DESCRIPTION

OF THE

BEAUTY OF
OF AL CINA.

By ARIOSTO.

HER form with richer charms was blest

Than glowing pencil e'er expreft;

Her hair in many a wanton fold

Wav'd long and bright as pureft gold;

O'er her warm cheek were sweetly spread

The lily's white, the rofe's red:

Her forehead fuch, the iv'ry's hue

Was ne'er fo fair and polish'd too.

Crown'd

Sotto duo negri, e fottiliffimi archi

Son duo negri occhi, anzi duo chiari foli,

Pietofi a riguardare, a mover parchi,

Intorno a cui, par ch' amor scherfi e voli,

E ch' indi tutta la faretra fcarchi,

E che invifibilmente i cori involi;

Quindi il nafo per mezzo il viso scende,

Che non trova l' invidia, ove l' emende.

Sotto quel ftà, quafi fra due vallette

La bocca fparfa di natio cinabro;

Quivi due filze fon di perle elette,

Che chiude, ed apre un bello e dolce labro,

Quindi efcon le cortefi parolette,

Da render molle ogni cor rozzo, e fcabro;

Quivi fi forma quel foave rifo,

Ch'

apre a fua pofta in terra il Paradifo.

Bianca

Crown'd by two fable arches, shone,

Each, bright as e'er was noon-day fun,

Two darkly-beauteous eyes that stole,

Beaming foft pity, to the foul.

There Love eternal basking lay,

There prun'd his wings in fraudful play,

And ambush'd threw, with fatal arts,

His quiver'd ftore at heedlefs hearts.

Beneath, with ev'ry charm befpread,

With all its native, glowing red,
A beauteous mouth by turns reveals,
By turns, the pearls within, conceals.
Hence, the mild accent fweetly flows,

That calms the rage that fierceft glows;

SONET TO

Di PIETRO METASTASI O.

LEGGIADRA rofa, le cui pure foglie

L'alba educò con le foavi brine,

E a cui le molli aurette mattutine

Fero a vermiglio colorar le spoglie, Quella provvida man, che al fuol ti toglie, Vuol trafportarti ad immortal confine, Ove fpogliata delle ingiufte fpine,

Sol la parte miglior di te germoglie.

Così fior diverrai, che non foggiace

All acqua, al gelo, al vento, ed allo scherno
D'una ftagion volubile, e fugace;

E a più fido cultor posta in governo
Unir potrai nella tranquilla pace
Ad eterna bellezza odore eterno.

SONETTO

A SONNET.

From METASTASI O.

HOU virgin rofe! whofe op'ning leaves fo fair

THOU

The dawn has nourish'd with her balmy dews;

While fofteft whispers of the morning air

Call'd forth the blushes of thy vermeil hues.

That cautious hand, which crop'd thy youthful pride,

Tranfplants thy honors, where from death fecure,

Stripp'd of each thorn offenfive to thy fide,

Thy nobler

part

alone, fhall bloom mature.

Thus, thou, a flow'r, exempt from change of fkies,
By forms, and torrents unaffail'd, fhalt rife,
And scorn the winter-colds, and summer heats:
A guard more faithful now thy growth shall tend,
By whom thou may'ft in tranquil union blend
Eternal beauties, with eternal fweets.