Critical Observations on the Morgante Maggiore. 
formerly held with Malagigi, and asserts 
our Author’s favourite doctrine of Uni- 
versal Salvation in strains of very sublime 
Poetry. He concludes thus: 
Forse ch’ é’l vero, dopo lungo errore 
Adorerete tutti di Concordia, 
E troverete ognun Misericordia! 
The arrival of Rinaldo and Richardetto, 
with their aérial guides, determined the 
fortune of the first grand division of the 
Pagan army, and of the first day’s battle, 
which had already inclined to favour the 
undaunted bravery and perseverance of 
Orlando and his companions. They 
alighted on the plain towards evening ; 
and while the brothers of Montauban 
pressed forwards to assist their victorious 
friends, the Demons fixed their stand on 
a church-tower, where they employed 
themselves in catching the souls of the 
Pagans as they attempted to fly upwards 
from their bodies. The sudden appari- 
tion of two warriors descending from the 
skies, completed the rout and consterna- 
tion of the enemy, and, night coming on, 
the Christians were left possessors of the 
field, and of the honours of victory. Ri- 
naldoand Richardetto, weary with slaugh- 
ter, pressed to the spot where the other 
Paladins were beginning to rest from 
their fatigues; and if their sudden ap- 
pearance among the Pagans had filled 
the field with confusion and dismay, their 
re-union with their friends produced at 
least as sudden and wonderful an im- 
pression, though of a contrary nature. 
Orlando’s joy exceeded all bounds of mo- 
deration, and Oliver fainted away at their 
approach. ‘The feelings of the whole 
camp were in proportion, and the re- 
joicings which so happy an event occa- 
sioned, seemed to have charged the face 
of atfairs, and substituted hope and con- 
fidence in the place of their late despair, 
Orlando, however, as soon as the first 
transports wcre over, returned to a calm 
sense of the real condition of his little 
army. He took Rinaldo aside, and 
poured out to him his whoie soul.“ To- 
morrow, my Cousin, if my mind deceives 
me not, we all must perish in this valley. 
But we shail first prove the deaths of so 
many Pagans, that the latest ages shall 
speak of Roncesvalles.” 
Mean time the morning dawned, and 
the second squadron of the enemy, com- 
manded by the Jraitor Blanchardin, 
followed closely by the third and grand 
division: there Marsilius himself presided, 
and had already taken the field. The 
whole work of carnage is described by 
Pulci, with Homeric precision, mixed 
701 
with romantic absurdity; we shall con- 
fine ourselves to the more natural and 
affecting passages. In Blanchardin’s 
division fought a young Pagan, the son 
of that Old Man of the Mountains who 
had formerly accompanied Rinaldo, and 
fallen on the Christian side at the siege 
of Babylon. Having been falsely taught 
to attribute his father’s death to the Pa- 
ladins, he had engaged himself to Mar- 
silius for the sake of revenge, and now 
had the fortune in the beginning of the 
engagement to fall into the hands of Or- 
lando, who was on the point of putting 
him to death, but whose hand was ar- 
rested by his tears and supplications, and 
the discovery of his parentage. 
Now, when Orlando heard the young man’s 
pray’r, 
Before his eyes the father’s image stood, 
By pity mov’d, he loos’d his twisted hair, 
Embrac’d the boy, ard with his tears be- 
dew'd, 
‘6 Thy form, thy face, (he cried) the truth 
declare ; 
My ancient friend I here behold renew’d. 
Yet, ’twas ill done, young warrior, to oppose 
Thy father’s friends, and arm to serve his 
foes |!” C. 26. St. 146, 
With this gentle admonition he dis- 
missed, promising, if he should meet him 
fifty tumes that day, to spare him for his 
father’s sake; but he first received from 
him, in gratitude, intelligence of the sup- 
posed treachery of his follower, Baldwin, 
who was then clad ina vest of king Mar- 
silius, known to all the Pagans, and pre- 
served as by an Amulet from their arms, 
The relationship of this brave and un- 
fortunate youth to the detestable Gano, 
confirmed the suspicion to which Orlando 
too lightly gave way: 
Orlando now had left the old man’s son, 
And, warm in rage, sought Baldwin o’er 
the course, 
Who call’d for death which seem’d his path 
to shun 5 
And‘turn no less adventurous heads its 
force: 
At length he saw swilt Vegliantino run 
Hot o'er the field, (Orlando’s well-known 
horse, ) 
And rush’d to meet his friend belov’d, and 
cried 
‘¢ What woes, unfortunate ! this head betide ! 
I seek, this day, among the brave to die, 
And many Pagans oy my hand lie slain, 
But none against this arm their force will try: 
I call, I chajlenge to the fight in vain!” 
** False wretch,”’ Orlando cried, ‘* no more 
theyll fly, 
Lay but that gaudy garment on the plain, 
Which to thy traitor-sire Marsilius gave, 
For which that traitor sold his son a slave,”* 
a6 If 
