I60o.] Critical Ohjcnutions on the Morgante Maggiore. 239 



in which the adventure liappened vva» Non fi diparte amor fi leggiermente, 

 vvcr rtlter called the Iiifenud Wood." C!ie par conform.ti mice di ftella. 



Bv break of .noniin;; tl«.-y find them- Doranque andrcmo in I.cvaiitc o m Ponente, 

 felves on a lull from whence" they have a A'""" ^^""V^^ ^ou^^n^ belb. 

 fiiil view of Maufretloiiio's camp and the However, liis good refolutions did not 

 city of Caiiutoro, on which they gaze hold him long, as the fcii]uel lliew*. But 

 w itii very various feufations. M alagigi other bufiiicfs was now to be attended 

 had prcviouily informed them, by the to. Orlando, hcarin;: of the »jrival of 

 helj) (jf his art, that the llraui^c warrior the knijiht of the lion, has challenged 

 %»ho had canfed fu niiich difniay in the him to lins^le combat before the ramparts 

 City uas the very Paladin whom they of the city. The laws of knighthood for- 

 were feeking ; yet their knightly vows bid refufal or equivocation. Tiie rencon- 

 prevented them from following their tre took place ; but, after the moil fu- 

 iuclination, and joining their future for- rious engagement ever recorded in the 

 times to thofe of Orlando. While they annals of hillory, ended at clofe of day 

 are ga/.ing, tiiey diliinguini Manfrcdonio wilhout lofs cither of blood or honour tu 

 lumfolf walking in his camp in dole con- either party, and with a mutual engagy- 

 ference with their b( loved kinfman j but nicnt to rentw the trial. 

 Rinaido, fays the poet, JNIeanw liile the iniidious and implacabla 



Rinaldo, quaiido vide il fuo Cugino, Gano has heard of the arrival of tiie Pala- 



Pergidndiilcezzail cor fi fenti aprife J dins in Caradoro's court under feigned 



K diiTc, " Poi ch'io veggo il Paladino, names, and has it;iit an ambalfador to the 



Contento fono ogni volta morh'e." king to warn him that lie is entertaining ti/ 



They were welcomed in a mofl kingly many gay deceivers as his guefts and bo 

 manner by Caradoro on their arrival ; yet fom-friends. But this reprefentation 

 even this reception ^vas inferior to the produced effeSs.far dilferent from the in- 

 joytul courtefy of the peerlefs Meridiana. tention ; for no fooner did the good mo- 

 Tiie beauty of this admirable princefs narch (though a Pagan,) know that the 

 was above all comparifon w itli any earth- renov. ned champions of Chriftendoni 

 ly goddeis. The charms of the fair Tlo- were his defenders, than he became more 

 rifena would have melted away to no- attached to them than before. The dif- 

 thing on her approach. " She wore a covery thus made, however, leads to 

 rich gmment of the molt coftly materials, others; and advantage of the truce i.s 

 made after the Pagan colhinic, tlovveixd taken to invite Orlando to a pcacefid 

 with red and white like her face, which conference. On his arrival, Rinaldo firll 

 rcliinbled the briglitell carnation in the deceives his coulin by a falfe account of 

 iiiidlt of a fca of milk. Even a heart of his own death; but perceiving by his 

 niarble mufl, have been moved to love, tears that his old affettion remained un- 

 Her brealt was adorned with a precious impaired, ibon makes a full difcovery of 

 enamel of gold and jewels, and among himfelf and his companions. Caradoro 

 them a ruby well worth a royal trcafure. ami Meridiana, foftencd by the affecting 

 She had a bright carbuncle on her head, fcene, forgive the death of their fon and 

 able to make the darkelt night lliine like brother, and Orlando (who had made no 

 the day. But her inodeft angel's face vow to Manfredonio, and was bound by 

 v.as brighter far, and llied the moll di- no obligations to him, and belides begins 

 vine hillre around her. to reflect on himfelf for patronifing fo. 



The amorous Oliver wrks not a Cyrus unknic,htlv a mode of wooing a reluctant 

 or an Oroondates. Inviolable and eter- damfel as that purfued by his old cm-i 

 rial conllancy through life and death had plover,) finds no ditiiculty in becoming a 

 hardly h.-c oiiie a virtue in modern ro- convert to the caufe of the opproil'ed 

 maiice b(?fore ihe days of iScudery. At Princefs and her father. This iuddcn 

 lealt neither Pulci nor Ariufto appear to cliange in their profpects is accompanied 

 liave liad much idea of making it elVen- by every pofilble demonftration of joy 

 tial to an accomplilhcd hero. Oliver in- and fefcivity' throughout the city. The 

 deed is but a iecondary hero, and his two parties, equally balanced before, are 

 liruggles againft ilie admillion of a new now in very difterent fituations. A Hilly 

 paftion into his heart are certainly not is made ; battle joins ; and the four in- 

 very energetic. It is true tliat on this vincible Paladins, aflnled by the tremen- 

 occalioii lie thinks of Florifena, and liiys dous powers of the faithful Morgantc, 

 to himfelf, (with very good iuteiuion, no foon complete the utter dcllrudion of 

 doubt,) Manfredouio's 



