH HONEY FILLED”       106

FRAGMENTS:
      I.—THE CERTAINTY OF FAITH                      108
     II.—MAN’S TWOFOLD NATURE                        109
    III.—SCIENCE AND LOVE                            110
     IV.—“THE BUSINESS OF THE WORLD IS CHILD’S
              PLAY MERE”                             111
      V.—“SAGE, THAT WOULD’ST MAKER OF THINE OWN
              GOD BE”                                112
     VI.—“MAN, THE CAGED BIRD THAT OWNED AN
              HIGHER NEST”                           113

NOTES TO THE POEMS FROM EASTERN SOURCES              115


THE STEADFAST PRINCE:
    PART I.                                          125
    PART II.                                         152

ORPHEUS AND THE SIRENS                               173

ST. CHRYSOSTOM                                       184

THE OIL OF MERCY                                     185

THE TREE OF LIFE.—FROM THE GERMAN OF RÜCKERT         192

THE TREE OF LIFE.—FROM AN OLD LATIN POEM             195

PARADISE.—FROM THE GERMAN OF RÜCKERT                 199

THE LOREY LEY.—FROM THE GERMAN OF HEINE              203

“OH THOU OF DARK FOREBODINGS DREAR”                  205

THE PRODIGAL                                         206

THE CORREGAN.—A BALLAD OF BRITTANY                   208

SONNET                                               214

SONNET                                               215

SONNET                                               216

THE ETRURIAN KING                                    217

THE FAMINE                                           219

THE PRIZE OF SONG                                    231

NOTES                                                235




ERRATA.


Page 39, line 9, for _one_ read _our_.

— 191, — 11, dele comma.

— 215, — 2, for _light_ read _slight_.




POEMS
FROM
EASTERN SOURCES.




NOTE.


The following Poems bear somewhat a vague title, because
such only would describe the nature of Poems which have been
derived in very different degrees from the sources thus indicated.
Some are mere translations; others have been modelled anew,
and only such portions used of the originals as were adapted to
my purpose: of others it is only the imagery and thought which
are Eastern, and these have been put together in new combinations;
while of others it is the story, and nothing more, which has been
borrowed, it may be from some prose source. On this subject,
however, more information will be given in the Notes.




ALEXANDER AT THE GATES OF PARADISE.

A Legend from the Talmud.


Fierce was the glare of Cashmere’s middle day,
When Alexander for Hydaspes bent,
Through trackless wilds urged his impetuous way

Yet in that vast and sandy continent
A little vale he found, so calm, so sweet,
He there awhile to tarry was content.

A crystal stream was murmuring at his feet,
Whereof the Monarch, when his meal was done,
Took a long draught, to slake his fever heat.

Again he drank, and yet again, as one
Who would have drained that river crystalline
Of all its waves, and left it dry anon:

For in his veins, ofttimes a-fire with wine,
And in his bosom, throne of sleepless pride,
The while he drank, went circling peace divine.

It seemed as though all evil passions died
Within him, slaked was every fire accurst;
So that in rapturous joy aloud he cried:

“Oh! might I find where these pure waters first
Shoot sparkling from their living fountain-head,
Oh! there to quench my spirit’s inmost thirst.

“Sure, if we followed where these waters led,
We should at last some fairer region gain
Than yet has quaked beneath our iron tread,—

“Some land that should in very truth contain
Whate’er we dream of beautiful and bright,
And idly dreaming of, pursue in vain;

“That land must stoop beneath our conquering might.
Companions dear, this toil remains alone,
To win that region of unmatched delight.

“Oh faithful in a thousand labours known,
One toil remains, the noblest and the last;
Let us arise—and make that land our own.”

—Through realms of darkness, wildernesses vast,
All populous with sights and sounds of fear,
In heat and cold, by day and night, he past,

With trumpet clang, with banner and with spear,
Yearning to drink that river, where it sent
Its first pure waters forth, serene and clear;

Till boldest captains sank, their courage spent,
And dying cried—“This stream all search defies,”—
But never would he tarry nor repent,

Nor pitched his banners, till before his eyes
Rose high as heaven in its secluded state
The mighty verdant wall of Paradise.

And lo! that stream, which early still and late
He had tracked upward, issued bright and clear
From underneath the angel-guarded gate:

—“And who art thou that hast adventured here,
Daring to startle this serene abode
With flash of mortal weapons, sword and spear?”

So the angelic sentinel of God,
Fire flashing, to the bold invader cried,
Whose feet profane those holy precincts trod.

