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Leader (1850-1860), 29th March 1851, Edition Country of 2, Page 16

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      The Siege Of Damascus. The Siege Of Dama...

      " Some young children were amusing themselves beside the spot . When they heard the first notes they ceased their eport , and drew nearer the musicians One little Whine boy ventured to sit on the ground beside the welder minstrel , and gradually nestled himselt * o ^ lofee that his head rested on the lap of the old man . Children instinctively discover those who love the young . " As Azib continued to play , the child , tired and heated ¦ with exercise murmured , as he looked innocently in the old man ' s face , —' Who will give me some of those delicious fruits ? I wish I had some , for I am very thirsty —and they are so good ! ' said the minstrel fondl

      " ' Here , my little fellow , ' y , ' take this money . I will give you and your companions what you desire . Go to any stall you please , and select the largest bunches , or the sweetest dish , or fruits that you like best . Then come back to show me your purchases , and hear some music ' " Up started the delighted urchins , and noisily hurried away to expend the welcome gratuity . Azib had ceased to play when his father spoke , and now expressed his joy at the pleasant scene . " 'Ah , father , is not this like home ? How pleased those merry faces look ! See ! the darlings already return , loaded with the spoils of orchards and gardens . '

      " As Azib said this , the children hastened to the minstrels , and one after another offered and pressed portions of their fruits upon them , and would not be denied . If to humour one teazing child they accepted some trifling tribute of his gratitude , another would pleasingly insist on the same honour being done himself . At last , however , these affectionate contentions were ended , and the whole of the children clustered about the persons of the musicians . " As a contrast to these pictures read this : —

      ALONE IN THE DESERT . " When Jonas at length raised his head , the monk was scarcely visible—only a dim speck in the remote horizon . The sun was toiling in his burning course . The heavens were growing yellow and inflamed . The sands reflected the scorching heat . All around -was dry , withered , and dead . Jonas rose , and went to some neighbouring rocks that had pierced the sands . He sought everything and everywhere for a change , and some relief to the oppressive sultriness . The naked rocks felt like heated metal to his touch : he could not stay there . With his sword he loosed the baked soil , and with his hands dug a hole in the earth . He crouched down there , and then heaped the loose sand on his person , for protection against the direct rays of the sun . The position was no better : he felt as if in a bath , where the water was getting hotter every instant to toil him alive .

      " A rustling in the air attracted his attention . He looked around , and saw some vultures la-zily flapping their wings beside the dying horse . They had scented death a hundred miles off , and were first at the feast ; or , perhaps , their telescopic eye , raised some thousand feet above the plains of the Hanuran , where they tfreedily watched the labours of Moslem and Christian for their benefit , had suddenly marked the banquet spread for them in the desert . The dismal sight tioubled the conscience of Jonas . He rose and went to the animal , which had been his favourite steed . The horse was not yet dead , but writhed under the horrid elf cts of the poison which the monk kia . fl administered . Jonas could not look on the creature ' s dying throes . With hi--word he put an end to them ; and thus he found him ^ e . f surely doomed . The ship was wrecked that could alone bear him from the rock on which lu" stood in this miserable ocean of sand : he had burnt the laist plunk .

      "The bitds of prey rejoiced in the ir unck-in feast Before the dull eyen of the- horse had time to f ^ laisc , the foul be . iks of the vultures had torn them from their sockets . Jonas once attempted to drive the creatures away ; but it . was needless trouble . They scarcely mo \ ed before his nicmiwfi . His strength was unequal id the task of covering his carcase with stones and sand . What wuh tlie use ! If he deprived the vultures of their choice dish by day , the hyena and the jiickul would Imvc the more by night . Could their ravenous scent be escaped , or their hunger deceived by a thin covering of earth ?

