They both, in their origin, flow from one source;
Look not at their severance; it's matter of course.
The touchstone's the test by the which thou must try

If gold be quite pure, or debased with alloy.

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The touchstone of conscience, where planted by God, What's certain, what's doubtful, makes plain without nod.

A fishbone that sticks in the throat of a man

No ease ever gives till it's coughed out again.

In ten thousand mouthfuls should one bone be found,

As soon as perceived, it's spit out on the ground.

Perception of things mundane guides here below;
Religion's keen sense leads where God's glories glow.
The health of his senses man asks of the leech ;
Religion's sound sense from the Lord we beseech.1
For healthy perceptions, our frame must be sound;
Religion's enjoyments through suff'rings are found.
The health of the soul's through a waste of the flesh,
But after much searching it builds up afresh.

How blest is the soul that, for love of its God,2
Has flung away wealth, health, e'en life, as a sod!
Has pulled down its house a hid treasure to find,
And built it again from that treasure refined!
Who cuts off the streamlet to clear out its bed;
Then turns on the water with which it is fed!
Who gashes his skin to extract the spear-head!
(The skin may now heal, for the irritant's fled.)
Who wrecks a strong castle to drive out the foe,
Then rears it still stronger, to hold evermo'!

The will of Almighty God who shall control?
These sentences written are parables all.

1 The original has "the Darling;" the highest title given to Muhammed

by Muslims is God's Darling; which is not found in the Qur'ān.

2 The original has "its dear one;" God is the dear one of mystics.

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Sometimes in one way, in another sometimes,
Religion confuses before it sublimes.

Not terror, bewilderment, loathing, dismay;
70 But ecstacy, rapture, love, come into play.
In trance of love fixed, one contemplates the Lord,
Another, self losing, unites with his God.

Observe the rapt features of that one, of this;
Perchance by such watching thy soul may gain bliss.

Too numerous demons in human form walk ;
Beware, then, with whom thou engagest in talk.
The fowler his whistle may ply in the field,

To lure the poor birds, saying: "Come and be killed."
Each songster conceives 'tis the voice of its mate,

75 Descends from the air, and meets with its fate.

The sinner, in pious cant, uses a wile,

To trap the unwary who ponders no guile.
The upright deal faithfully, truly, in trust;
The wicked imagine but fraud and distrust.
A lion of wool is a beggar's device;
Musaylama's named Muhammed in a trice.2
Musaylama liar, deceiver we know,

1

2

Muhammed was faithful in weal and in woe. The wine of God's love was the food of his soul. 80 The wine that inebriates dash from thy bowl.

1 A woollen lion is a toy made and sold or exhibited by mendicants.

2 Musaylama was a prince of Naja, who gave himself out as a prophet, and wrote to Muhammed, proposing that they should divide Arabia between them. His epistle began: Musaylama, the Apostle of God, to Muhamined, the Apostle of God." Muhammed's answer commenced with: "Muhammed, the Apostle of God, to Musaylama the liar." He was eventually defeated and slain in battle, in the eleventh year of the Hijra after Muhammed's decease;

when all Arabia submitted to Islām.
He was killed by Wahshi, the Ethi-
opian slave who, in the battle of
'Uhud, had formerly driven the self-
same javelin through the body of
Hamza, Muhammed's uncle. Wahshi
lived long after these events, in Syria.
He used to say that, as a pagan, he had
slain one of the best of men, and, as
a Muslim, one of the worst.
Mekka was taken, he was proscribed;
but he got away safely. Not long
afterwards, he made his submission,
and Muhammed forgave him, as he
did others in analogous circumstances.

When

III.

The Jewish King, Persecutor of the Christians.'

A CERTAIN Jewish King, in savage, brutal scenes,

From hate of Jesus, persecuted Nazarenes.

'Twas Jesu's age, when he the Gospel first did teach ;

In Jesus, Moses, and in Moses, Jesus preach.

That King God made squint-eyed; things straight he could not see.

