LXXVII. An orator, a lawyer, or a priest, Mysterious changed his countenance at least As oft as they their minds: though in full sight lle stood, the puzzle only was increased; The man was a phantasmagoria in Himself-he was so volatile and thin! LXXVIII. The moment that you had pronounced him one, Presto! his face changed, and he was another; And when that change was hardly well put on, It varied, till I don't think his own mother (If that he had a mother) would her son Have known, he shifted so from one to t'other, LXXIX. Three gentlemen at once» (as sagely says That he was not even one ; now many rays Were flashing round him; and now a thick steam Hid him from sight-like fogs on London days: Now Purke, now Tooke, he grew to people's fancies, And certes often like Sir Philip Francis. LXXX. I never let it out till now, for fear And injuring some minister or peer, It is-my gentle public, lend thine ear! LXXXI. Written without hands, since we daily view Are fill'd as well without the latter too : And rcally, till we fix on somebody For certain sure to claim them as his due, Their author, like the Niger's mouth, will bother The world to say if there be mouth or author. LXXXII. « And who and what art thou ?» the archangel said, « For that, you may consult my title-page,» Replied this mighty shadow of a shade : «If I have kept my secret half an age, I scarce shall tell it now.»—« Canst thou upbraid,» Contioued Michael, «George Rex, or allege Aught further?» Junius answer'd, « You had better First ask him for his answer to my letter. LXXXII. My charges upon record will outlast The brass of both liis epitapha and tomh.» * Repent'st thou not,» said Michael, « of some past Exaggeration? something which may doom Thyself, if falsc, as him if true? Thou wast Too bitter--is it not so? in thy gloom Of passion ?» « Passion!» cried the phantom dim, « I loved my country, and I hated him. LXXXIV. The rest be on his head or mine!» So spoke Away he melted in celestial smoke. To call George Washington, and John Horne Tooke, LXXXV. Of cherubim appointed to that post, « What's this ? cried Michael; « why, 't is not a ghost!» « I know it,» quoth the incubus ; « but he Shall be one, if LXXXVI. My left wing, he's so heavy; one would think Some of his works about his neck were chain d. But to the point : while hovering o'er the brink I saw a taper far below me wink, LXXXVII. The latter yours, good Michael; so the affair Belongs to all of us, you understand. I snatch'd him up just as you see him there, I've scarcely been ten minutes in the air- LXXXVIII. And have expected him for some time here; Or more conceited in his peity sphere : Suchi trash below your wing, Asmodeus dear! LXXXIX. « Done!» cried Asmodeus, « le anticipates The very business you are now upon, And scribbles as if head-clerk to the Fates. Who knows to what his ribaldry may run, When such an ass as this, like Balaam's, prates!» «Let 's hear,» quoth Michael, « what he has to say; You know we're bound to that in every way!» XC. By no means often was his case below, His voice into that awful note of woe of poets when the tide of rhyme 's in flow; Dut stuck fast with his first hexameter, Not one of all whose gouiy feet would stir. XCI TCVUI. But ere the sprviud dactyls could be spurrd We had sung against all bat:les, and again into recitative, in great Jismay In their high praise and glory; he had calld Dotha cherubim and seraphim were heard Reviewing the ungente crafı,» and then To murmur loudly through their long array; Become as base a critic as e'er crawlidAnd Michael rose ere he could get a word Fed, paid, and pamper'd by the very men Of all his founder'd verses under way, By wliom his muse and morals had beea mauld: And more of both than any body knows. XCIX. 1 general bustle spread throughout the throug, He had written Wesley's life:— here, turning round Which seemd to hold all verse in detestation; To Sathan, «Sir, I'm ready to write yours, The angels had of course enough of song In two octavo volumes, nicely bound, When upon service; and the generation With notes and preface, all that most allures Of ghosts had licard 100 much in life, not long The prous purchaser; and there's no ground For fear, for I cau chiuse my own reviewers C. Sathau bowd, and was silent. «Well, if you, Convulsel the skies, as during a