by Thomas Moore
275 “The lizard Stellio. The Arabs call it Hardun. The Turks kill it, for they imagine that by declining the head it mimics them when they say their prayers.” — Hasselquist.
276 “As you enter at that Bazar, without the gate of Damascus, you see the Green Mosque, so called because it hath a steeple faced with green glazed bricks, which render it very resplendent: It is covered at top with a pavilion of the same stuff. The Turks say this mosque was made in that place, because Mahomet being come so far, would not enter the town, saying it was too delicious.” — Thevenot.
277 Nourmahal signifies Light of the Haram. She was afterwards called Nourjehan, or the Light of the World.
278 “The rose of Kashmire for its brilliancy and delicacy of odor has long been proverbial in the East.” — Foster.
279 “Tied round her waist the zone of bells, that sounded with ravishing melody.” — Song of Jayadeva.
280 “The little isles in the Lake of Cachemire are set with arbors and large-leaved aspen-trees, slender and tall.” — Bernier.
281 “The Tuckt Suliman, the name bestowed by the Mahommetans on this hill, forms one side of a grand portal to the Lake.” — Forster.
282 “The Feast of Roses continues the whole time of their remaining in bloom.” — See Pietro de la Valle.
283 “Gul sad berk, the Rose of a hundred leaves. I believe a particular species.” — Ouseley.
284 A place mentioned in the Toozek Jehangeery, or Memoirs of Jehan- Guire, where there is an account of the beds of saffron-flowers about Cashmere.
285 “It is the custom among the women to employ the Maazeen to chant from the gallery of the nearest minaret, which on that occasion is illuminated, and the women assembled at the house respond at intervals with a ziraleet or joyous chorus.” — Russel.
286 “The swing is a favorite pastime in the East, as promoting a circulation of air, extremely refreshing in those sultry climates.” — Richardson.
287 At the keeping of the Feast of Roses we beheld an infinite number of tents pitched, with such a crowd of men, women, boys, and girls, with music, dances, etc.” — Herbert.
288 “An old commentator of the Chou-King says, the ancients having remarked that a current of water made some of the stones near its banks send forth a sound, they detached some of them, and being charmed with the delightful sound they emitted, constructed King or musical instruments of them,” — Grosier.
289 In the wars of the Divs with the Peris, whenever the former took the latter prisoners, “they shut them up in iron cages, and hung them on the highest trees. Here they were visited by their companions, who brought them the choicest odors.” — Richardson.
290 In the Malay language the same word signifies women and flowers.
291 The capital of Shadukiam.
292 “Among the birds of Tonquin is a species of goldfinch, which sings so melodiously that it is called the Celestial Bird. Its wings, when it is perched, appear variegated with beautiful colors, but when it flies they lose all their splendor.” — Grosier.
293 “As these birds on the Bosphorus are never known to rest, they are called by the French ‘les âmes damnées.’” — Dalloway.
294 “You may place a hundred handfuls of fragrant herbs and flowers before the nightingale, yet he wishes not in his constant heart for more than the sweet breath of his beloved rose.” — Jami.
295 “He is said to have found the great Mantra, spell or talisman, through which he ruled over the elements and spirits of all denominations.” — Wilford.
296 “The gold jewels of Jinnie, which are called by the Arabs El Herrez, from the supposed charm they contain.” — Jackson.
297 “A demon, supposed to haunt woods, etc., in a human shape.” — Richardson.
298 The name of Jehan-Guire before his accession to the throne.
299 “Hemasagara, or the Sea of Gold, with flowers of the brightest gold color.” — Sir W. Jones.
300 “This tree (the Nagacesara) is one of the most delightful on earth, and the delicious odor of its blossoms justly gives them a place in the quiver of Camadeva, or the God of Love.” — Id.
301 “The Malayans style the tuberose (polianthes tuberosa) Sandal Malam, or the Mistress of the Night.” — Pennant.
302 The people of the Batta country in Sumatra (of which Zamara is one of the ancient names), “when not engaged in war, lead an idle, inactive life, passing the day in playing on a kind of flute, crowned with garlands of flowers, among which the globe-amaranthus, a native of the country, mostly prevails,” — Marsden.