A King and squint-eyed? Ah! that one the two should be!

A master once a squint-eyed slave commanded so:

"Come here; that bottle from its shelf, go, fetch me; go." The squint-eye straightway asked: "Which, master, of the

The case explain; clear up the doubt, and truly show."

His master answered: "Two there's not; there is but one; Put off thy strabism; with stupidity have done." "Good master," quoth he, "chide me not; 'tis nature's fault."

The master quick rejoined: "Look now; break one; halt! "halt!"

As soon as one was broken, both were gone from sight.
Poor squint-eye nearly lost his wits in childish fright.

1 Who are intended by this Jewish 2 It is a common belief in the East squint-eyed king, and his self-sacri- that squint-eyed people see double. ficing, treacherous Vazir?

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There was but one; his eyes were cause that he saw two. The one away, the other consequently was gone too.

Desire or rage, at times, makes people double see. 10 The mind's distortion brings the eyes perverse to be. From passion's mists our reason ever blinded lies.

The heart its clouds sends up; the mind's eye's vision flies.

The judge to taking bribes who basely bends himself,
Can never well discern the right and wrong, from pelf.
Our King through Israelitish rancour grew so blind,
As nothing to distinguish in his rage of mind.
By thousands, faithful seekers of God's will he slew.
"Vouchsafe us help, O God of Moses, Jesus too!"

He had a Vazir, brigandlike for craft and force. 15 In knavish stratagems he had no peer; of course. He whispered to the King: "These Christians, as in hives, All keep their faith a mystery, to save their lives. To kill them thus is profitless. Give breathing-time, Religion can't be smelt out just like musk or thyme. A secret 'tis, well wrapped in many folds of guile. In outward show, as friends, perfidiously they smile." The King, with grimace fierce: "What have we then to do?

What remedy proposest thou to make them rue?

I will not leave alive one Christian in the land, 20 Whose faith is shown to all, or in his bosom banned."

The Vazīr to him: "King, my hands and ears cut off;
My nose and lips the same. Give orders; let them scoff.

Unto the gallows send me; I'll of all be seen.

Then let an intercessor plead,—some prince,—your queen. Let all this happen where some spacious public place

May let all see, that all may know of my disgrace.

Then drive me forth; away from thee in exile sent;
And they'll receive me, under feint of sorrow bent.
'In secret,' I'll pretend, 'a Christian I'm at heart;

Call God to witness how my faith has worked my hurt. 25
The King a knowledge gained of zeal in me that burned;

Its flame to put out quite, his anger on me turned.
I strove to hide my faith, my leaning to keep hid;
Affected still to be, think, act, just as he bid.
Suspicion crossed his mind; my secret he espied;

All I could plead for nothing went; he said I lied.

Thy specious words," quoth he, "are needles in a loaf;

1

My eye, as through a glass, sees all thy thoughts; thou oaf!

No curtain of thy trickeries can veil thy faith from me;
I'm proof against thy knaveries; thy cunning I can see." 30
Were not the faith of Jesus the refuge of my heart,

He'd not have mutilated me in this sad sort.
For love of Jesus, head and life I will lay down;
All persecution suffer to gain a martyr's crown.
My life I will not grudge to lose for Jesus' sake.
His faith I hold from point to point without mistake.
I dread his doctrine's fall to uninstructed guides.
The truth from their bad teaching still to ruin glides.
Thanks be to God, to Jesus thanks, who me have made
A teacher perfect of the faith so free from shade.
The Jew and Judaism I have forsworn in sooth;
About my loins the sacred cord 2 I wear; 'tis truth.

This age the age of Jesus is; O men, give ear!
His doctrine take to heart; nought else have you to fear.""

The Vazir having laid this plot before the King,
All shame and scruple vanished; 'twas a perfect thing.

1 Needles, or pins, are hidden in bread that is given to a dog or other beast in order to destroy it.

2 The rope worn by monks, like

the Brahmin's sacred thread, is supposed by Muslims to be worn by all Christians.

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