Eminent literary and scientific men of Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Vol. 3 (of 3)Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft
History
Eminent literary and scientific men of Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Vol. 3 (of 3)
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft
Authors -- Biography; Scientists -- Biography
The story is meagre, and inartificial to a singular degree. But we
follow an example set us, of giving some slight detail of it, for the
sake of introducing a coincidence of a singular nature.[78] Anfrisio and
Belisarda are lovers; Anfrisio is of so high descent that he believes
Jupiter to be his grandfather; but Belisarda is designed by her parents
to be the bride of the rich, ignorant, and unworthy Salicio. Anfrisio is
forced to remove to a distant part of the country; but by a fortunate
circumstance, thither also Belisarda is brought by her father, and the
lovers meet and enjoy each other's society till scandal begins to busy
herself with them, and, at the request of his mistress, Anfrisio sets
out for Italy, so to baffle the evil thoughts of the malicious. He loses
his way during his wanderings, and comes to a cavern, wherein resides
Dardanio, a magician, who promises to grant him any wish he may express,
however impossible. Anfrisio, with a moderation astonishing to our more
grasping minds, asks only to see the object on whom he has placed his
affections. He beholds her in conversation with a rival, whom, in pure
pity, she presents with a black ribbon; which sight transports Anfrisio
with jealousy, and he meditates revenging her perfidy by putting her to
death; but Dardanio carries him off in a whirlwind. Soon after he
returns home, and to annoy Belisarda, pretends to be in love with the
shepherdess Anarda; while she in revenge openly favours Olimpio. They
are both very miserable; and still more so when driven to desperation,
Belisarda marries Salicio. Soon after, an explanation ensues between her
and Anfrisio, but it is too late. Anfrisio's sole resource is to forget;
and by means of the sage Polinesia, through a visit to the Liberal Arts,
and an acquaintance with the lady Grammar and the young ladies Logic,
Rhetoric, Arithmetic, and Geometry, and others not less
agreeable--Perspective, Music, Astrology, and Poetry--he arrives at the
temple of Disengaño, or Dis-illusion; where things are seen as they
are, the passions cease to influence, the imagination to deceive, and
the lovelorn shepherd becomes a rational man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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