      JonaH , therefore , left the spot , and tin : vultures returned " Day dragged heavily on . The fierce nun poured down iloods of aeriul heat ; the atmosphere was kuHocating A dead < :: ilni reignc-d . Tlioie was no sound to bo heard , no object to be seen moving in all the wide expanse . Nothing broke ? the dreary monotony of the scene . Kxcept i » IVw withered tuftH of low coaixe gruHN which studded the ground every two or three yards , it WttH eveiywhere s .-intl , Band ; honutimeH rock slightly protruding , then sand again , but all equally arid and glowing . Of water , or moisture , there vvuh not a drop . The horizon Hoeined to smoke with the fires of a

      thoitna " nd volcanoes ; e lurid hue ovcrnprcud the heavens . Jonas grew very taint . The pangHof his long abstinence were scarcely endurable . He moved rcHllensly about , not caring in what direction he went . Death wus on every Hide . -In the Mid , he only found himself where he had IxMMi in the morning . In vain he strained viision to delect , some distant Hpi-ck that might bring relief : no help was near . The faithful / . aba was ignorant of his danger , and , if not himself in trouble , was doubtless wandering lar uvvny in Heareh of Iuh mauler . " Atone lime , Jonas happened to find himself on

      tintop of a small eminence , tin looked despairingly on every side . I'heu a sudden joy filled Iuh heart . Uould ho believe his own eyeH ? There , just before him , lay n beautiful lake , in whoso waterH , smooth and K litteiing a « burnished hilver , were reflected Home slight distant « levations , similar to tho one on which lit ; stood . O bleiwd fcight!—how had it not . been Heen before . ? Joiiuh hurried to plunge himself in the calm , dcliuioiiH element . AWM it was enchantment all . There was leally no lukc- ^ IJo water . Mysterious exhalations from tins disHolvi ! fft *« arth floated on , and hid the Murface of the ground . To the tipeclutor above , they iseemcd riven ; and at-a-: of p : iv- di ¦ : <• ;

      tut when he ran forward and soug ht to drink , — -O mockery ! they were molten sands and airs from hell . Then Jonas recollected the mirage , and cursed his own stupidity . Yet the optical delusion still lasted during 'the middle hours of day . There—but now fai-the * onward * , lay the same 'charming vision—the same bountiful lake ! Avaunt , ye juggling fiends of the desert . Jonas was not to be betrayed a seoond time . ¦ " Evening approached ; and the sensitive ear Of our beasts werte

      hero detected trre distant cries of wild . They 3-ttshing to the mnabi ' s of th * vultures' festival . He had in his heart -wished that epeedy death would relieve iuh of his tortures ; but instinct warned him to fly before tfie fangs of those ferocious creatures . He wandered farther away tfll he reached a slight hollow , where grew a few nettles and briers , and among them a -small group tit prickly acacias . The sightg & ve him new vigour . There , ¦ he thought , water might fee found . He madly tot * up the withered nlants by the roots -in his search , but found

      not a drop . The acacias which he saw lived in sand and the hottest air . Their hardy shbois penetrated into minute crevices of the rock , and drew from thence the scantiest supply of moisture ; or father , their leaves imbibed it from the niggard dews of night , inappreciable by the senses of man . But those rocks and stunted trees yielded him no refreshment . The graceful foliage of the acacia , and the brilliant hue of its blossoms , mocfeed at his despair . They could bloom and flourish where proud

      man died . . . " The sun sunk , not so much amid flames asmtne steady glow of a furnace ; and the crook-backed moonwhite , clear , cold , and stern in appearance , made the scorched Jonas shiver as in an ague . Hot fits succeeded the cold . That was a fearful night The yells of wild beasts resounded from a distance . A fever was in his veins ; a burning fire in his brain . "When he attempted to speak , a short , hoarse bark was all the sound he could produce . His throat was parched ; the saliva , he spat

      was scanty , frothy , and viscid . His whole skin was burning , dry , and inflamed . He was tslowly withering and reducing to & mummy . The energy of a Testlees feebleness movtd him hither and thither , without an object , without a hope . The scenes of his past life rose in fearful vividness before him . The smoke and Struggles of Antioch—his early education—Zaba and their common generous saviour—the bloody wars in Persia—the death , of more than parent there—the virtues and heroism of the deceased Jonas—his own wild wishes ,

      hopes , and fears , his pleasures , and social companions in Damascus—the beloved Euilocia , tender and cbrifiding—Heraclea , imperious and revengeful , glorying in hia sufferings—the generous Thomas—the dreadful monk—and the shadows of a thousand other memorable persons and events , all flitted , sadly or triumphantly , before the sickened , writhing Jonas . And this was to be the end of all his proud thoughts , his godlike sense of enjoyment , his hopes of a brilliant future ! He was to die , like a dog , unheeded and alone . ' His flesh was to fill the maws of ravenous creatures ; his bones to bleach ia the fierce sun ! The thoughts were madness , but they recurred again and again " Night passed , and again the diligent fiery ball rolled high up in the eastern sky . Another day of oven-heat ! The air was a yellow burning vapour , sulphurous and pestilential .

