I am not aware on what authority these tunes are given, but certainly they are not taken either from the Shah Nameh, since two of the three tunes mentioned by Firdousee are not included in the list, nor from Nizami's poem of Khisroo and Shereen, which as is hereafter mentioned, differs from the list now given. A few observations may be interesting regarding such tunes as admit of remark.

No. 2. The rites of Jumsheed. Jumsheed was the 4th King of the Paish-dadian dynasty and instituted the famous festival of the Nowkoz, or new year's day, held at the vernal equinox, when the ancient Persian year begins. He was a mighty King but like Nebuchadnezzar, was driven from his throne and perished miserably by command of Tohak who had usurped his empire.

No. 4. Sheereen was the mistress of Khisroo Purwez, Richardson (in his Dictionary) confounds Sheereen with Irene daughter of the Greek Emperor Maurice, to whom Khisroo was married. According to Firdousee, the Emperor of Room's daughter was named Mureem (or Mary) who (reversing the legend of Queen Eleanor and fair Rosamond) was poisoned by Sheereen. After the murder of Khisroo Purwez, his son Sheeroyah paid his addresses to Sheereen, who appeared to consent; but obtaining permission to enter the tomb of Khisroo, she swallowed a deadly poison, and died on the bosom of her deceased Lover, "bearing away the applauses of mankind."

No. 5. "The pillared throne of Purwez," mentioned in the veiled prophet of Khorasan. This throne was constructed by Khisroo in lieu of one made by Feridoon, the king of the Paishdadian dynasty, and which, after descending through his several successors, was destroyed, by Sebunder (Alexander the Great). The size, ornaments, and mode of construction of Khisroo's throne are described in the Shah Nameh with great minuteness. Richardson states it was supported by 40,000 silver columns, and adorned among other decorations by a thousand suspended globes showing by their revolutions the motions of the heavenly bodies.

No. 6. Kaoos was the second of the Kianian kings of Persia, and is identified with Cyaxeres.

No. 9. The history of the "Evergreen" has been already recorded.

No. 12. This tune was originally called "the Fountain,” having been composed beside a jet d'eau! but Khisroo, when he heard the melody, was so pleased, that he ordered a tray of pearls to be poured over the Minstrel's head :—hence the new name. No. 13. A far-famed horse "dark as night," the property of Khisroo. It is described as being swift as the wind." What

ever food Khisroo eat, he sent Shubdeez a portion; and when the horse died, Khisroo wrapped him in a shroud and buried him, and raised the horse's image in stone over the spot, and used to weep whenever he saw it. A stone figure of Shubdeer with Khisroo seated on it, is said to exist at Kirman in Persia. The dam of Shubdeez is asserted to have been a stone horse in the desert of Abkulla.

No. 16. This was the second of the eight accumulated treasures of Khisroo Purwez. It is said that the Kaiser of Room, prompted by fear of Khisroo, embarked his hereditary treasurer on board a fleet, which a lucky wind drove to the coast where Khisroo was encamped, whereby he was enabled to obtain possession of them.

No. 17. This was a store accumulated by the Pashdadian King Jumsheed, and discovered by "the mighty hunter," Bahram Goor. A peasant watering his field, observed the water to run into a particular hole, and heard the tinkling of metal sound therefrom. He informed Bahram (at this period Shah of Iran) who ordered the ground to be excavated: a building was discovered, inside which were two bullocks or buffaloes formed of gold, with ruby eyes, and stomachs filled with apples, pomegradates, and guavas of gold with pearls for pips! Before each bullock was a golden manger filled with precious gems. The name of Jumsheed was engraven on each bullock; and round them, were placed animals and birds of gold, adorned with jewels. Bahram ordered the whole stone to be distributed among the poor and needy.

No. 19. Erich was the youngest and favorite son of Feridoon, King of Persia. He was murdered by his brothers, Salm and Toor, and avenged by his grandson Manoochaihur.

No. 20. Siaoosh the son of Ki Kaoos, King of Persia, was murdered by order of Afrasiyab Khan of Tooran, and was avenged by his son Ki Khoosroo.

No. 26. The Nakoos is a bell, or rather a thin oblong piece of wood suspended by two strings, used by the eastern Christians, to summon the congregation to divine service.

The enumeration of Barbuds tunes given in Nizami's "Khisroo and Sheereen" differs from the above in the omission of Nos. 2, 7, and 27, and the insertion of the following.

For No. 2 The Apparatus of the Nowrez

7 The Bud of the Beautiful Partridge. 27 The Happy Day.

31 The Ki Khoosroo.

The description of the tunes given by Nizami, is particularly silly, though meant perhaps to be witty. A couplet and a bad

L

pun are assigned to each melody: something in this style which may best express our meaning.

Khisroo Purwez, after reigning many years with incredible good fortune, and with a pomp and grandeur before unheard of, met in his latter years with reverses, which all good Islamites ascribe to his rejection of mahometanism, and was deposed and sent by his son, prisoner to Clesiphon, where he was visited by his faithful minstrel Barbud, who on retiring home, composed and sang a lament over the fallen fortunes of his master, and ended by burning his musical intruments, and chopping off his fingers. This lament is given in the Shah Nameh, and with an attempt to translate a portion of it, we conclude our notice of the "Tunes of Barbud."

