SOUTH AMERICA. 



Don Quixote was always of opinion that this famous 

 king did not die, but that he was changed into a raven 

 by enchantment, and that the English are momentarily 

 expecting his return. Be this as it may, it is certain that 

 when he reigned here, all was harmony and joy. The 

 browsing herds passed from vale to vale, the swains sang 

 from the bluebell-teeming groves, and nymphs, with 

 eglantine and roses in their neatly braided hair, went hand 

 in hand to the flowery mead, to weave garlands for their 

 lambkins. If by chance some rude uncivil fellow dared to 

 molest them, or attempted to throw thorns in their path, 

 there was sure to be a knight errant, not far off, ready 

 to rush forward in their defence. But, alas ! in these 

 degenerate days it is not so. Should a harmless cottage 

 maid wander out of the highway to pluck a primrose or 

 two in the neighbouring field, the haughty owner sternly 

 bids her retire ; and if a pitying swain hasten to escort 

 her back, he is perhaps seized by the gaunt house-dog 

 ere he reach her ! 



Eneas' s route on the other side of Styx, could not 

 have been much worse than this, though, by his account, 

 when he got back to earth, it appears that he had fallen 

 in with " Bellua Lernee, horrendum stridens, flammisque, 

 armata Chimeera." 



Moreover, he had a sibyl to guide his steps ; and as 

 such a conductress, now-a-days, could not be got for 

 love or money, it was judged most prudent to refrain 



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