      " Jonas had now grown very weak . His eyes were inflamed by the excessive glare , the heat and thirst : he could but dimly see the surrounding rocks . His skin was hot and dry : the fluids uf the body were gradually evaporating . His throat was contracted , and he felt himself t . eing slowly chok < d . lie tried to feel his pulse , but it . long escaped his leeble though highly sensitive fingers . When at la . st he fancied that he could detect the vital movement , it was small and rapid , more like , a nervous quivering than the full steady !¦« at of natural pulsation . Jonas felt that the hand of death was upon him . Despair had succeeded to anxiety , and lethaigy to restlessness , lie now awaited his time , not perhaps in clearness of mind and philosophic composure , but in constitutional sullenness and obtuseness to farther sensation .

      " His mind occasionally wandered , and then would he t « ftly mutter the ravings of an inextinguishable fancy . Missbapeu things , and other things of beauty and ^ life , of love and joy , fluttered for an instant befoi e him . Eudocia —an angel of delight , hovured near : she bore u bowl of water in her hands , and offered him drink , lie greedily seized the dish and put it to his lips ; but before lie could taste , a rapacious bud had waved his glossy wings , and a hot current of air instantly dried up the liquid . The blanches of the acacia drooped , and moaned the piteous

      drought ; and a shower of its perishing haves , mingled with blossoms , fell upon the dying man . With a shriek , I lie beauteous vision of his love disappcaied . In her stead came croaking , hissing , creeping » limy things , that crawled upon and defiled hi . s body . Vulture !) , « itlt the gowns and cowls of monks , and talons like sandalled feet , sat motionless around , and wailed patiently U > v the dainty meal . Their eyes , which sometimes shone green and ghastly like emei aids , und anon glowed fiirily as carbuncles , never winked or wandered fiorn his own , but iiierc * d deep into the giddy bruin .

      " After a time , and when ho hud long lain as if dead , his tijlill acute hearing marked the whirring swi'e | i of the 11 > tub no nit ) , dreadful creatures , hn they whirled a uhort flight before beginning the glorious least , lit : openep Iiim swelled eyelids , and dimly » aw above him a forest of scraggy naked heads , beitnieured with blood and fat , having utrong gaping beaks and eyes like uonii-duy suns Witli a feeble effort he waved his hands , and tlie filthy forms disappeared , uttering short angry acieiuiia , and Uuving fetid odours behind . " Then In ; would partiully recover from his delirium , to find biuinelf growing weaker and le . im conscious of HcliHiblo obiectx .

      '' Sometime ** his maddened fancy would summon up tlie beautiful plains of Daiuaacua , or paint the uublime seciicy of linrni'Mi or Loljunou . lUvert —/ ivcrw of <

      Jolicious life-giving water would then flow , and fountains sparkle befote his longing sick desire . But he was another Tantalus ; he could not taste . Those lavish snows and ice-fields of the mountain—those floods and sweet streams of the plain , Hrhieh < refr « 8 hed and glorified the happy land , were not for iim . He saw magnificent groves , through which gleamed long greea alleys , starry with flowers . The baltoy * ir—but balmy otaly to hi * imagination , rang with the cheerful song of birds—it was loaded with aromatic scents . But « bon a puff of hot vapour , set in motion by a restless vulture , swept over the beauteous picture , and turned all again into the frightful deirert . "

      300 «** %E&9tt. [Satokftair, ——^— ¦'—¦¦'...

      300 «** % e & 9 tt . [ SATOKftAir , ——^— ¦ ' —¦¦ ' ¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦¦ _

      C Knight's National Shakspere. Tte Comed...

