wouldst recall?
Dreamy pleasures--that is all;
Fit for puling babes alone.

"Nay, suppose this honor'd Past
Should return to thee at last,
Friend, thou soon wouldst say: 'The star
Shines more brightly when afar.'
When the Future's sunbeams glow,
Fancy paints a glittering bow;
O'er the cloudy Past 'tis spread,
Venture near, and it has fled.
In the centre thou shouldst be,
If thou wouldst the magic see."

From this time Ali, as usual, went frequently to Izaser's temple,
attended by Lockman.

"Why do you always go this way?" he once asked Ali. "Are not the other
suburbs also beautiful?"

"I do not know them as well as these," replied Ali. "This
neighbourhood has been familiar to me from childhood; every step
recalls to my memory some moment of my past life, and cannot,
therefore, but be most dear to me."

When they were on the point of going out on the following day, Lockman
had put off the handsome dress which Ali had given to him, and appeared
again in his former tattered slave's coat.

"What is that?" asked Ali. "Why have you again put on those rags?
Have I not given you a good, decent suit?"

"Forgive me, master," said he, "I am not so familiar with my new suit
as with this: this has been familiar to me in my early life, every hole
and every rent recalls to my memory some past moment, and therefore
cannot but be extremely dear to me."

Ali understood him, and found that he was not altogether wrong. "Go
back," said he, "and put on your new suit, and then I will go another
way with you."

They went out at the opposite gate which brought them to another
winding of the Tigris. Here they found many gardens surrounded by high
walls, between which were beautiful avenues of trees, and stone benches
for the repose of travellers. Ali sat down on one of these benches,
and, having looked round for some time, sank as usual into a deep
reverie. When he had awakened from it he was going to ask Lockman for
something, but not seeing him, was obliged to call him several times.
Upon which his slave appeared from a thick copse adjoining the wall.

"Come, Lockman," cried Ali, "I want you to tell me something."

"Such things cannot be told at all," replied the latter, with a sigh.
"Do you wish to hear trite similes of rosy cheeks, ruby lips, pearly
teeth, lily hands, bosoms like pomegranates covered with snow, eyebrows
like rainbows? Come and see for yourself, for you will behold an
i