I never knew a sprightly fair
    That was not dear to me,
  And freely I my heart could share,
    With every one I see.

  It is not this or that alone
    On whom my choice would fall,
  I do not more incline to one
    Than I incline to all.

  The circle’s bounding line are they,
    Its centre is my heart,
  My ready love the equal ray
    That flows to every part.

Abou Aly.

[39] Abou Aly flourished in Egypt about the year 530, and was equally
     celebrated as a mathematician and as a poet.

A REMONSTRANCE WITH A DRUNKARD[40]

  As drench’d in wine, the other night,
    Zeid from the banquet sallied,
  Thus I reprov’d his drunken plight,
    Thus he my prudence rallied;

  “In bev’rage so impure and vile,
    How canst thou thus delight?”—­
  “My cups,” he answer’d with a smile,
    “Are generous and bright.”

  “Beware those dang’rous draughts,” I cried,
    “With love the goblet flows”—­
  “And curst is he,” the youth replied,
    “Who hatred only knows.”

  “Those cups too soon with sickness fraught
    Thy stomach shall deplore”—­
  “Then soon,” he cried, “the noxious draught
    And all its ills are o’er.”

  “Rash youth, thy guilty joys resign.” 
    “I will,” at length he said,
  “I vow I’ll bid adieu to wine
    As soon as I am dead.”

Yahia Ben Salamet.

[40] This author was a native of Syria, and died at Miafarakir in the
     year of the Hegira 553.

VERSES[41]

  Tho’ such unbounded love you swear,
    ’Tis only art I see;
  Can I believe that one so fair
    Should ever dote on me?

  Say that you hate, and freely show
    That age displeases youth;
  And I may love you when I know
     That you can tell the truth.

Caliph Almonklafi Laimrillah.

[41] Almonklafi was the thirty-first Caliph of the house of Abbas, and
     the only one who possessed any real authority since the reign of
     Radhi.  These lines were addressed to a lady who pretended a
     passion for him in his old age.

ON PROCRASTINATION[42]

  Youth is a drunken noisy hour,
    With every folly fraught;
  But man, by age’s chast’ning power,
    Is sober’d into thought.

  Then we resolve our faults to shun,
    And shape our course anew;
  But ere the wise reform’s begun
    Life closes on our view.

  The travellers thus who wildly roam,
    Or heedlessly delay,
  Are left, when they should reach their home,
    Benighted on the way.

Hebat Allah Ibn Altalmith.

[42] Ibn Altalmith died in the 560th year of the Hegira, at the advanced
     age of one hundred.