      C KNIGHT ' S NATIONAL SHAKSPERE . Tte Comedies , Histories ., tragedies , and Poems ef William JShakspere . Edited by Charles Knight . ( The National Edition . ) "Vol . 1 . Comedies . Charles Knight . " Shakspeabe considered from the industrial point of view " would not be an unfruitful topic for an essay . Let some of the Manchester School essay it . If" employment" be really the great ideal of life , how magnificently has Shakspeare realized it ! Think of the crowds to whom he has given bread ( with no inconsiderable spread of butter )—the actors , editors , printers , papermakers , booksellers , and critics . Calculate what Charles Knight

      alone has done with " the swan —how many transcribers , printers , papermakers , booksellers , & c , has he given employment to with his Pictorial Shakspere , his Cabinet Shakspere , his Library Edition , his One volume Edition , and now his new National Edition J What it is to have faith ! Charles Knight ' s faith in Shakspeare is of indestructible energy ; no sooner are the proof-sheets of one undertaking dry , than passing hie hand across that kind and noble brow of his , he exclaims .

      " What next ? What work * not unbecoming men who strove with gods ' remains for in e to do ? I see—another Shakspeare : the public demands another and a cheaper ! Don ' t talk to me about the market already supplied—the market cannot be supplied ! Every instant a new Shakspeare reader comes into the world ! I see unborn possibilities of subscribers ! I will at once bring out a new edition : it shall be even more perfect than the last : some word shall be altered , some comma

      restored ; you may think the alteration trifling , but nothing is trifling that helps to remove the weather stains of Time upon that monument of an Immortal . " So he resolves ; he brings out u new edition ; and the public justifies his faith by greedily clutching at the new work ; for the public associates his name with that of Shakspeare as one whose love has been unbounded , whose labour has been dictated by love , and whose enterprize has given earnest of success . The National Edition volume one stands before

      us . It is the last undertaking—as yet . We dare not predict that <( another yet another" will not succeed it . Meanwhile , it is the last . It is handsome ; printed boldly across the page ; with liberal margins for the annotations of loving pencils : contains the best features of the Pictorial Edition ; and presents itself as a truly serviceable volume tor the library . The text—as usual with this editoris founded upon that of the first folio ; that which Hemmings and Condell published from ( as they declare ) Shakspeare ' s own MSS . We think that their preface brings the question tto this issue : either they were impudent preterjjflers and their assertion about Shakspeare ' a papers is a lie , or else their text , making allowances for unavoidable typographical errors , must lie the sole standard . The present edition ban a graceful dedication to Mueready .

      Hooks On Our Taiilk..Monk ; Or, The. Fal...

      HOOKS ON OUR TAIILK . . Monk ; or , the . Fall of thu Republic and the ltostoration of the Miinnichi / ui England , l ( it > 0 . liy M . Gui / . ot . TuniHluteil from tho Kicni-. h by A . It . Scoblt :. ( Uolni ' a Shilling- Series . ) Il . CJ . Uohn . A good translation of ( iuizot ' H excellent work , with the quoUtioiiH verified , and the diplomatic correspondence inldcil an tin appendix ( lor tlu : flint time in Engli »<>) . An aimlytic ; il index is uImo ^ ivon , which will bo ubtful . Li ' ly ' n portrait of Monk it * aflixod . t'hilifi Augustus ; or , the Brothers in Jlrum . Hy (> . 1 * - " J » - ( Tho I'uilour Library . ) « iu >« m »< l M'lnlyrc This is one of tho very bent books James Iiah wiitteli- — mid , in unite of the drearv volumes hi" him so prodigally ¦

      thrown upon the market of late yearn , Jamew Huh wnu «;» - Home good romances ; thin in of tlioni . It i-. pi inted in more legible character than uuual with this BerieH : indued it in us agreeable a volume ub one would wifih to have . . 'I'alr . t and Traditions of Uunaarv . J 5 y 1 ' runciB and TlMim . a Tulazky . A vol « . H . Col >»"" - i > ot ! tns . I ) y J . tin Jean . W . H . Orr and Co-Catholicity , HpiritmU and Intellectual , - an At . ttrmpt at ^ * f 1 ' cathi » tilt ! itannony oj' l <\ uth and h ' tuuolndge . A Srrie « oi l'incouiBCH . Hy ThoniAH WiUou , M . A . J . Oliapiw * " . Thrtie Luttmtm Dirvxt LcuiaUUio * by the I ' atplc : or , True M « - mocrart / . Hy M . Rit . Hn ^ iauhfn . J- WaUon-Tlut I < n * t War and Dr / lntive J ' eace in Btcnrpe . Ky Victor Con-Hidoiunt . " J . Wtttnon-

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 29, 1851, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_29031851/page/16/