303 “The largest and richest sort (of the Jambu or rose-apple) is called Amrita, or immortal, and the mythologists of Tibet apply the same word to a celestial tree, bearing ambrosial fruit.” — Sir W. Jones.
304 Sweet Basil, called Rayhan in Persia, and generally found in churchyards.
305 “In the Great Desert are found many stalks of lavender and rosemary.” — Asiat. Res.
306 “The almond-tree, with white flowers, blossoms on the bare branches.” — Hasselquist.
307 An herb on Mount Libanus, which is said to communicate a yellow golden hue to the teeth of the goat and other animals that graze upon it.
308 The myrrh country.
309 “This idea (of deities living in shells) was not unknown to the Greeks, who represent the young Nerites, one of the Cupids, as living in shells on the shores of the Red Sea.” — Wilford.
310 “A fabulous fountain, where instruments are said to be constantly playing.” — Richardson.
311 “The Pompadour pigeon is the species, which, by carrying the fruit of the cinnamon to different places, is a great disseminator of this valuable tree.” — See Brown’s Illustr. Tab. 19.
312 “The Persians have two mornings, the Soobhi Kazim and the Soobhi Sadig, the false and the real daybreak. They account for this phenomenon in a most whimsical manner. They say that as the sun rises from behind the Kohi Qaf (Mount Caucasus), it passes a hole perforated through that mountain, and that darting its rays through it, it is the cause of the Soobhi Kazim, or this temporary appearance of daybreak. As it ascends, the earth is again veiled in darkness, until the sun rises above the mountain, and brings with it the Soobhi Sadig, or real morning.” — Scott Waring.
313 “In the centre of the plain, as it approaches the Lake, one of the Delhi Emperors, I believe Shan Jehan, constructed a spacious garden called the Shalimar, which is abundantly stored with fruit-trees and flowering shrubs. Some of the rivulets which intersect the plain are led into a canal at the back of the garden, and flowing through its centre, or occasionally thrown into a variety of water-works, compose the chief beauty of the Shalimar.” — Forster.
314 “The waters of Cachemir are the more renowned from its being supposed that the Cachemirians are indebted for their beauty to them.” — Ali Yezdi.
315 “From him I received the following little Gazzel, or Love Song, the notes of which he committed to paper from the voice of one of those singing girls of Cashmere, who wander from that delightful valley over the various parts of India.” — Persian Miscellanies.
316 “The roses of the Jinan Nile, or Garden of the Nile (attached to the Emperor of Morocco’s palace) are unequalled, and mattresses are made of their leaves for the men of rank to recline upon.” — Jackson.
317 “On the side of a mountain near Paphos there is a cavern which produces the most beautiful rock-crystal. On account of its brilliancy it has been called the Paphian diamond.” — Mariti.
318 “These is a part of Candahar, called Peria, or Fairy Land.” — Thevenot. In some of those countries to the north of India vegetable gold is supposed to be produced.
319 “These are the butterflies which are called in the Chinese language Flying Leaves. Some of them have such shining colors, and are so variegated, that they may be called flying flowers; and indeed they are always produced in the finest flower-gardens.” — Dunn.
320 “The Arabian women wear black masks with little clasps p
rettily ordered.” — Carreri. Niebuhr mentions their showing but one eye in conversation.
321 “The golden grapes of Casbin.” — Description of Persia.
322 “The fruits exported from Caubul are apples, pears, pomegranates,” etc. — Elphinstone.
323 “We sat down under a tree, listened to the birds, and talked with the son of our Mehmaundar about our country and Caubul, of which he gave an enchanting account; that city and its 100,000 gardens,” etc. — Ib.
324 “The mangusteen, the most delicate fruit in the world; the pride of the Malay islands.” — Marsden.
325 “A delicious kind of apricot, called by the Persians tokmekshems, signifying sun’s seed.” — Description of Persia.
326 “Sweetmeats, in a crystal cup, consisting of rose-leaves in conserve, with Iemon of Visna cherry, orange flowers,” etc. — Russel.
327 “Antelopes cropping the fresh berries of Erac.” — The Moallakat, Poem of Tarafa.
