Or la men verde età nulla a te toglie; Ne te, benche negletta, in manto adorno Giovinetta beltà vince, o pareggia. Cosi più vago è 'l fior, poiché le foglie Spiega odorate: e 'l sol nel mezzo giorno Viè-più, che nel mattin, luce e fiammeggia. TRANSLATION. "Thou, in thy unripe years, wast like the rose, Which shrinketh from the summer dawn, afraid, And with her green veil, like a bashful maid, Hideth her bosom sweet, and scarcely blows: Or rather,--(for what shape ever arose From the dull earth like thee,) thou didst appear Heavenly Aurora, who, when skies are clear, Her dewy pearls o'er all the country sows. Time stealeth nought: thy rare and careless grace Surpasseth still the youthful bride when neatest,-- Her wealth of dress, her budding blooming face, So is the full-blown rose for age the sweetest, So doth the mid-day sun outshine the morn, With rays more beautiful and brighter born!"[132] Yet all this was too little. His minor lyrics, the unlaboured and spontaneous effusions of leisure, of fancy, of sentiment, would have been glory enough for any other poet, and fame enough for any other woman: but Tasso had founded his hopes of immortality on his great poem, The Jerusalem Delivered; and it was imperfect in his eyes unless Leonora were shrined in it. To convert the pale, gentle, elegant invalid into a heroine, seemed impossible: she was no model for his lovely amazon, Clorinda; nor his exquisite sorceress, Armida; nor his love-sick Erminia: for her, therefore, and to her honour, and to the eternal memory of his love for her, he composed the episode in the second Canto, where we have her portrait at full length as Sophronia. Vergine era fra lor, di gia matura Verginità, d'alta pensieri e regi, D'alta Beltà; ma sua beltà non cura, O tanto sol quant' onestà sen fregi; E 'l suo pregio maggior che tra le mura D'angusta casa, asconde i suoi gran pregi: E da' vagheggiatori ella s'invola, Alle lodi, agli sguardi, inculta e sola. Non sai ben dir s'adorno, o se negletta, Se caso od arte, il bel volto compose, Di natura, d'amor, di cieli amici, Le negligenze sue sono artifici. Mirata da ciascun, passa, e non mira L'altera donna! TRANSLATION. Among them dwelt a noble maid, matured In loveliness, of thoughts serene and high, And loftiest beauty;--beauty which herself Esteem'd not more than modesty might own. Within an humble dwelling did she hide Her peerless charms, and shunning lovers' eyes, From flattering words and glances, lived retired. Whether 'tis curious care, or sweet neglect, Or chance, or art, that have array'd her thus, One scarce can tell: for each unstudied grace Has been the work of Nature, heaven, and love. And thus admired by all, unheeding all, Forth steps the noble maid.