598 
upon which it was founded, or with 
which it was connected, and was of 
course in itself imperfect and desultory. 
But in Amadis de Gaul the whole. his- 
tory, the dramatis persone, nay often 
the very scene of action, is the pure in- 
vention of the author from the stores of 
his own imagination. Hence his work 
in this particular has more the plan of a 
regular epic than the Orlando Furioso 
itself. Mr. Rose seems to have been 
struck with these advanteges, and-1m- 
elled by them to the task of translating 
into English verse the first book of this 
admired work, which, as it concludes 
with the ‘consummation’ of the loves of 
Amadis and Oriana, is easily separated 
from the other three, which terminate 
with their marriage. The translator 
has chosen the common heroic stanza, 
of which he has displayed a pleasing 
command: perhaps we might, from early 
association, have preferred that of Spen- 
ser and Fairfax, dedicated, asit were of 
old, to record feats of chivalry, but Mr. 
Rose may shelter himself under the au- 
thority of the late Mr. Way, and the 
more venerable example of Dryden. We 
proceed to analyze the fable, interming- 
ling some specimens of the poetry. 
Garinter, an ancient monarch of Brit- 
tany, had two daughters; the eldest was 
matried to the king of Scotland, the 
second, named Eliseni, was termed the 
Lost Recluse, on account of her devotion 
to religion. Garinter in hunting sees a 
valiant knight beset by two felon barons, 
both of whom fall under his single arm. 
He accosts the victor and invites him to 
his court; upon the road the stranger 
again signalizes his prowess, by slaying 
alion. The knight proves to be Perion, 
king of Gaul; and during his residence 
at the court of Brittany, he captivates 
the affections of the Lost Recluse. At a 
stolen midnight interview their faiths 
are solemnly pledged, and Amadis owes 
his birth tothe meeting. Perion returns 
to Gaul, upon hearing tidings of his 
father’s death, under the solemn pro- 
mise of claiming the hand of Eliseni as 
soon as his kingdom should be settled : 
but he is prevented from executing bis 
purpose, by a “ tide of strange adven- 
tures.””’ Meanwhile the Lost Recluse 
is in the utmost danger froma rigorous 
law, which sentenced to death every 
maiden who violated the laws of chas- 
tity. By the prudent intervention of ' 
her confidante, she is delivered of a male 
child, the famous Amadis, who is placed 
\ROMANCES AND NOVELS. 
by the attendant in a small cradle, con- 
taining his father’s sword and other 
tokens of recognition, and thas launched 
into the ocean. The cradle and its con- 
tents are rescued by Gandales, a knight 
of Scotland, when returning in a galley 
to his native country. The infant Ama- 
dis, named the Child of the Sea, is edu- 
cated with Gandalin, the son of his 
foster-father. Meanwhile Perion finds 
time to wed publicly the Lost Recluse. 
A damsel appears suddenly béfore him, 
and in mysterious language announces 
the chivalrous prowess of his sons. ‘The 
fair Eliséni bears another son, named 
Galaor, but he also is lost to his parents, 
being carried off by a giant. Meantime 
the mysterious Es appears to Gan- 
dales, declares herself to be a fay or 
fairy, named Urganda the Unknown, 
and foretells the renown of the Child , 
of the Sea. That noble youth being 
accidentally noticed by his aunt, the 
queen of Scotland, she requests he may 
be sent to court. Here Amadis first 
sees the lovely Oriana, daughter of 
Lisvard, king of England, who becomes 
the unrivalled lady of his affections. He 
receives the honour of knighthood from 
the hand of his own father, Perion, who 
comes to Scotland to request aid against 
the invasion of Abyes, king of Ireland. 
Amadis sets out to join the Scottish army 
raised for this purpose. On his way he 
receives a lance from Urganda, with 
which he frees his father, Perion, impri- 
soned by a false old knight, and abo- 
lishes the evil customs of Galpan, a 
lawless baron, who, not content with 
oppressing knights and dishonouring 
damsels, was wont to impose upon them 
certain hard and intolerable conditions. 
By these atchievements the renown of - 
Amadis is highly exalted, when attended 
by Gandalin, his foster-brother, now act- 
ing as his squire, he joins the Scottish 
succours, and reaches Brittany. Ina 
desperate battle the Irish prove success- 
ful, notwithstanding the prodigies of va- 
lour atchieved by Amadis and his father. 
But the issue of the war being pledged 
on a single combat betwixt the young 
hero and the Irish king, the latter is slain. 
by Amadis, and the invading army re- 
treat with his dead body. His victory 
is followed by a discovery of our hero’s 
birth, in consequence of the tokens with 
which he was exposed being recognized 
by his mother. Shortly after this happy 
event, Amadis departs for England, un-~ 
der pretence cf seeing the court of king 
