XLIV.

And here he breathed a sigh, then waxed red;
The nymph to pass within her noble walls
Invites them: she precedes. Now heart and head
Of England's Prince such frantic love enthrals,

That close behind on Stella's heels to tread

He risks, and whispers" Instant death befalls “Your victim, if no pitying look pitying look you give

"To him who now by you must die or live."

XLV.

The nymph, not answering aught, her way pursues;

Her damsels slily smile with looks astute;

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They dare not laugh, nor speak, so prudence use,
And keep their lips and tongues unmov'd and mute.
And lo! in emerald goblets, wines profuse

Are pour'd; rich tables groan with choicest fruit

And viands;-England's hero nought descries

But the bright radiance of fair Stella's eyes.

XLVI.

Ricardo jogs him, but he feels no jog—
The tables smoke, and Stella takes her seat,
The others with her; like a stupid log

Astolphus stands, nor moves to drink or eat,
But stares on Stella, laughs, and cries; no prog
Alluring him, nor beverage. The discreet

Alardo sighs; when Stella, this perceiving,

Cried, "Courage! I've a drug will cure his raving."

XLVII.

Then straight produced a nut of fam'd Brasil, And said, "When in his bed he lays him down, "Take thou the sharpest blade of temper'd steel, “And scrape clean off this dirty coat so brown, "Then, having fairly clear'd away the peel,

"Rasp of the substance just a drachm, and drown "In racy wine the raspings.-When infused,

"This wine to bathe his mouth and breast be used.

“ "Tis safe and sure

XLVIII.

-My mother-(once how fair!)

"So madly on my honour'd father doted "That men her wifely love would oft compare "With Artemisia's, so much prized and quoted! 73 And, when resolved his country's fate to share, “That patriot warrior fell, to death devoted, "She pined away, still weeping sore and wailing; “But when were tears to drown our woes availing!

XLIX.

"She wept and wail'd in vain! corroding care "Had changed her comely shape to skin and bone; "Hot tears deep furrows in her cheeks did wear; “The ruddy freshness of those cheeks was gone: "How could her Stella's heart unbroken bear

"To see her thus a living skeleton !— "Now, driving out one morning in the coach, "We saw an old sea-faring man approach.

74

L.

her,

"And thus he said, 'If madam's sick from love, "I'll cure her.'-So a nut like this he gave "And soon her voice grows clear, her eyes now move

Refulgent, and with tears no longer lave her

"Now ruddy cheeks again; her thoughts now rove

"On gayer themes-'Twas clear the drug would save

her:

"And so it came to pass :-in scarce a year

"Its virtue quite restored my mother dear.

LI.

"The nature of this nut is to expel

"Forth from the mind love and its griefs :-It chanced

"That Proteus (so the good old man did tell)

"Once gave it to a sea-nymph far advanced

"In this disease; a swain (untouch'd and well
"Himself) in desperate love had her entranced,
"But soon the nut from thraldom set her free-
"What Proteus gave to her she gave
to me.

LII.

"She gave it me-For, sitting on a rock,

"All day I used to mourn my destiny,

"Loving proud beauty, who my pains did mock,

"Nor deign'd my woes to soothe, my tears to dry; "My tale the sea-nymph's tender heart did shock,

"(For sea and shore had heard me groan and sigh) "And, with kind hand administering the drug, "She cured my heart, and left it sound and snug.

LIII.

"The man subjoin'd, that once by Proteus' care
“Like nut had cured fair Helen's amorous grief.

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(Its powers when steep'd in wine how wondrous rare!) "And Agamemnon, too, of chiefs the chief,

"And young Telemachus, Ulysses' heir,

"Thus from Calypso's snares obtain❜d relief; "Drowning all penance past, and by-gone sorrow, "In hopes of joys each future day, and morrow.”