SOUTH AMERICA. 
77 
to the flowery mead, to weave garlands for their first 
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 neigh¬ 
bouring 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 Lernae, horrendum 
stridens, flammisque, armata Chimaera.” 
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 from sauntering through this land of freedom, 
and wait with patience the return of health. At last 
this long-looked for, ever-welcome stranger came. 
