The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-06 00:00:00

Durbar.

A brilliant scene is taking place at Lahore, where the
great and magnificent Emperor Aurungzebe is holding his
court. Ambassadors have arrived from Aliris, the King of
Bucharia, demanding in marriage for the young Monarch
the daughter of the Emperor, Lalla Rookh, described by
the Persian poets as the most beautiful of those heroines
whose names and loves embellish the songs and tales
of Persia and Hindostan. It is agreed that the nuptials
shall 1-4% celebrated at Cashmere, where the young King, as
soon as the cares of empire will permit, is to meet for the first
time his lovely bride ; and they will remain for a time in
that enchanting valley before travelling over the snowy hills
into Bucharia.

The King of Bucharia has sent a brilliant suite, amongst
whom is a lovely troop of Tartarian and Cashmerian maids
of honour, to accompany his beautiful bride. With them
comes a young poet of Cashmere, on whom his royal master
has conferred the privilege of being admitted to the pavilion
of the Princess, that he may beguile the tediousness of the
journey by some of his most fanciful recitals. The minstrel
is accordingly introduced to the presence of Lalla Rookh.
He holds a kitar in his hand, and much pleases the
Princess by his skilful execution, his graceful bearing, and
pleasing manners i but there is a personage in Lalla RoQkh's
Whe no ifielfikin-tnich delighted at the amiear-
ance of the young ilOet";`"ttis Fadladeen, Vie great nazir, or
chamberlain of Lalla Rookh—a personage in his own opinion
of infinite importance, and who looks with the keenest
jealousy on all whose talents or attractions bring them into
notice. He endeavours to turn the young poet into ridicule,
but in vain, and, discomfited, he withdraws full of secret
rage. The new companions of Lalla Rookh now surround
her, with the lovely inhabitants of that city which is so soon
to be deprived of her graceful presence. They dance a
Hindoo dance, in which they form into various groups, each
more graceful than the preceding one, while the most fan-
tastic pageantry is going on around them, giving the whole
the appearance of a scene of enchantment. Lalla Rookh,
with her fair attendants, executes a dance, in which, as is
the fashion in Hindostan, they imitate every imaginable
figure.
The following are some of the twenty figures represented
by the Hindoo maids :
Hermes
The Shell
The Kiosks
The Cage
The Mirrors
The Harps
The framed Pictut e of the
Morning Breeze
SCENE ll.—Distant view of Lahore.—The Departure.
The royal party have left Lahore, which is still in sight,
with the cavalcade, which presents one unbroken line of
splendour.

The Stars
The Pine Apples
The Car of the Rising Sun
The Butterflies
The Sun's Rays
The Living Statue and its
Pedestal

SCENE lll.—Sandy Waste.
First, the jungle, the lair of tigers—and next, the dreari-
ness of a desert waste, has taken the place of those smiling
scenes through which the journey of Lalla Rookh has
hitherto laid. A wild and gloomy tract, covered with a low
bushy jungle, is present to the eye, only alternated by the
awful signal of the bamboo staff, above which waves a white
flag, which warns the traveller that in that spot a tiger
has devoured his victim. The caravan is seen approaching
in the distance.

SCENE IV.—The Tempest of Sand.—Suddeuly the Whirl-

- . .
wind rises.
A fearful tempest has come on. The caravan is dispersed
by the storm—the travellers fly in every direction for safety,
leaving the Princess alone to brave the fury of the simoon,
which rages with resistless force. All sensation forsakes her ;
she cannot defend herself—her danger is imminent—but Fer-
amroy, rushing forward, saves her, and she remains lifeless in
his arms. Nearly fainting with alarm for the safety of one he so
sa in search of that refreshing
dearly loves, he seeks for water to bring the Princess back to
life, but in vain. He diPpears
element, so rare and precious in these arid, gloomy regions.
Meanwhile stragglers flying from before the storm arrive on
the scene, and amongst them is the frightened Fadladeen.
The Princess still remains without sense or motion ; but
Feramory re-appears, he has happily found a small quantity
of water, which he brings to Lalla Rookh in a large leaf,and he has the happiness of seeir.g
her open her eyes, now
beaming with gratitude upon him. Fadladeen can hardly
conceal his rage at the tenderness of manner of Lalla Rookh
towards her preserver, and he at length separates them.
The fury of the elements is gradually hushed—a profound
calm succeeds the storm. Whilst the travellers are thank-
ing Allah for their preservation, night is gradually coming
on. The caravan encamps on the spot, and the attendants of
the Princess erect her pavilion. The most exuberant gaiety
succeeds to the alarm which had prevailed but a moment
before.

SCENE V.—Star of Venus.—The Moon.—Night.
SCENE VI.—The Pavilion
The Princess, grieved at the absence of Feramory, begs
Fadladeen to send for him, but the latter evades the request
by saying that the Princess needs repose rather than
listen to the frivolous fantastic nonsense of the so-called
bard. But the little Persian slave of the Princess has slyly
slipped out and warned the poet of her mistress's desire to
see him; he enters, and Lallah Rookh expresses the wish
that his sweet minstrelsy should calm her mind after the
agitation she has that day passed through. He complies,
but Fadladeen, with his usual ill-natured spite, finds fault
with the poet and the performer, saying that, for his part, he
prefers his sweet-scented chibouk. Feramory hearing this,
breaks forth into the wild and joyous strain of the chibouk
song, and the Princess, inspired by these enlivening sounds,
dances to the tune. The fumes of the opium he smokes
sends Fadladeen to sleep, and whilst be dreams of Mahomet's
paradise and the Houri, Lalla Rookh and Feramory take
advantage of the opportunity to avow their mutual love.

SCENE VlE—The Sandy Waste.
The sun rises and sheds his warm beams over the dreary
expanse, across which Lade Rookh arid her suite are to pur-
sue their toilsome journey, and the caravan resumes its
march.