But still among, to embellish her coloúr, Till nature made thèm eft again to meet.~ This Jason young, the more she gan desire The first book concludes with the destruction of Troy, by Hercules; the second relates the building of the new city by Priam, the mission of Antenor into Greece, the predatory expedition of Paris, &c. and ends with the landing of the Greeks before Troy. The third book contains the whole history of the siege till the death of Hector; the fourth relates the election of Palamedes as commander of the 1 Mixed. Greeks, and the deposition of Agamemnon, as also the remainder of the siege, the story of the "horse of brass," and the destruction of the city. The fifth and last book describes the miseries endured by the Greeks on their passage home, and gives the genealogy of "Pirrhus, how his father hight "Peleus," &c. In this book the poet implores the favour of his readers, assuring them that Though so be that they not ne read In all this book no rethorikes newe, Yet this I hope, THAT THEY SHALL FIND ALL TRUE. One of the most amusing passages in this poem is contained in the 17th chapter of the second book, and relates to a well known event in the life of Venus. Lydgate thus expresses his indignation against Vulcan, The smotry smith, this swarte Vulcanus, ⚫ Smoky, or smutty. For which in heart he brent as any glede,* And God forbid that any man accuse And yet this smith, this false Vulcanus, And, for that he so FALSELY THEM AWOKE, 2 Among the gods of false mawmentry, &c. Upon this occasion, the morals of our poetical monk are so very pliant, that it is difficult to suppose him quite free from personal motives which might have influenced his doctrine. Perhaps he had been incommoded by some intrusive husband, at a A burning coal. Sax. • Mahometry, i. c. idolatry. It may be proper to observe, that no part of this passage is to be found in Colonna's original. In general, indeed, Lydgate's is by no means a translation, but a very loose paraphrase. moment when he felt tired of celibacy, and wished to indulge in a temporary relaxation from the severity of monastic discipline.1 The picture of Venus is thus curiously described, And she stant naked in the wavy sea, AND FROM THE HEADE DOWN UNTO HER FOOT, Be doves white, fleeing, and eke sparrows, [Book XI. chap. 17.] Suspecting that Lydgate had borrowed this singular passage from some French paraphrase of Colonna's work, I examined the anonymous translation in the Museum (Bibl. Reg. 16. F. ix.), but could not find any traces of such a deviation from the original. The following particulars, in the description of Fortune, are rather singular : And thus this lady, wilful and reckléss, As she that is froward and perverse Hath IN HER CELLAR DRINKES FULL DIVERSE. These, it is true, are not very poetical passages, nor are we to expect from Lydgate much liveliness of fancy, or brilliancy of expression. His merit, such as it is, cannot easily be exemplified in short extracts; and is rather likely to find favour in the eyes of the antiquarian, than of the poet. By readers of the former description, the following passages, from the description of Troy, may perhaps be perused with patience. Aisil, Old Fr.; vinegar. (Vide Tresor de Borel.) |