ery day the Shah,
who is a famous Marksman with the Bow, shoots at an Apple laid on my
Head, and always hits it; and when all the Court cries "Lo! the Fortune
of the King!" He also asks me why I turn pale under the Trial, he being
such a Marksman, and his Mark an Apple set on the Head he most doats
upon?' I am going to transcribe on the next Page a rough draft of a
Version of another Story, because all this will amuse you, I think. I
couldn't help running some of these Apologues into Verse as I read them:
but they are in a very rough state as yet, and so perhaps may continue,
for to correct is _the_ Bore.

When Yusuf from his Father's House was torn,
His Father's Heart was utterly forlorn;
And, like a Pipe with but one note, his Tongue
Still nothing but the name of Yusuf rung.
Then down from Heaven's Branches came the Bird
Of Heaven, and said 'God wearies of that Word.
Hast thou not else to do, and else to say?'
So Yacub's Lips were sealed from that Day.
But one Night in a Vision, far away
His Darling in some alien Home he saw,
And stretch'd his Arms forth; and between the Awe
Of God's Displeasure, and the bitter Pass
Of Love and Anguish, sigh'd forth an _Alas_!
And stopp'd--But when he woke The Angel came,
And said, 'Oh, faint of purpose! Though the Name
Of that Beloved were not uttered by
Thy Lips, it hung sequester'd in that Sigh.'

You see this is very imperfect, and I am not always quite certain of
always getting the right Sow by the Ear; but it is pretty anyhow. In
this, as in several other Stories, one sees the fierce vindictive
Character of the Eastern Divinity and Religion: a 'jealous God' indeed!
So there is another Story of a poor Hermit, who retires into the
Wilderness to be alone with God, and lives in a Tree; and there in the
Branches a little Bird has a Nest, and sings so sweetly that the poor old
Man's Heart is drawn to it in spite of Himself; till a Voice from Heaven
calls to Him--'What are you about? You have bought _Me_ with your
Prayers, etc., and I _You_ by some Largess of my Grace: and is this
Bargain to be cancelled by the Piping of a little Bird?' {316} So I
construe at least right or wrong. . . .

Monday Jan. 25 [? 26]. Like your Journal, you see, I spread my Letter
over more than a Day. On Saturday Night your Brother and I went to hear
Thackeray lecture on George III.--very agreeable to me, though I did not
think highly of the