THE SHE KING; OR, THE BOOK OF ANCIENT POETRY

216 THE BOOK OF POETET.
VIII.
The Ting-learnt ; narrative. DESCRIBING THE ANXIETY or SOME
KING —— SUPPOSED TO BE KING SEUEN—— NOT TO BE LATE AT HIS
MORNING LEVEE.
Each stanza is to be taken as a soliloquy of the king, waking, now
and again, in his anxiety not to be late. A large torch was kept burning
all night (inside the entrance gate, leading to the hall of audience),
made of links or faggots bound together. That in the courtyard of the
king's palace was composed of 100 faggots. The princes and nobles re
paired to the hall of audience at early dawn, when the king would be
ready to receive them. He here judges of the time from what was, or
what he fancied must be, the state of the great torch.
1 How goes the night ? For heavy morning sleep
111 suits the king who men would loyal keep.
The courtyard, ruddy with the torch's light,
Proclaims unspent the deepest hour of night.
Already near the gate my lords appear;
Their tinkling bells salute my wakeful ear.
2 How goes the night ? I may not slumber on.
Although not yet the night is wholly gone,
The paling torch-light in the court below
Gives token that the hours swift-footed go.
Already at the gate my lords appear;
Their tinkling bells with measured sound draw near.
3 How goes the night ? I may not slumber now.
The darkness smiles with morning on its brow.
The courtyard torch no more gives forth its ray,
But heralds with its smoke the coming day.
My princes pass the gate, and gather there;
I see their banners floating in the air.
IX.
The Aleen shwuy; allusive. BEWAILING THE DISORDER OF THE
TIMES AND THE GENERAL INDIFFERENCE TO IT, AND TRACING IT TO
THE SLANDEBERS ENCOURAGED BY MEN IN AUTHORITY.
1 The waters flow with volume vast,
Straight to the ocean's mighty court;
Swift fly the soaring falcons past,
And to their resting-place resort.
[PART II. BK III. x.] THE BOOK OF POETET. 217
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But through the land disorder wends,
And with it none will dare to cope.
Ye kinsmen near, ye honoured friends,
Ye people, why abandou hope ?
Alas that you the struggle shun,
And leave your parents all undone!
2 Their bed the mighty waters leave,
And ruin spread the country o'er.
The sky on wing the falcons cleave;—
High and yet higher still they soar.
So is it with the lawless crew,
Whose evil courses know no bound.
I think of them, and start to do.
Alas ! I go but round and round.
Still in my heart fast dwells its grief;
I vainly strive to find relief.
3 With volume vast the waters flow,
But still within their channel run.
And swiftly as the falcons go,
The vault that copes the hill they shun.
And can we then no method find
To check the talk that fills the land ?
No means devise to curb or bind
The idle tongue and wanton hand ?
Watch, friends, yourselves ; watch reverently,
And slanderous tongues will silent be !
The HoJi ming; metaphorical.
NATURAL FACTS
X.
CEBTAIN MOKAL LESSONS FROM
The Chinese original does not give the moral lessons, and there is not
an agreement among the critics as to what they are. The version gives
them very much according to the views of Choo He.
1 All true words fly, as from yon reedy marsh
The crane rings o'er the wild its screaming harsh.
Vainly you try reason in chains to keep ;—
Freely it moves as fish sweeps through the deep.