Page 747 of 1116

And if your eyes saw her earth, and the adornment thereof with

bloom, and the purfling of it with all manner blossoms, and the

islands of the Nile and how much is therein of wide spread and

goodly prospect, and if you bent your sight upon the Abyssinian

Pond,[FN#578] your glance would not revert from the scene quit of

wonder; for nowhere would you behold the fellow of that lovely

view; and, indeed, the two arms of the Nile embrace most

luxuriant verdure,[FN#579] as the white of the eye encompasseth

its black or like filagree'd silver surrounding chrysolites. And

divinely gifted was the poet who there anent said these

couplets:-