"Take them all to your master and tell him to plait From these black silken tresses new strings for his lute; Their cords 'neath his touch will not cease to vibrate On those of his heart, till he answers my suit. "Bid him look on them thus, and recall to his mind, How they were when he used to toy with them of yore :· When he severed but one, which he kissed and entwined Round his finger and mine-while he solemnly swore : "If ever I part with this dear lock of hair Or slight you—or love you less dearly than now, How potent is Love !-Yang-fei knew its power, K DREAM MUSIC. IF 'tis a dream, I pray that I may never Again awaken from a scene like this; This must be heaven, and I, a common mortal, Roof, walls, and blue and gold mosaic flooring On a gold throne, whose radiating brightness Rainbow-winged angels softly hover o'er her, A host of fairy beings stand before her, Angelic lips high in mid-air are breathing 1 Chang-o, a goddess in the Palace of the Moon, in a dream conducts Yang-kuei-fei to the "Great Cool Palace," Kuang-'han-kung, where she listens to fairy music. On her awaking, she immediately sets the music she has dreamed to a song she composes, which she calls "Rainbow-winged Robes." The Emperor gives the music to Li-kuei-nien, so that his singers may practise it. While rehearsing it, a musician, hearing it from the outside of the palace, is struck with its beauty, and notes the music down. Some time after when the capital is taken by rebels and Li has fled, he encounters the man, who is singing this song in the streets for a living. Its every note is in my bosom sinking, E'en as parched ground absorbs heaven's genial showers; 'Tis odour-fragrance-incense,-I am drinking Essence of music dropped from choral flowers. If 'tis a dream, I pray that I may never THE DEATH OF " YANG-KUEI-FEI.” IN silence unbroken, They sat side by side; Not a word had been spoken :— They both of them tried The dread that was o'er them Of what lay before them In their bosoms to hide. What is that? In the distance a murmur is heard, |