Whate'er defence my prowess can afford,

Is yours-command my person and my sword :
'Tis hence, these fhining arms my limbs enfold,
Not lands to conquer, or to purchase gold,
But to display to all my guardian care,

575

Much more to dames fo courteous and fo fair! 580
The dames return'd him thanks with grateful heart,
In words that equall'd well his
great defert.
In converse thus they pafs'd, till near they drew,
Where both the bridge and stream appear'd in view.
There they the guardian of the pass behold
With jewels blazing rich on arms of gold.

But, till another book, I cease to tell
What with the giantess the knight befel.

585

END OF THE SIXTH BOOK.

THE

SEVENTH BOOK

OF

ORLANDO FURIOSO:

1

THE ARGUMENT,

ROGERO encounters Eriphila, and, conducted by the two damfels, arrives at the palace of Alcina, who receives him with great joy he is feduced by her allurements, and leads a life of luxury and effeminacy. Bradamant, hearing no tidings of him fince he was carried away by the griffin-horse, is in great affliction for his abfence: fhe is met by Meliffa, who undertakes to deliver him. Melissa affumes the form of Atlantes, and accofts the young warrior, reproaching him with liis degeneracy.

THE

SEVENTH BOOK

OF

ORLANDO FURIOSO,

HO travels into foreign climes, fhall find

WHO

What ne'er before was imag'd to his mind; Which, when he tells, the hearers fhall despise, And deem his ftrange adventures empty lyes, The herd unletter'd nothing will believe But what their fenfes plainly can perceive;

Hence

Ver. 5. The herd unletter'd-] The author here plainly declares, that the wonderful tales related by him have a concealed allegory: fo Berni, ORLANDO INNAM. B. i. C. xxv.

Quefti draghi fatati, questi incanti,
Quefti giardini, e libri, e corni, e cani,
Ed huomini felvatichi, e giganti,

E fiere, e moftri, ch' hanno vifi umani,

Son

Hence I shall ne'er with common minds prevail,
But little credit will they yield my tale.

Yet what imports to me the vulgar ear,

When these my words, without conception, hear? 10
To you I write, whose judgment can descry
The fecret truths that veil'd in fable lie.

Son fatti per dar pasto agli ignoranti,
Ma voi, ch' avete gl' intelletti fani,
Mirate la dottrina, che s' asconde

Sotte queste coperte alte e profonde.

These fated dragons, every magic change,

These books, and horns, and dogs, and gardens ftrange;
These favage men, thefe fhapes of giant race,

And beafts and monsters with a human face,
Are feign'd to please the vulgar ear; but you,
Whom favouring pow'rs with better fense indue,
Can see the doctrine fage, that hidden lies
Beneath these mystic fables' deep difguife.

Thus Milton:

And if aught elfe great bards beside
In fage and folemn tunes have fung
Of turneys and of trophies hung,
Of forefts and enchantments drear,

Where more is meant than meets the ear.

IL PENSEROSO.

Ver. 11. To you I write, -] Some fuppofe that Ariasto here particularly addreffes himself to Hippolito and Alphonfo; but it rather feems a general apoftrophe to every reader of taste and difcernment.