Page:A History of Italian Literature - Garnett (1898).djvu/167

Rh That day and night, and all the next, sped she In circles round about, she knew not where, But reached at last a grove right fair to see, Stirred lightly by the cool and fragrant air. Two crystal streamlets, murmuring o'er the lea, Perennially refreshed the herbage there, And a sweet tune sang, in melodious treble, Their gentle current, chafed by flint and pebble. And deeming that she here is safe indeed, A thousand miles beyond Rinaldo's quest, Weary of summer heat and travel speed, Resolves she for brief spell to take a rest;  'Mid flowers dismounts, and looses in the mead  Her palfrey, and doth of the rein divest, To wander by the wave pellucid flowing, With juicy grasses on its margin growing. A tempting bush she sees, not far away, Of thorn a-bloom with roses blushing red, Which in the wave doth glass itself alway, Screened from the sun by spreading oaks o'erhead, An empty space within it doth display A chamber cool, with densest shade o'erspread, Where leaves and branches roof so close have woven, Nor sun nor glance its dusk hath ever cloven. A couch of softest grass within the lair Invites to rest upon its herbage sweet. Down in its midst doth sink the lady fair, And lays her there, and sleeps in that retreat; But not for long, for shortly she was 'ware  Of the approaching tread of coming feet. She softly rises, and through leaves a-quiver A knight in armour sees draw near the river."

The morality of the Orlando Furioso, some licentious episodes excepted which stand quite apart from the main action, may be considered good, being that of a refined and courtly circle where lofty virtues were cordially recognised in theory, however they might fail to be