328 “Mauri-ga-Sima, an island near Formosa, supposed to have been sunk in the sea for the crimes of its inhabitants. The vessels which the fishermen and divers bring up from it are sold at an immense price in China and Japan.” — See Kempfer.
329 Persian Tales.
330 The white wine of Kishma.
331 “The King of Zeilan is said to have the very finest ruby that was ever seen. Kublai-Khan sent and offered the value of a city for It, but the king answered he would not give it for the treasure of the world.” — Marco Polo.
332 The Indians feign that Cupid was first seen floating down the Ganges on the Nymphaea Nelumbo. — See Pennant.
333 Teflis is celebrated for its natural warm baths. — See Ebn Haukal.
334 “The Indian Syrinda, or guitar.” — Symez.
335 “Around the exterior of the Dewan Khafs (a building of Shah Allum’s) in the cornice are the following lines in letters of gold upon a ground of white marble— ‘If there be a paradise upon earth, it is this, it is this.’” — Franklin.
336 “Delightful are the flowers of the Amra trees on the mountain tops while the murmuring bees pursue their voluptuous toil.” — Song of Jayadera.
337 “The Nison or drops of spring rain, which they believe to produce pearls if they fall into shells.” — Richardson.
338 For an account of the share which wine had in the fall of the angels, see Mariti.
339 The Angel of Music.
340 The Hudhud, or Lapwing, is supposed to have the power of discovering water under ground.
341 “The Chinese had formerly the art of painting on the sides of porcelain vessels fish and other animals, which were only perceptible when the vessel was full of some liquor, They call this species Kia-tsin, that is, azure is put in press, on account of the manner in which the azure is laid on.”— “They are every now and then trying to discover the art of this magical painting, but to no purpose.” — Dunn.
342 An eminent carver of idols, said in the Koran to be father to Abraham. “I have such a lovely idol as is not to be met with in the house of Azor.” — Hafiz.
343 Kachmire be Nazeer. — Forster.
344 Jehan-Guire mentions “a fountain in Cashmere called Tirnagh, which signifies a snake; probably because some large snake had formerly been seen there.”— “During the lifetime of my father, I went twice to this fountain, which is about twenty coss from the city of Cashmere. The vestiges of places of worship and sanctity are to be traced without number amongst the ruins and the caves which are interspersed in its neighborhood.” — Toozek Jehangeery. — v. Asiat. Misc. vol. ii.
345 “On a standing roof of wood is laid a covering of fine earth, which shelters the building from the great quantity of snow that falls in the winter season. This fence communicates an equal warmth in winter, as a refreshing coolness in the summer season, when the tops of the houses, which are planted with a variety of flowers, exhibit at a distance the spacious view of a beautifully checkered parterre.” — Forster.
346 “Two hundred slaves there are, who have no other office than to hunt the woods and marshes for triple-colored tortoises for the King’s Vivary. Of the shells of these also lanterns are made.” — Vincent le Blanc’s Travels.
347 This wind, which is to blow from Syria Damascena, is, according to the Mahometans, one of the signs of the Last Day’s approach.
Another of the signs is, “Great distress in the world, so that a man when he passes by another’s grave shall say, Would to God I were in his place!” — Sale’s Preliminary Discourse.
348 “On Mahommed Shaw’s return to Koolburga (the capital of Dekkan), he made a great festival, and mounted this throne with much pomp and magnificence, calling it Firozeh or Cerulean. I have heard some old persons, who saw the throne Firozeh in the reign of Sultan Mamood Bhamenee, describe it. They say that it was in length nine feet, and three in breadth; made of ebony covered with plates of pure gold, and set with precious stones of immense value. Every prince of the house of Bhamenee, who possessed this throne, made a point of adding to it some rich stones; so that when in the reign of Sultan Mamood it was taken to pieces to remove some of the jewels to be set in vases and cups, the jewellers valued it at one corore of oons (nearly four millions sterling). I learned also that it was called Firozeh from being partly enamelled of a sky-blue color which was in time totally concealed by the number of jewels.” — Ferishta.
THE LOVES OF THE ANGELS.
PREFACE.