debate, Withi amiable modesty, decline When Castercagh has been up long chough Mly offer, what sys Michael? There are few (Defore he was first minister of slite, Those memoirs could be renderd more disink. I mean— the slave's hear now), some cried « off, off,» Mine is a pen of all work; Dot so new As at a farce, will, roso quile desperate, As it was once, but I would make you shine The bar Saint Peter pray'd to interpose Like your own trumpet; by the way, my own Plimself an author) only for his prose. lhas more of brass in it, and is as well blown. XCIV. CI. The varlet was not an ill-favour'd knave, « But talking about trumpets, here's my Visiou! Now you shall judge, all people; yes, you shail Be guided who shall enter locaven or fall! I scute all these things by intuition, Was by no means so ugly as his case; Tiones present, past, to come, heaven, hell, and all But that indeed was hopeless as can be Like king Alonso)! 2 When I thus see double, I save the deity some worlds of trouble.» COL. trum, and suild the noise lle reasoil, and drew forth an MS.; and no With one still grater, as is yet the mode Persuasion on the part of devils, or saints, Olcarlı besides; except some grumbling voice, Or angels, now could stop the torrent; so Whirly now and then will make a slight inroad lle read the first three lines of the content, Tipou decorous silener, few will twice But at the fourth, the whole spiritual show Lift their lungs when fairly overcrowd ; Bu vamslid with variety of scouts, And now the bard could plead his own bad cause, Ambrosial and sulphureous, as they sprang, Like lighting off from his « melodious lwaug... СІІІ. lle said --(I only give the heads; - lıe said, Tlos grand heroics acted as a spell : He meant no harm in scribbling it was luis way The angels stopped their cars and plied their PiUius l'pon ali topics; i was, besides, his bread, The devils van bowling, deafenid, down to liell, Of which he butter'd both sides; 'i would delay The choses fled, zilbering, for Useir owu dominion Too long the assembly (he was pleased to dread', For 'l is not yet decide where they dwell, And make up richer more time than a day, And leave every man to huis opinions); To name his workshe would but cire a few Michael took refuge in his trump-butio! Wat Tyler-rhymnes ou Blenheim-Waterloo, liis teeth were set on edge,- he could not blow! XCVII. Ile lead writion praises of a regicide ; ISLile of 1. kirke White.. le had written praises of all kings vluatever ; iking Ilfonso, speaking of the Prolomear system, said that le loud written for republies, far and wide, had been consultatiboration of the world, he would bare And then against them, buterer than ever; bare the stabur one alisurdiue's. For pantisocracy he once had cried 3 Sir Julie's account of the apparition which disappeared.si Aloud, a scheine less moral toon't was clever; a curiott perfume and a melodious twang.. or see the 122014an Then grew a bearly anti-jacobin: Had turn dis coai-aud would have turnd his skin He was ADVERTISEMENT. the version is faithful to the best of the translator's ability in combining bis interpretation of the one lanquage with the not very easy task of reducing it to the same versilication in the other. The reader is reThe Morgante Maggiore, of the first canto of which this translation is offered, divides with the Orlando in quested to remember that the antiquated language of namorato the honour of having formed and suggested Pulci, however pure, is not easy to the generality of the style and story of Ariosto. The great defects of Italiang themselves, from its great mixture of Tuscan Coiardo were his treating 100 seriously the narratives froverbs; and he may therefore be more indulgent to the present attempt. llow far the translator has surof chivalry, and his harsh style. Ariosto, in his continuation, by a judicious mixture of the gaiety of Puki, ceeded, and whether or no he shall continue the work, has avoided the one, are questions which the public will decide. and Berni, in his reformation of induced to make the experiment partly by his love for, Pojarilo's poem, has corrected the other. Pulci may and partial intercourse with, the Italian language, of considered as the precuror and model of Berni al which it is so easy to acquire a slight knowledge, and | together, as he has partly