part10-第3部分

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Mahomed　ben　Abderahman。　He　led　the　life　of　a　sybarite　in　the　famous

palace　and　gardens　of　Azahara；　surrounding　himself　with　all　that　could

excite　the　imagination　and　delight　the　senses。　His　palace　was　the

resort　of　poets。　His　vizier；　Ibn　Zeydun；　was　called　the　Horace　of

Moslem　Spain；　from　his　exquisite　verses；　which　were　recited　with

enthusiasm　even　in　the　saloons　of　the　Eastern　Caliphs。　The　vizier

became　passionately　enamored　of　the　princess　Walada；　daughter　of

Mahomed。　She　was　the　idol　of　her　father's　court；　a　poetess　of　the

highest　order；　and　renowned　for　beauty　as　well　as　talent。　If　Ibn

Zeydun　was　the　Horace　of　Moslem　Spain；　she　was　its　Sappho。　The

princess　became　the　subject　of　the　vizier's　most　impassioned　verses；

especially　of　a　famous　risaleh　or　epistle　addressed　to　her；　which

the　historian　Ash…Shakandi　declares　has　never　been　equalled　for

tenderness　and　melancholy。　Whether　the　poet　was　happy　in　his　love；　the

authors　I　have　consulted　do　not　say；　but　one　intimates　that　the

princess　was　discreet　as　she　was　beautiful；　and　caused　many　a　lover　to

sigh　in　vain。　In　fact；　the　reign　of　love　and　poetry　in　the　delicious

abode　of　Zahara；　was　soon　brought　to　a　close　by　a　popular

insurrection。　Mahomed　with　his　family　took　refuge　in　the　fortress　of

Ucles；　near　Toledo；　where　he　was　treacherously　poisoned　by　the

Alcayde；　and　thus　perished　one　of　the　last　of　the　Ommiades。

　　The　downfall　of　that　brilliant　dynasty；　which　had　concentrated　every

thing　at　Cordova；　was　favorable　to　the　general　literature　of　Morisco

Spain。

　　〃After　the　breaking　of　the　necklace　and　the　scattering　of　its

pearls；〃　says　Ash…Shakandi；　〃the　kings　of　small　states　divided　among

themselves　the　patrimony　of　the　Beni　Ommiah。〃

　　They　vied　with　each　other　in　filling　their　capitals　with　poets　and

learned　men；　and　rewarded　them　with　boundless　prodigality。　Such　were

the　Moorish　kings　of　Seville　of　the　illustrious　line　of　the　Beni

Abbad；　〃with　whom；〃　says　the　same　writer；　〃resided　fruit　and

palm…trees　and　pomegranates；　who　became　the　centre　of　eloquence　in

prose　and　verse；　every　day　of　whose　reign　was　a　solemn　festivity；

whose　history　abounds　in　generous　actions　and　heroic　deeds；　that

will　last　through　surrounding　ages　and　live　for　ever　in　the　memory

of　man！〃

　　No　place；　however；　profited　more　in　point　of　civilization　and

refinement　by　the　downfall　of　the　Western　Caliphat　than　Granada。　It

succeeded　to　Cordova　in　splendor；　while　it　surpassed　it　in　romantic

beauty　of　situation。　The　amenity　of　its　climate；　where　the　ardent

heats　of　a　southern　summer　were　tempered　by　breezes　from　snow…clad

mountains；　the　voluptuous　repose　of　its　valleys　and　the　bosky

luxuriance　of　its　groves　and　gardens　all　awakened　sensations　of

delight；　and　disposed　the　mind　to　love　and　poetry。　Hence　the　great

number　of　amatory　poets　that　flourished　in　Granada。　Hence　those

amorous　canticles　breathing　of　love　and　war；　and　wreathing

chivalrous　grace　round　the　stern　exercise　of　arms。　Those　ballads　which

still　form　the　pride　and　delight　of　Spanish　literature　are　but　the

echoes　of　amatory　and　chivalric　lays　which　once　delighted　the　Moslem

courts　of　Andalus；　and　in　which　a　modern　historian　of　Granada　pretends

to　find　the　origin　of　the　rima　Castellana　and　the　type　of　the　〃gay

science〃　of　the　troubadours。

　　Poetry　was　cultivated　in　Granada　by　both　sexes。　〃Had　Allah；〃　says

Ash…Shakandi；　〃bestowed　no　other　boon　on　Granada　than　that　of　making

