The Gleaner: A Series of Periodical Essays

Tripoly, he lifted

up his eyes and hands to hea ven, giving thanks that, after all his sufferings, he had the happiness, at last, of breathing the same air with that admirable lady he had come so far in search of.

One, who was less a lover than he was, would have thought this a poor compensation, when, with all the efforts he made, he found himself unable to rise out of his bed; but he received much more than he expected, or indeed had reason to do. The countess, being informed who was in the vessel, and the motive which had brought him there, as well as the condition to which he was reduced, had gratitude and compassion enough to come and visit him, ardently wishing that this condescension might restore him to that health he had lost for her sake: but, alas! he was too far gone; inexorable death triumphed over the purest love that ever was. His eyes were closed, as those about him thought, for ever, but suddenly opened, on his hearing she was there; she took him by the hand, and, in the sweetest accents, told him she was pierced to the heart to think so worthy a man should have exposed himself to such innumerable dangers. "All, all,” cried he, eagerly gazing on her, as though he would carry her

2 E 2

image with him to the other world, "all my sufferings, in beholding you, are overpaid." He concluded this expression with a fervent kiss on her hand, and in that action expired.

So rare an example of an unfeigned affection must have necessarily affected any woman of a generous soul; but it made so deep an impression on that of this amiable countess, that she lamented his loss as of a lover who had long been dear to her. She devoted all that tenderness to his memory, which had he lived had rendered him the happiest of mankind. She had his body 'conveyed on shore, and buried in the most sumptuous manner, and erected for him a tomb of porphyry and jasper, intermixed with an epitaph in Arabic verse;-had all his sonnets and odes curiously copied over in letters of gold; and after she had done all she could think on to perpetuate his name, she took a vow of chastity, founded a monastery, of which she herself 'was abbess, and endowed it with her whole for

tune.

FEMALE SPECTATOR, vol. ii. p. 312.

This narrative, singular and extravagant as it may appear, there is every reason to suppose is founded upon fact. It is recorded as such by Nostradamus, and by M. de Sainte PaTaye and the Abbé Millot, in their Histoire Litteraire des

Troubadours; and by those who are familiar with the manners of chivalry, and with the history of the ancient Provençal poets, it will not be considered as an overcharged picture of the gallantry and fashion of that romantic period. Jeffrey Rudel has been celebrated by Petrarch.

A MORNING PIECE.

BRISK Chanticleer his matins had begun,
And broke the silence of the night,

And thrice he call'd aloud the tardy sun,

And thrice he hail'd the dawn's ambiguous light:
Back to their graves the fear-begotten phantoms run.
Strong Labour got up with his pipe in his mouth,
He stoutly strode over the dale;

He lent new perfume to the breath of the south;
On his back hung his wallet and flail.

Behind him came Health from her cottage of thatch,
Where never physician had lifted the latch.

First of the village Colin was awake,

And thus he sung, reclining on his rake:
Now the rural Graces three
Dance beneath yon maple-tree;
First the vestal Virtue, known

By her adamantine zone;
Next to her, in rosy pride,

Sweet Society the bride;
Last Honesty, full seemly dress'd
In her cleanly home-spun vest.

The abbey-bells in wakening rounds

The warning peal had given;

And pious Gratitude resounds

Her morning hymn to Heaven.

STUDENT, vol. i. p. 274.

I have omitted the eighteen subsequent lines of this poem, as being much inferior to their predecessors. Smart, the author of this beautiful imagery, communicated several poetical pieces to the Student, of which I have inserted in this place and in No. 67, a portion of two hymns.

C. Baldwin, Printer,

New Bridge Street, London.

END OF VOL. I.

GENERAL INDEX.

ABAH RABIEH story of

Abuse of words, observations on ..

........

Academy for the cultivation of our language, re-
marks in favour of such an institution...
Acasto, a country gentleman, no great believer
in ghosts and spirits...

Addison, his reflections on the tombs of Westmin-
ster Abbey