been to Ariosto, however with which it is so nearly impossible for a foreigner lo inferior to both his copyists. He is no less the founder become accurately couversant. The Italian language I of a new style of poetry very lately sprung up in Eng is like a capricious beauty, who accords her smiles to lod. I allude to that of the ingenious Whistlecraft. wl, her favours to few, and sometimes Jeast to those who l'he serious poems on Roncesvalles in the same language, le courted her longest . The translator wislied also and more particularly the excellent one of Mr Merivale, to present in au English dress a part at least of a poem are to be traced to the same source. It has never yet never yet rendered into a northern language : at the | been decided entirely, whether Pulcis intention was or same time that it has been the original of some of the was not to deride the religion, which is one of his fa most celebrated productions on this side of the Alps, sourite topics. It appears to me, that such an intention as well as of those recent experiments in poetry in would bave been no less hazardous to the poet than to England which have been already mentioned. the priest, particularly in that age and country; and the permission to publish the poem, and its reception among the classics of Italy, prove that it neither was por is so interpreted. That he intended to ridicule MORGANTE MAGGIORE. the monastic life, and suffered bis imagination to play with the simple dulness of his converted giani, seems evideot enough; but surely it were as unjust to accuse CANTO I. him of irreligion on this account, as to denounce Fielding 1. for buy Parson Adams, Barnabas, Thwackum, Supple, and the Ordinary in Jonathan Wild, -or Scott, for the in the beginning was the Word next God; exquisite use of his Covenanters in the « Tales of my Cod was the Word, the Word no less was he; Landlord. This was in the beginning, to my mode 1 In the following translation I have used the liberty Of thinking, and without him nought could be. of the original with the proper names; as Pulei uses Therefore, just Lord! from out thy high abode, Gan, Ganellon, or Gmel'oue : Carlo, Carlomagno, or Benigo and pious, bid an angel llee, Carlomano; Rondci, or Rondello, etc. as it suits his One only, to be my companion, who convenience, so has the translator, In other respects shall help my famous, worthy, old song through II. Of the same Lord, who gave to you each key The day thy Gabriel saill, « all bail!» to thee, With flowing rhymes, a pleasant style and free, III. Weeps with her sister, who remembers and Deplores the ancient woes which both befel, And makes die nymplis cnamourd, to the hand Of Phacton by Phæbus loved so well His car (but temper'd by liis sire's command) IV. As it should still obey, the helm, my mind, Of Charles the Emperor, whom you will find Who to diffuse his glory were inclined, 1. Leonardo Aretino said already, That if, like Pepiu, Charles had had a writer Of genius quick, and diligently steady, No hero would in history look brighter; le in the cabinet being always ready, And in the ficlel a most victorious fighter, VI. The abbey no great way from Manopell, Decause of the great baule in which fell A pagan king, according to the story, And felon people whom Charles sent to hell: And there are bones so many, and so many, Near them Giu-affi's would seem few, if any. VII. but the world, blind and ignorant, don't prize Bis virtues as I wish to see thiem : thon, Florence, ly his great bounty don't arise, And bäst, and may have, if thou wilt allow, Whate'er thou hast acquired from then till now, VUI. The visent and most famous was Orlando, to Roncesvalles, as the villain pulunud too, While the horn race so lonul, and knold the doom Of chuir sad roul, though he did all night can do, Tendinte in jus comedy las given To him a happy seat with Charles in heaven IX. 