Never did artist's pencil trace
A fairer or a lovelier face;

Never hath Moslem's fancy seen,
While with misguided piety
He dies amid the battle keen,

A form of such divinity :

The full high brow-the large dark eye,
And lashes drooping languidly,

Like violet leaves o'er drops of dew,

Veiling the light that sparkles through ;— The swan-like neck-the taper waist,

In snow-white bodice neatly laced

The ivory arm, the lofty mien,
Surpassing haughtiest eastern queen.
Never a sweeter voice had rung
Along that spicy breathing vale-

Never a lighter foot had sprung

Over its buds and blossoms pale,
Nor smaller hand touched the guitar;
She was a brother's guiding star-
A mother's hope—a father's pride—
Young CARLOS' fair affianced bride.

III.

There AIZEN like a statue stood,

In the dark shadow of the wood,

Gazing upon that lovely form,

Whose beauty held for him no charm.

How should he speak, and how draw near,

And not awake the maiden's fear?

Nor by her shriek bring from the cot
Some bold defender to the spot ?

With troubled throws he clasped his brow―
Bent lower down beneath the bough-
Still farther from the shadows passed-

Sly glances towards the cottage cast;-
Then to his men the signal made,
Who promptly issued from the shade-
With stealthy step, and lifted blade,
Crept to the bower with noiseless tread,
Snatched rudely back her beauteous head,
Across her lips a bandage bound;

But as they raised her from the ground,
One stifled shriek broke on the ears

Of the unwary cottagers.

IV.

And forth they leap-the father—son—
Friends-vassals, along the valley run.
They seek the bower where nightly she
Was wont in prayer to bend the knee-

They find her not-oh! fell despair!

What fiend-what villain hath been there?

They hear a shriek adown the vale

Fleet footsteps borne back on the gale

Then, as the raving tiger leaps,

The panther o'er the mountain sweeps,

The hound pursues the buffalo,

The cottagers fierce chase the foe.

The pirates with the maiden reach

Their comrades waiting on the beach—

The enemy close on their heels,

With hearts of fire and ready steels-
The motley crew-the skiff is there,
And in it they have placed the fair—
The sturdy rowers seize the oar

To guide it quickly from the shore,

Yet ere they go a moment wait

Their chief, who comes at rapid gait ;

But just as AIZEN gains the water,

Places one foot within the boat,

Old SELEN cries, "My child! my daughter,"
Seizes him firmly by the throat,

Detains him with one sinewy hand,
And with the other grasps the skiff,

Which breaks his clasp and from the land
Like lightning darts around the cliff;
And to the ship that lies in wait

To take on board its wretched freight.
And now the contests fierce begin-
Now rings the shore with furious din-
Some headlong in the ocean leap,

And with the boat strive pace to keep--
Exhausted sink beneath the deep-
Some fall amid the crimson slaughter-
AIZEN and SELEN hand to hand

Struggle upon the bloody sand-
Now on the shore--now in the water-
Old SELEN lifting high his blade-
A thrust full at the pirate made;
But AIZEN parried off the blow,
And nearly dispossessed his foe;
Rose firmly with him from the sand,
Shook from his throat his iron hand,
And on him like a tiger sprung,

His weapon from him quickly wrung ;
Throttled and held him at arm's length,
Swung high his blade with giant strength-

Then, like a snake that lifts its head

From out its coil, low hissing, said

Dog--coward--demon-look on me!

Thy murderer-daughter's lover--see!

Whom from thy door thou once didst scourge, And unto crime and ruin urge!

Behold yon ship! Thy daughter fair,

To be what thou wouldst spurn, is there--
Look! 'tis thy last-thy doom I seal!
Die die!" and to the hilt his steel
Plunged in the hoary SELEN's heart,-
The clustering foemen dashed apart,—
Flung his broad limbs upon the wave,-
Bade follow him his sailors brave,-
Who instantly their grasps untwine,
And to the vessel stem the brine.

V.

And now the Pirate spreads her sail,
And swiftly scuds before the gale,
Bound onward for the Grecian isle,
All cheer and glee on board the while,
Save her whom lust and malice hold,
And whose dark fate these lines unfold.

VI.

Senseless upon a couch she lies,

Within that vessel's gorgeous room,