1307.] 
liverer. Orlando (whofe adventures it 
would be tedious to trace through the 
city of King Falcon, and among the 
eight giants of the “Tfola della Rena* hi 
bad reftored his fair charge in fatety to 
her father, the King of Benamarin. 
While till at his court, an invitation ar- 
rived from the Soldan to that prince, who 
was his ally, to be prefent at the execu- 
tion of his Chrittian prifoners. Orlando, 
thocked at the-news, difcovered his con- 
nection, and the ‘grateful king propofed 
to aflift him in the refcue. Both the 
knight and the king of Benamarin were, 
therefore e, already at Babylon, when Ri- 
naldo and his companion arriyed there. 
As the execution is proceeding, the tu- 
mult begins, and foon a ceneral battle 
enfues. The prifoners are releated ; 
numbers killed on both fides, among 
whom is the generous king of Benama- 
rin; the Soldan’s forces “driven back 
within the walls of Babylon; and a re- 
eat liege formed by the’ united Pala- 
dins, the Old Man of’ the Mountains, and 
the army of Benamarin, which {till re- 
mains under Orlando’s frandard. 
Meanwhile, the ftory carries us back 
to Morgante, who had been left with 
Meridiana in Fr. ance, and (when Oliver’s 
long abfence had made her doubt whe- 
ther fhe fhould ever fee him again) ef- 
corted her back to the country of her 
father Caradoro. Here the faithful giant 
did not long remain, being refolved to 
wander over the world in fearch of the 
abfent Paladins. Early on his long jour- 
ney he met with a mott fingular ‘being, 
who became his companion on the rett 
ot his pilgrimage, and whofe name was 
Margutte. The character which this 
new Panurge gives of himfelf is, that he 
believes in black no more than in blue, 
in nothing but capons and goed roait 
meat and boiled, and in butter and beer, 
and wine when he can get it; and he 
believes that he would be faved who 
believes as he does. His mother was.a 
Greek nun, and his father a prieft of 
Burfa; and he wanders over the world 
with 77 mortal fins on his fhoulders, all 
which he particularizes in an humorous 
manner. In ihort, if the poet defigned 
him for a model of the cunning Greek 
+ This fingular ifland is defcribed to be a 
place, 
Dove la Rena (l’Arena) aggira 
Al vento, e come i] mar tempefta mena. 
The idea was probably taken by the romance- 
writers from defcriptions of the Oafes, or 
iilgads, in the fandy deferts of Libya, 
Remarks on the M organte Mag 
\ 
giore. 217 
character, he has well fucceeded in his 
picture. 
They had not travelled together long, 
before an adventure occurred, in “Hira 
Margutte difplayed his re talents 
for filching and cozening, The ftory is 
told in a very comical fiyle, and is the 
beft fpecimen the book affords of Pulci’s 
pecuhar humour. Margutte’s pilfering 
abilities were ably feconded through the 
whole affair by Morgante’s bul lying pow- 
ers; and they purfued their journey very 
much pleafed with each other, and im 
the merriefi mood imaginable. — The pro- 
vifions with which they had loaded them- 
felves foon, however, failed in the vaft 
and inhofpitable defert which they had 
to traverfe; and they both had become 
very dry and hungry, when they difco- 
vered, to their ineffable content, a {pring 
of freth water, and an unicorn diinking 
at it. Morgante foon difpatched the 
animal with his club, and Margutte made 
a fire with two ftones and diy hay, at 
which they roafted him. Morgante, how- 
ever, 10 the divifion of the feaft rather 
ungeneroufly fhewed the fuperiority of 
might to right; and his companion grew 
a little fulky at the profpect of the hfe 
he was likely to lead. 
_Purfuing their travels through the fo- 
re{t, their ears were one morning aflailed 
by the cries of diltrefs; and they foon 
after arrived at the mouth of a cavern, 
where a, beautiful woman, bare-headed 
and bare-foot, was tied up and guarded 
by a lion. Morgante being Neer by 
the furious animal, foon difpatched hin 
with his elub ; and both he and his com- 
panion immediately offered their fer- 
vices to the unhappy lady, who began 
to relate to them the hittory of her fuf- 
ferings : 
My fire a noble caftle once poffefs’d, 
(Belflor its name), by Nile’s majeftic 
ftream : 
This of his various lands he lov’ the bett, 
And here I ’woke to life’s diftracted dream. 
°T was when in earlieft fowers the meads are 
drett, 
And {pring exalts the amorous poet’s themey 
i wander’d, tempted by the gentle air, 
Alone, to form a garland for my hair. 
The fun already warmed the fhores of Spain, 
And evening yeil’d our groves in pleating 
thade,. 
Unthinking, young, and gay, I fought to 
gain 
The idle wifh my childifh fancy made: 
A nightingale with foft enchanting ftrain 
So foothed mine ear, that I enrapturd 
firay’d 
In 
