Anon his pallid hue disclos'd a rage,

No charm could soothe, no remedy assuage;

For deeply painful to his conscious heart

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Was the conviction that his horrid art

Had led him far from glory's path to stray,

And miss to share in many an arduous day.

The sprites discern'd the workings in his breast,

And, fraught with malice keen, the subject prest; 270

But guilt could never yet be brought to bear

What innocence can meet without a fear;

And fierce in wrath th' indignant knight arose,

Instant he rose, and in kind words exprest

The innate feelings of his joyful breast.—

Quick interrupting, Malagigi told

The purpose he was eager to unfold.—

"Fav'rite of Fate, (he cried) prepare thine heart

To bear the bliss I've hasten'd to impart :

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An unexpected joy, by far more great

285

Than hope or flatt'ring fancy can create.

Ambition could not covet, fate bestow,

More good than you to bounteous fortune owe."

Rinaldo heard attentive;-in his face

The feelings of his mind the eye might trace;
Incertitude and hope by turns employ

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His thought and fancy sketches promis'd joy.

"Speak on, (he cried) thy tidings quick convey, Nor agitate my mind with long delay:

Say, what felicity does Heav'n impart,

That moves such pleasure in thy friendly heart?"

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"What I'll divulge (the knight returns) will prove Thee much by fortune favour'd-much by love

For thee, those pow'rs, too oft divided, join,
And all their best and choicest gifts are thine.

Know then the fair-delight of ev'ry eye,

For whom unnumber'd monarchs vainly sigh:

Know, in a word, Angelica, bright dame,

For thee acknowledges a tender flame."

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"And who is this Angelica, (replied

Rinaldo); say, where does the fair reside?

Is she of Saracen or Pagan race?

Or to what distant country does she trace

Her origin?"—"From royal race she springs,

The long illustrious line of China's kings.—

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This lovely nymph, the heiress of a throne,

(Cried Malagigi) must to thee be known;

Thou can'st not, sure, forget the festive day,
When all the Paladins, in grand display,
Assembled, ere the jousts th' Emperor held,

A stranger came, of beauty unexcell'd,
Who, in that ever memorable hour,

Taught ev'ry gazer's heart to own her pow'r."

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"And is it she? (the knight disdainful cries) Is this the happiness-the wond'rous prize?No joy to me her partial folly gives;

My heart averse, with cold neglect receives
Such idle fondness-force me not to hear

A plea the most disgustful to my ear."

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Th' enchanter heard, and star'd with wond'ring eyes,

And scarce found words to tell his strong surprize.

"Shall I (he cried) unwilling credence give To sounds so strange-or do my ears deceive?

What wild caprice of fancy can erase

Thy admiration of a mien and face

Fair as the nymphs that range Idalia's grove,

And graceful as the beauteous queen of love?

If grandeur or ambition charms impart,

Or merit hold an influence in thy heart,

Her's the distinction of superior birth,

Her's the far better claim of innate worth.

Search o'er the earth, and you can never find
A form so lovely, such a perfect mind.
But, e'en if charms like those successless prove,
Let friendship still thy stubborn bosom move.
Know, that should my negociation fail,

And this reluctance 'gainst my words prevail,

On me a dreadful punishment will fall,

Of cruel bondage doom'd the hopeless thrall;

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