All the sentiments, sublime and mirthful, tender and strong, the effusions of the heart and the workings of the intellect, from the pleadings of love to the laudatory lists of names, from representations of battles to witticisms, are alike levelled by the irony and find themselves uplifted in it. The marvellous Ariostesque octave rises above them all as they fall before it, the octave which has a life of its own. To describe the octave as smiling, would be an insufficient qualification unless the smile be understood in the ideal sense, as a manifestation of free and harmonious life, poised and energetic, throbbing in veins rich with good blood and satisfied in this incessant throbbing. The octaves sometimes have the quality of radiant maidens, sometimes of shapely youths, with limbs lithe from exercise of the muscles, careless of exhibiting their prowess, because it is revealed in their every gesture and attitude.--Olympia comes ashore with her lover on a desolate and deserted island, after many misfortunes, and a long, tempestuous sea voyage: Il travaglio del mare e la paura, che tenuta alcun di l'aveano desta; Il ritrovarsi al lito ora sicura, lontana da rumor, nella foresta: e che nessun pensier, nessuna cura, poi che'l suo amante ha seco, la molesta; fûr cagion ch'ebbe Olimpia si gran sonno che gli orsi e i ghiri aver maggior nol ponno.[1] Here we have the complete analysis of the reasons why Olympia fell into the deep sleep, expressed with precision; but all this is clearly secondary to the intimate sentiment expressed by the octave, which seems to enjoy itself, and certainly does so in describing a motion, a becoming, which attain completion.--Bradamante and Marfisa vainly pursue King Agramante, to put him to death: Come due belle e generose parde che fuor del lascio sien di pari uscite, poscia ch' i cervi o le capre gagliarde indarno aver si veggano seguite, vergognandosi quasi che fûr tarde, sdegnose se ne tornano e pentite; così tornâr le due donzelle, quando videro il Pagan salvo, sospirando.[2] Here we find a like process and a like result, but we observe a like process and result where there appears to be nothing whatever of intrinsic interest in the subject, that is to say, where the thought is merely conventional, a complimentary expression of courtly homage or an expression of friendship and esteem. To say of a fair lady: "She seemed in every act of hers to be a Goddess descended from heaven," is not a subtle figure, but it is so turned and so inspired with rhythm by Ariosto that we assist at the manifestation of the Goddess as she moves majestically along, witnessing the astonishment of those present and seeing them kneel devoutly down, as the little drama unrolls itself: Julia Gonzaga, che dovunque il piede volge e dovunque i sereni occhi gira, non pur ogn' altra di beltà le cede, ma, come scesa dal ciel Dea, l'ammira.[3] ...