'T was Christmas-day; in Paris all his court Charles beld; the chief, I say, Orlaudo was, The Dane; Astolfo there too did resort, Also Ansuigi, the gay time to pass Ju festival and in triumphant sport, The much renown'd Saint Dennis being the cause; Angiolin of Bayonne, and Oliver, And gentle Belingberi 100 came there : X. Avolio, and Arino, and Othone Of Normandy, aud Richard Paladin, Wise llamo, and the ancient Salemone, Walter of Lion's Mount, and Baldovia, Were there, exciting too much gladness in XI. Ever some bar gainst our intents to bring. Orlando ruled court, Charles, and every thing; To vent bis spite, that thus with Charles the king, One day he openly began to say, « Orlando must we always then obey? XIT. Orlando too presumptuously goes on; Hamo, and Ocho, Ogier, Solomon, Each have to lionour thee and to obey; But he has too inuch credit near the throne, Which we won't suffer, but are quite decided By such a boy to be no longer guided. XIII. « Aud evea at Ispramont thou didst begin To let him know he was a gallant knight, And by the fount did much the day to win; But I know who that day had won the fight The victory was Almonte's else; his sight XIV. When there advanced the nations out of Spain, The Christian cause had suffer'd shamefully, Hlad not his valour wriven them back again. Best speak the truth when there's a reason why know then, oli emperor! ibat all complain : Is for myself, I sul repass the mounts Oer which I crossd with two-and-sixty counts. IV. « Tis til thy grandeur should dispense relief, So that each here many have buis proper pirt, For the whole court is more or less in grief : Perlaps thou deem'st this laia Marinheart's Orlando one day heard this spect in brief, As by himself it chanced he sate part: Displeased he was with Gan because he said it, but mucluore sullthal Charles should give hum errut XVI. And with the sword he would have murder'd Gan, But Oliver thrust in between the pair, And from his hand extracted Durliodan, And thus at length they separated were. Wanted but little to have slain him there; XVII. He took Cortana, and then took Roodell, And when she saw himn coming, Aldabelle Orlando, in whose bruin all was not well, XVIII. On Gan in that rash act he seem d to take, But soon Orlando fouod himself awake; And he dismounted from bis horse, and spake XIX. And far as Pagan countries roam'd astray, The traitor Gao remember d by the way; And wandering on in error a long space, An abbey which in a lonc desert lay, XX. Descended from Angrante: under cover But certain savage giants look'd bim over! And Alabaster and Morgante hover XXI. Nor leave their cells for water or for wood, Unto the prior is at length seem'd good ; Enterd, he said that he was taught to adore Him who was born of Mary's holiest blood, And was baptized a Christian; and then show'd How to the abbey he had found his road. XXII. Said the abbot, « You are welcome; what is mine We give you freely, since that you believe With us in Mary Mother's son divine; And that you may not, cavalier, conceive To be rusticity, you shall receive XXIII. « When hitler to inhabit first we came These mountains, albeit that they are obscure, As you perceive, yet withour fear or blame 1 They seemd to promise an asylum sure : From savage brutes alone, too fierce to tame, 'T was fit our quiet dwelling to secure, But now, if here we d stay, we needs must guard Against doniestic beasts with watch aod ward. XXIV. « These make us stand, in fact, upon the watch, For late there have appear'd three giants rough ; What nation or what kingdom bore the barch I know not, but they are all of savage stuff. You know, they can do all --we are not enough: XXV. For just and holy works were duly fed; That manpa was rain'd down from heaven instead ; bread, From off yon mountain daily raining faster, And flung by Passamont and Alabaster. XXVI. «The third, Morgante, 's savagest by far; he Plucks up pines, beeches, poplar-irees, and oaks, And flings tbein, our community to bury, And all that I can do but more provokes,» A stone from one of their gigantic strokes, XXVII. The manna's falling now,» the abbot cried : « This fellow does not wish my horse should feed, Dear Abbot,» Roland unto him replied ; « Of restiveness he'd cure him had he need; That stone seems with good-will and aim applied.» XXVIII. And also made a breakfast of his own : Who flung at my good horse yon corner-stone.» As to a brother dear I speak alone; XXIX. Such slings, clubs, ballast-stones, that yield you must; You know that giants have much slouter hearts Than us, with reason, in proportiou just; If go you will, guard well against their arts, For these are very barbarous and robust.» Orlando answerd, « This I 'll see, be sure, And walk the wild on foot to be secure.» |