Warrior like, he poured o'er him his wail,

His heart was broken, and his cheeks were pale;
Alas! he sobbed O Khisroo, King, and Knight,
Exalted, valiant, and of matchless might!
Where hath thy greatness, where thy glory fled,
Where is thy pomp and diadem-crowned head!
Where are thy noble height and stately mein,
Thine ivory throne, and necklaces' bright sheen,
Thy strength, and manliness, and high command,
Which forced the world to bend beneath thy hand!
Where is thy bridal couch! thy minstrels where !
Thy courts, thy gate and nobles crowded there !
Where is thy flag of Kawah ! where are now
Thy diadem and sword's empurpled glow!
Thy looks, and tiar that rejoiced the earth,
Thy golden throne, and earrings of vast worth!
Where are thy steed and harness to be found,

Shubdeez, which 'neath thee never ceased to bound!
Where is thy helmet, where thy mail of gold,

With jewels decorated fold on fold!

Where are thy Knights, with golden trappings wreathed
Who in thy foemen's breasts their sabres sheathed!
Thy camels suited for the desert's waves,

Thy golden litters, and obsequious slaves!

Where thy white Elephant, thy herds and steeds!.
All lost to hope, no more since Khisroo heeds!—
Where is that tongue so ready and so sweet,
That heart, that mind, and understanding meet!
Why leave all these behind, and go alone!
Why to mankind so sad a page make known!

S. V. V.

The apron of Kawah the Blacksmith-the standard and palladium of the Per sian Empire.

OVER THE SEA-OVER THE SEA.

Over the sea-over the sea,

Lies the Land that is loved by me.
A sunnier sky may be o'er my head,
And a richer soil beneath my tread,
And a deeper spell in the noontide hour,
May hallow the shade of woodland bower,
And a softer speech in my ears be rung,
Than the accents rude of my own hill tongue :-
But never-Oh! never, so dear to me
Can the loveliest spot in the wide world be

As the bleak cold land where the heather waves
Round the place of my birth-o'er my father's grave.

Over the sea-over the sea

Throb the warm hearts that are true to me :-
But ocean is wide and his storms are rude,
And my heart feels faint in its solitude
To think of the measureless gulf that lies
"Twixt me and all that my soul doth prize,-
Yet I gaze for hours on the terrible deep,
Till my heart could break-though I cannot weep;
For I feel the desire of my soul is vain,

That the land of my birth I shall ne'er see again, That tomb shall be hollowed where now I stand, my

And my eyelids closed by some unknown hand.

Over the sea-over the sea,

Welcomes shall glisten,but not for me,-
Mark not the spot where my bones are laid,
Whether it be in the deep forest shade,

Or hard by the beach which the wild wave lashes,
Or far in the glen where the lone torrent dashes,
Or high on the steep where the eagle sweeps→
What matters it where the stranger sleeps ?
But over the sea-over the sea,
How then shall my chainless spirit flee
Back to the land that I've loved so well,
To the cot by the burn in the heathy dell!

CAPEL SOUTH.

CHUNDA,

THE CELEBRATED NAUTCH WOMAN OF HYDRABAD.

The name of CHUNDA has long been celebrated throughout the Dekhan. If still alive, she must be upwards of eighty years of age. She was seventy when I saw her for the first and last time, in 1819. Even at this advanced period of life, her movements were thought to be unequalled in grace and elegance. Although I examined her appearance very minutely, I must own, I could discover no traces of those personal attractions, which she was said to have possessed in the prine of life,, and which I had heard had enslaved the hearts of all those, who piqued themselves upon their pretensions to taste. She was of a fair complexion, and of a middling stature. She was dressed in a paishwanz of purple colour, relieved with small white spots and embroidered with gold edges, and a rich Benares doputta was thrown over her shoulders. She was covered with jewels to the value, as I understood, of upwards of a lac of Rupees. On all occasions of public exhibition the same splendour marked her appearance.

The occasion on which I saw Chunda was this; the late Messrs. Gould and Campbell had sent a large investment of goods to Hydrabad for sale, consisting among other things of French porcelain of various beautiful patterns, adorned with different devices. The articles were consigned to Messrs. W: P. & Co. in whose premises they were exposed for public exhibition; and Natives of respectability and wealth were invited to inspect them in order to afford them an opportunity of making purchases. But many came rather to admire, than to buy. Even Chundoo Laul, the Nizam's minister, was attracted to the premises of Messrs. W. P. & Co. He came attended with a vast retinue of armed men. He appeared very old and decrepid, and was so slender and infirm, that a gust of wind would probably have thrown him down. He seemed to have scarcely a tooth left in his head, his complexion was sallow, his cheeks sunk in, his chin protruded, and was in perpetual motion, as if he were engaged in the act of mastication.

It may not be altogether irrelevant to say something here regarding this extraordinary man. He was, previous to his elevation, a mere paishkan, and it was through British influence, that he rose to the dignified station of minister; to which he had no other claim, but that of being in the interest of the British Government. Report gave Chundoo Laul credit for great talents, but to my knowledge, he never afforded any proofs of