"Here, where no one had reached before, arrived Don Alonso de Ercilla, who, first of all men, crossed this pass in a small boat without ballast, attended only by ten companions, in the year of fifty-eight above fifteen hundred, on the last day of February, at two o'clock in the afternoon, returning afterwards to his companions whom he had left behind." This inscription forms a stanza of the Araucana. It is very prosaic. This instance is not the only one where dates are mentioned in the poem. In order to accommodate them to measure and rhyme, the author is often driven to very curious shifts, and strange phraseology. Note 8.--Luis de Salazar Advertencias Historicas, p. 13. It has however, been remarked by the writer of Ercilla's life, that this author is wrong in stating, that Elizabeth, Philip's consort, or Isabel de Valois, acted as sponsor; she having died in 1568, and Ercilla having married in 1570, according to Garibay. Possibly the queen alluded to was Philip's fourth wife, Ann of Austria. Note 9.--Dictionnaire Historique de Moreri, art. Ercilla. The subject of the Araucana (says the critic) being novel, has suggested some novel thoughts to the poet; but his poem is too long, and abounds with low passages. There is great animation in his battles, but no invention, no plot, no variety in his descriptions, no unity in his general outline of the work, &c. Note 10.--Biographie Univ., Paris, 1815, art. Ercilla. The merits of the Araucana (says this writer) consist in a correct style, proper imagery, beautiful descriptions, a plot constantly increasing in interest, a sort of unity of action, and a spirit of heroism spread over the whole work. The work is inferior to Tasso's Gerusalemme, and superior to Voltaire's Henriade. There occur in it some feeble lines, and vulgar or common-place thoughts. Note 11.--Ercilla's poetical character is drawn by Hayley in the following lines:-- With warmth more temperate, and in notes more clear, That with Homeric richness fills the ear, The brave Ercilla sounds, with potent breath, His epic trumpet in the fields of death; In scenes of savage war, when Spain unfurled Her bloody banner o'er the Western world; With all his country's virtues in his frame, Without the base alloy that stained her name. In danger's camp this military bard, Whom Cynthia saw on his nocturnal guard, Recorded, in his bold descriptive lay, The various fortunes of the finished day; Seizing the pen, while night's calm hours afford A transient slumber to his satiate sword, With noble justice his warm hand bestows The meed of honour on his valiant foes. Howe'er precluded, by his generous aim, From high pretensions to inventive fame, His strongly coloured scenes of sanguine strife, His softer pictures, caught from Indian life, Above the visionary forms of art, Fire the awakened mind and melt the heart _Hayley, Essay upon Epic Poetry_, Epistle 3.