I couldn't help running some of these Apologues into Verse as I read them: but they are in a very rough state as yet, and so perhaps may continue, for to correct is _the_ Bore. When Yusuf from his Father's House was torn, His Father's Heart was utterly forlorn; And, like a Pipe with but one note, his Tongue Still nothing but the name of Yusuf rung. Then down from Heaven's Branches came the Bird Of Heaven, and said 'God wearies of that Word. Hast thou not else to do, and else to say?' So Yacub's Lips were sealed from that Day. But one Night in a Vision, far away His Darling in some alien Home he saw, And stretch'd his Arms forth; and between the Awe Of God's Displeasure, and the bitter Pass Of Love and Anguish, sigh'd forth an _Alas_! And stopp'd--But when he woke The Angel came, And said, 'Oh, faint of purpose! Though the Name Of that Beloved were not uttered by Thy Lips, it hung sequester'd in that Sigh.' You see this is very imperfect, and I am not always quite certain of always getting the right Sow by the Ear; but it is pretty anyhow. In this, as in several other Stories, one sees the fierce vindictive Character of the Eastern Divinity and Religion: a 'jealous God' indeed! So there is another Story of a poor Hermit, who retires into the Wilderness to be alone with God, and lives in a Tree; and there in the Branches a little Bird has a Nest, and sings so sweetly that the poor old Man's Heart is drawn to it in spite of Himself; till a Voice from Heaven calls to Him--'What are you about? You have bought _Me_ with your Prayers, etc., and I _You_ by some Largess of my Grace: and is this Bargain to be cancelled by the Piping of a little Bird?' {316} So I construe at least right or wrong. . . . Monday Jan. 25 [? 26]. Like your Journal, you see, I spread my Letter over more than a Day. On Saturday Night your Brother and I went to hear Thackeray lecture on George III.--very agreeable to me, though I did not think highly of the Lecture. . . . I should like to see Nizami's Shirin, though I have not yet seen enough to care for in Nizami. Get me a MS. if you can get a fair one; as also one of Attar's Birds; of which however Garcin de Tassy gives hint of publishing a Text. There might be a good Book made of about half the Text of the Original; for the Repetitions are many, and the stories so many of them not wanted. What a nice Book too would be the Text of some of the best Apologues in Jami, Jelaleddin, Attar, etc., with literal Translations! . . . I was with Borrow {317} a week ago at Donne's, and also at Yarmouth three months ago: he is well, but not yet agreed with Murray. He read me a long Translation he had made from the Turkish: which I could not admire, and his Taste becomes stranger than ever. 24 PORTLAND TERRACE, REGENT'S PARK. MY DEAR COWELL,