Ho letto l'Ariosto, e il gran Torquato, La Secchia, il Malmantile, e il Bracciolini, Con quanto c'è di Poesia stampato Ma D'Autori Italiani e Fiorentini ; pure insino ad or non ho trovato Tra Poemi nostrali e pellegrini, Che leggendo mi dia maggior diletto, TO THE EARL OF GD. G▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬D! to laughter-moving song a friend, And full of pleasant jokes and quaint remark, An ear to Forteguerri's stories lend; A learned wight was he and witty spark; And, if his sense I mar instead of mend, For words and rhymes oft groping in the dark, My strains uncouth with kind indulgence scan, the poet if you love the man. And spare "De enemigos pedantes no pretendo RICCIARDETTO. CANTO I. THE ARGUMENT. The portrait of the Muse, capricious wench! 25 Prefaces here the work of Garbolin; And though both he, and she, plain facts should wrench 26 For me, a mere Translator, to retrench One word from what they tell were shame and sin, 27 Of our Astolphus, and of sage Araldo, Despina, Stella, Richard, and Rinaldo. I. AN odd caprice has got into my head I ween, or known to men of wit and sense: My Muse to lyre of gold has no pretence; II. And though most used in the woods to range, And drink the crystal spring, and acorns chew, Her hint is now to sing adventures strange, 28 Of damsels fair, and war's heroic crew. And if sometimes she chance the truth to change, Gentles! some pardon to her fault is due; For, never studying where sage masters teach, She roam'd from elm to oak, from birch to beech. III. Yet now you find she'll sing of love and war Poets and orators of mighty name, 29 On foot, on palfrey, donkey, cart, or car; So, loving company with them to keep, 30 She dreams of heroes, waking and asleep. |