The Son of Philip without dread replied,
“Is Alexander’s fame unknown to thee,
Which the world knows—mine, who have victory tied

“To my sword’s hilt, and who, while stoop to me
All other lands, would win what rich or fair
This land contains, and have it mine in fee?”

—“Thou dost thyself proclaim that part or share
Thou hast not here.—O man of blood and sin,
Go back—with those blood-stainèd hands despair

“This place of love and holy peace to win:
This is the gate of righteousness, and they,
The righteous, only here may enter in.”

Around, before him, lightnings dart and play:
He undismayed—“Of travail long and hard
At least some trophy let me bear away.”

—“Lo! then this skull—which if thou wilt regard,
And to my question seek for fit reply,
All thy long labours shall have full reward.

“Once in that hollow circle lodged an eye,
That was, like thine, for ever coveting,
Which worlds on worlds had failed to satisfy.

“Now while thou gazest on that ghastly ring,
From whence of old a greedy eye outspied,
Say thou what was it,—for there was a thing,—

“Which filled at last and throughly satisfied
The eye that in that hollow circle dwelt,
So that, ‘Enough, I have enough,’ it cried.”

—Blank disappointment at the gift he felt,
And hardly taking, turned in scorn away,
Nor he the riddle of the Angel spelt,

But cried unto his captains, “We delay,
And at these portals lose our time in vain,
By more than mortal terrors kept at bay:

“Come—other lands as goodly spoils contain,
Come—all too long untouched the Indian gold,
The pearls and spice of Araby remain.

“Come, and who will this riddle may unfold.”
Then stood before him, careless of his ire,
An Indian sage, and rendered answer bold—

“Lord of the world, commanded to enquire
What was it that could satisfy an eye,
That organ of man’s wandering vast desire,—

“By deed and word thou plainly dost reply,
That its desire can nothing tame or quell,
That it can never know sufficiency.

“While thou enlargest thy desire as hell,
Filling thine hand, but filling not thy lust,
Thou dost proclaim man’s eye insatiable:

“Such answer from thy lips were only just;
Yet ’twas not so. One came at last, who threw
Into yon face an heap of vilest dust,

“Whereof a few small grains did fall into
And filled the orb and hollow of that eye,
When that which suffisance not ever knew,
Was fain, ‘Enough, I have enough,’ to cry.”




CHIDHER’S WELL.


I.

Thee have thousands sought in vain
Over land and barren main,


II.

Chidher’s well,—of which they say
That it maketh young again;


III.

Fountain of eternal youth,
Washing free from every stain.


IV.

To its waves the aged moons
Aye betake them, when they wane;


V.

And the suns their golden light,
While they bathe therein, retain.


VI.

From that fountain drops are flung,
Mingling with the vernal rain,


VII.

And the old Earth clothes itself
In its young attire again.


VIII.

Thitherward the freckled trout
Up the water-courses strain,


IX.

And the timid wild gazelles
Seek it through the desert plain.


X.

Great Iskander[A], mighty Lord,
Sought that fountain, but in vain;


XI.

Through the land of darkness went
In its quest with fruitless pain,


XII.

While through wealth of conquered worlds
Did his thirst unslaked remain.


XIII.

Many more with parchèd lip
Must lie down, and dizzy brain,


XIV.

And of that, a fountain sealed
Unto them, in death complain.


XV.

If its springs to thee are known,
Weary wanderer, tell me plain.


XVI.

From beneath the throne of God
It must well, a lucid vein.


XVII.

To its sources lead me, Lord,
That I do not thirst again,


XVIII.

And my lips not any more
Shall the earth’s dark waters stain.

[Footnote A: Alexander.]




THE BANISHED KINGS.


On a fair ship, borne swiftly o’er the deep,
A man was lying, wrapt in dreamless sleep;
When unawares upon a sunken rock
That vessel struck, and shattered with the shock.
But strange! the plank where lay the sleeper bore
Him wrapt in deep sleep ever, to the shore:
It bore him safely through the foam and spray,
High up on land, where couched ’mid flowers he lay.
Sweet tones first woke him from his sleep, when round
His couch observant multitudes he found:
All hailed him then, and did before him bow,
And with one voice exclaimed,—“Our King art thou.”
With jubilant applause they bore him on,
And set him wondering on a royal throne:
And some his limbs with royal robes arrayed,
And some before him duteous homage paid,
And some brought gifts, all rare and costly things,
Nature’s and Art’s profusest offerings.
Around him counsellors and servants prest,
All eager to accomplish his behest.
Wish