Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/52

Jett, Porphiry, Agate, and other precious Materials garniſh’d with Gold and Jewels; the Spaces betwixt the Columns were ſo many large Windows, with Jetts high enough for one to lean on, covered with the ſame ſort of Stuff as the Sopha’s, and looking out into the moſt delicious Garden of the World, the Walks were of little Pebles of different Colours, which reſembled the foot Carpet of the Salloon; ſo that looking upon the Carpet within and without, it look’d as if the Dome and the Garden with all its Ornaments, had ſtood upon the ſame Carpet. The Proſpect round was thus: At the End of the Walks there were two Canals of clear Water, of the ſame circular Figure as the Dome, the one of which being higher than the other, emptied its Water into the lowermoſt, in Form of a Table-cloth; and curious Pots of gilt Braſs, with Flowers and Greens, were ſent upon the Banks of the Canals at equal Diſtances. Thoſe Walks lay betwixt great Plots of Ground, planted with ſtraight and buſhy Trees, where there were a thouſand Birds, which formed a melodious Concert, and diverted the View by their flying about, and ſometimes by playing together, and at other times by fighting in good earneſt in the Air.

The Prince of Perſia, and Ebn Thaher, were a long time taken up in viewing the Magnificence of the Place, and teſtified their Surprize at every Thing they ſaw, eſpecially the Prince, who had never ſeen any Thing like it. Ebn Thaher, tho’ he had been ſeveral Times in that delicate Place, yet could not but obſerve many new Beauties. In a Word, they never grew weary in admiring ſo many ſingular Things, and were thus agreeably employ’d, when they perceiv’d a Company of Ladies richly apparell’d ſitting without, at ſome Diſtance from the Dome, each of them upon a Seat of Indian Wood, in aid with ſilver Wire in Figures, with !nſtruments of Muſick in their Hands, expecting Orders to play. They went both to the Jett, which fronted the Ladies, and on the Right, they ſaw a great Court with a Stair up from the Garden, encompaſs’d with beautiful Apartments. The Slave had left them, and being alone, they diſcourſed together: For you, who are a wiſe Man, ſays the Prince of Perſia, I doubt not but you look with a great deal of Satisfaction upon all theſe Marks of Grandeur and Power: For my Part, I dont think there