The Eastern story of the angels Harut and Marut and the Rabbinical fictions of the loves of Uzziel and Shámchazai are the only sources to which I need refer for the origin of the notion on which this Romance is founded. In addition to the fitness of the subject for poetry, it struck me also as capable of affording an allegorical medium through which might be shadowed out (as I have endeavored to do in the following stories) the fall of the Soul from its original purity1 — the loss of light and happiness which it suffers, in the pursuit of this world’s perishable pleasures — and the punishments both from conscience and Divine justice with which impurity, pride, and presumptuous inquiry into the awful secrets of Heaven are sure to be visited — The beautiful story of Cupid and Psyche owes its chief charm to this sort of “veiled meaning,” and it has been my wish (however I may have failed in the attempt) to communicate to the following pages the same moral interest.
Among the doctrines or notions derived by Plato from the East, one of the most natural and sublime is that which inculcates the pre-existence of the soul and its gradual descent into this dark material world from that region of spirit and light which it is supposed to have once inhabited and to which after a long lapse of purification and trial it will return. This belief under various symbolical forms may be traced through almost all the Oriental theologies. The Chaldeans represent the Soul as originally endowed with wings which fall away when it sinks from its native element and must be re-produced before it can hope to return. Some disciples of Zoroaster once inquired of him, “How the wings of the Soul might be made to grow again?”
“By sprinkling them,” he replied, “with the Waters of Life.”
“But where are those Waters to be found?” they asked.
“In the Garden of God,” replied Zoroaster.
The mythology of the Persians has allegorized the same doctrine, in the history of those genii of light who strayed from their dwellings in the stars and obscured their original nature by mixture with this material sphere; while the Egyptians connecting it with the descent and ascent of the sun in the zodiac considered Autumn as emblematic of the Soul’s decline toward darkness and the re-appearance of Spring as its return to life and light.
Besides the chief spirits of the Mahometan heaven, such as Gabriel the angel of Revelation, Israfil by whom the last trumpet is to be sounded, and Azrael the angel of death, there were also a number of subaltern intelligences of which tradition has preserved the names, appointed to preside over the different stages of ascents into which the celestial world was supposed to be divided.2 Thus Kel
ail governs the fifth heaven; while Sadiel, the presiding spirit of the third, is also employed in steadying the motions of the earth which would be in a constant state of agitation if this angel did not keep his foot planted upon its orb.
Among other miraculous interpositions in favor of Mahomet we find commemorated in the pages of the Koran the appearance of five thousand angels on his side at the battle of Bedr.
The ancient Persians supposed that Ormuzd appointed thirty angels to preside successively over the days of the month and twelve greater ones to assume the government of the months themselves; among whom Bahman (to whom Ormuzd committed the custody of all animals, except man) was the greatest. Mihr, the angel of the 7th month, was also the spirit that watched over the affairs of friendship and love; — Chûr had the care of the disk of the sun; — Mah was agent for the concerns of the moon; — Isphandârmaz (whom Cazvin calls the Spirit of the Earth) was the tutelar genius of good and virtuous women, etc. For all this the reader may consult the 19th and 20th chapters of Hyde, “de Religione Veterum Persarum,” where the names and attributes of these daily and monthly angels are with much minuteness and erudition explained. It appears from the Zend-avesta that the Persians had a certain office or prayer for every day of the month (addressed to the particular angel who presided over it), which they called the Sirouzé.
The Celestial Hierarchy of the Syrians, as described by Kircher, appears to be the most regularly graduated of any of these systems. In the sphere of the Moon they placed the angels, in that of Mercury the archangels, Venus and the Sun contained the Principalities and the Powers; — and so on to the summit of the planetary system, where, in the sphere of Saturn, the Thrones had their station. Above this was the habitation of the Cherubim in the sphere of the fixed stars; and still higher, in the region of those stars which are so distant as to be imperceptible, the Seraphim, we are told, the most perfect of all celestial creatures, dwelt.
The Sabeans also (as D’Herbelot tells us) had their classes of angels, to whom they prayed as mediators, or intercessors; and the Arabians worshipped female angels, whom they called Benab Hasche, or, Daughters of God.