it　the　birth…place　of　so　many　poetesses；　that　alone　would　be

sufficient　for　its　glory。〃

　　Among　the　most　famous　of　these　was　Hafsah；　renowned；　says　the　old

chronicler；　for　beauty；　talents；　nobility；　and　wealth。　We　have　a

mere　relic　of　her　poetry　in　some　verses；　addressed　to　her　lover；

Ahmed；　recalling　an　evening　passed　together　in　the　garden　of　Maumal。

　　〃Allah　has　given　us　a　happy　night；　such　as　he　never　vouchsafes　to

the　wicked　and　the　ignoble。　We　have　beheld　the　cypresses　of　Maumal

gently　bowing　their　heads　before　the　mountain　breeze…　the　sweet

perfumed　breeze　that　smelt　of　gillyflowers：　the　dove　murmured　her　love

among　the　trees；　the　sweet　basil　inclined　its　boughs　to　the　limpid

brook。〃

　　The　garden　of　Maumal　was　famous　among　the　Moors　for　its　rivulets；

its　fountains；　its　flowers；　and　above　all；　its　cypresses。　It　had　its

name　from　a　vizier　of　Abdallah；　grandson　of　Aben　Habuz；　and　Sultan

of　Granada。　Under　the　administration　of　this　vizier　many　of　the

noblest　public　works　were　executed。　He　constructed　an　aqueduct　by

which　water　was　brought　from　the　mountains　of　Alfacar　to　irrigate

the　hills　and　orchards　north　of　the　city。　He　planted　a　public　walk

with　cypress…trees；　and　〃made　delicious　gardens　for　the　solace　of

the　melancholy　Moors。〃　〃The　name　of　Maumal；〃　says　Alcantara；　〃ought　to

be　preserved　in　Granada　in　letters　of　gold。〃　Perhaps　it　is　as　well

preserved　by　being　associated　with　the　garden　he　planted；　and　by　being

mentioned　in　the　verses　of　Hafsah。　How　often　does　a　casual　word　from　a

poet　confer　immortality！

　　Perhaps　the　reader　may　be　curious　to　learn　something　of　the　story　of

Hafsah　and　her　lover；　thus　connected　with　one　of　the　beautiful

localities　of　Granada。　The　following　are　all　the　particulars　I　have

been　able　to　rescue　out　of　the　darkness　and　oblivion　which　have

settled　upon　the　brightest　names　and　geniuses　of　Moslem　Spain：

　　Ahmed　and　Hafsah　flourished　in　the　sixth　century　of　the　Hegira；

the　twelfth　of　the　Christian　Era。　Ahmed　was　the　son　of　the　Alcayde

of　Alcala　la　Real。　His　father　designed　him　for　public　and　military

life　and　would　have　made　him　his　lieutenant；　but　the　youth　was　of　a

poetical　temperament；　and　preferred　a　life　of　lettered　ease　in　the

delightful　abodes　of　Granada。　Here　he　surrounded　himself　by　objects　of

taste　in　the　arts；　and　by　the　works　of　the　learned；　he　divided　his

time　between　study　and　social　enjoyment。　He　was　fond　of　the　sports

of　the　field；　and　kept　horses；　hawks；　and　hounds。　He　devoted　himself

to　literature；　became　renowned　for　erudition；　and　his　compositions

in　prose　and　verse　were　extolled　for　their　beauty；　and　in　the　mouths

of　every　one。

　　Of　a　tender；　susceptible　heart；　and　extremely　sensible　to　female

charms；　he　became　the　devoted　lover　of　Hafsah。　The　passion　was　mutual；

and　for　once　the　course　of　true　love　appeared　to　run　smooth。　The

lovers　were　both　young；　equal　in　merit；　fame；　rank；　and　fortune；

enamored　of　each　other's　genius　as　well　as　person；　and　inhabiting　a

region　formed　to　be　a　realm　of　love　and　poetry。　A　poetical　intercourse

was　carried　on　between　them　that　formed　the　delight　of　Granada。　They

were　continually　interchanging　verses　and　epistles；　〃the　poetry　of

which；〃　says　the　Arabian　writer；　Al　Makkari；　〃was　like　the　language　of

doves。〃

　　In　the　height　of　their　happiness　a　change　took　place　in　the

government　of　Granada。　It　was　the　time　when　the　Almohades；　a　Berber

tribe　of　Mount　Atlas；　had　acquired　the　control　of　Moslem　Spain；　and

removed　the　seat　of　government　from　Cordova　to　Morocco。　The　Sultan

Abdelmuman　gov