Bema 
- 
pofed by a very ferious obftacle. ‘This 
is the raft, or natural covering, which 
conceals the whole river for about feven- 
teen leagues, and is continually aug- 
menting by the drift-wood brought down 
with every confiderable frefh. This 
bridge, which was for a time nothing but 
floating trees, &c. fupports at this time 
a growth of every thing growing in the 
neighbouring foreft, not excepting trees 
of a confiderable fize. The river may 
be frequently pafied without any know- 
ledge of its exiltence, fo perfectly is it 
concealed by the fuperincumbent mafs 
of materials; and it is reported, that 
the water is working for itfclf a new 
pafiage through the neighbouring low 
grounds, ; 
f= In our next will be introduced 
Objervations on certain Parts of the 
Country in Louifiana; by Anthony Sou- 
lard, Efg. Surveyor-general of Upper 
Louifiana. 
FT ee 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
REMARKS on the MORGANTE MAGGIORE 
of LUIGI PULCI. 
EACF, however, had not long been 
re-eftablifhed, before thefe mutual 
promifes began to wax cold and be forgot- 
ten, Gano, whofe banifhment had been 
- a principal article, was recalled; new 
fufpicions and jealoufies fprung out of 
the old animofity of the emperor againtt 
Rinaldo; mott of the Paladms retired 
. m difpleafure to their cafiles m the pro- 
vinces ; and Orlando (whofe difguit was 
greater in proportion to his refpontibility 
for having brought about the reconci- 
liation,) fet off in fearch of new adven- 
tures, with a refolation never to return 
again te the ungrateful court of Charle- 
magne. 
After a month’s travelling, he and his 
{quire Terigi find themfelves on the con- 
~ fines of -Periia, and arrive at the camp 
of a Pagan giant, Marcovaldo, who is 
befieging the Amojiante, for love of his 
daughter Clariella. We will not enter 
tuto the details of this adventure, fo 
fimilar to that of Manfredonio; bur, 
once forall, obferve that in this fecond 
expedition very little of variety or no- 
velty occurs ; and we thal] pafs over our 
account of it very fhortly, only ttopping 
where any paflages of particular merit 
appear to deferve tranflation. 
Marcovaldo, after a fierce cambat, 
falls by the hand of Orlando; and his 
death is attended with peculiar circum- 
16 Remarks on the Morgante Maggiore. 
[Feb. 1, 
ftances, which difplay at once the fancy, 
the genius, and the abfurd fuperfiition of 
the writerand of the age. When dying, 
a fudden illunfination enters his foul, he 
abjures the impious Mahound and his 
rabble of gods, and begs to be baptifed ’ 
by his Conqueror. - After this pious deed, 
which the good Orlando does not hefitate 
to perform, he beholtds angels defcend- 
ing ina vilibie fhape to bear away his 
foul to Paradife. The laft requeft of 
this unfortunate giant is expreffed un an 
interefting and affecting manner. 
One att of grace before his fpirit fled, — 
Only one aé the fainting chief requir’d s 
If chance Orlando’s footfteps ever led 
To her whofe beauty had his bofom fir’d, 
That he would tell her how her warrior bled, 
And how, by love to his laft hour infpir’d, 
His breath juft parting from this mortal 
: frame 
(Conftant in death) figh’d out his fair-one’s 
name ; ; 
And he would beg her to confefs his merity 
Sometimes the folitary tomb to fee 
Where his cold bones their native duft inherit, 
And call upon his name, and fay ‘* For 
thee | : 
Thy Clariella grieves, unhanpy fpirit, 
Whofe only fault was too well loving me !” 
Perhaps he hoped, that fad and tender ftrain 
Might call his fpirit back to earth again, — 
Ev’n as, the fpreading mulberry tree beneath 
( Witnefs ot amorous fighs in days of yore), 
On Thifbe’s name the lover cali’d in death, 
And brought the fleeting ghoft trom Heav’s 
once more, I a 
Meantime, celeftial founds began to breathe 3 
Strains, more than earthly, pafiéd their 
fancies o’er, : 
The foft, melodious, hymning of the fpheres, 
And harmony too pure for mortal ears. 
C. 12. ff. 67. 
Orlando was, after this, received and 
entertamed for fome time very courte- 
oully by the dAmoflante and his fair 
daughter; but, as the former was a very 
zealous Pagan, he pertormed all bis acts 
of hofpitality 1m pertect ignorance of the 
nae, {tyle, and ute of bis gueit, How- 
ever, the Soldan of Babylon, who me- 
ditated a war ayainli the Amoitante, dit- 
covers, by means of a necromaneer, who 
this powerful firanger was ; and takes 
care to have the imformation conveyed 
to the court of Perfia, in confequence of 
which he caufes both the knight and bis 
{quire to- be feized while aileep, and 
thrown into a mott horrible dungeon. 
From tlis place of confinement, through 
Clariella’s good olfices (who is deeply in 
love ‘with her deliverer), Terigt?ss: at 
length 
