Drink in the garden, friend, anigh the rose, Richer than spice's breath the soft air blows. If it should cease a little traitor then, A zephyr light its secret would disclose. --_Extracts from the Book of Tarshish or "Necklace of Pearls."_ It was not for want of cause that the sedate greybeards of Cordova applied for legal aid to have the passionate love songs of _Abraham Ibn Sahal_ prohibited, for there was not a youth or maiden in the city who could not repeat them by heart. And as to songs of war and wit and spirit, the "Makamen" of _Jehuda ben Salamo ben Alchofni_, better known as "_Charisi_" gives ample proof to assure us that the Jews might have become dangerous rivals to the Roman and Greek writers had they fostered that phase of poetry as did these. Thus sings Charisi; LOVE SONG OF CHARISI. I. The long-closed door, oh open it again, send me back once more my fawn that had fled. On the day of our reunion, thou shalt rest by my side, there wilt thou shed over me the streams of thy delicious perfume. Oh beautiful bride, what is the form of thy friend, that thou say to me, Release him, send him away? He is the beautiful-eyed one of ruddy glorious aspect--that is my friend, him do thou detain. II. Hail to thee, son of my friend, the ruddy, the bright colored one! Hail to thee whose temples are like a pomegranate. Hasten to the refuge of thy sister, and protect the son of Isaiah against the troops of the Ammonites. What art thou, O Beauty, that thou shouldst inspire love? that thy voice should ring like the voices of the bells upon the priestly garments? The hour wherein thou desirest my love, I shall hasten to meet thee. Softly will I drop beside thee like the dew upon Hermon. And as to the curious riddles which India's bards did tell, let us translate one or two, from Jehuda Ha-Levi to show that even into this field of poetic fancy the Jewish mind did wander, and it plucked there fruit as choice as India's bards did ever pluck. Ha-Levi asks, Who solves this: Eye it has and yet is blind, Of service it is to human kind; Raiment it makes, both large and small, And still itself is bare of all. (Answer: "The Needle.") Or this: Would true friendship ye maintain Hither come and learn it; What us would part we cut in twain, While we remain uninjured. (Answer: "The two knives of a pair of scissors.") As to their skill in reflective and descriptive poetry, let the following specimens show: NIGHT-THOUGHTS.