by corruption Burlescan, whence burlesque in English. We believe that the author is incorrect, for burlesque is regularly from burlesco in Italian, and by Johnson is deri[ved' from burlare, to joke, and has really for its root burla, a joke. Bernesco is indeed a species of burlesco, but only a species, which derives its name from Berni; it is not so coarse in its style, as ordi nary burlesque, but is more chastened, or, as the French say, soigné, These Italian words, ending in esco, agreeably to the idiom of the language signify after the manner of; thus pittoresco is, after the manner of a painter; grotesco, after the manner of a grotto; bernesco, after the manner of Berni; and burlesco, after the manner of a joke. If any authority were wanting to show the incorrectness of the author's opinion on this etymological curiosity, it might be derived from Baillet, who quotes Mr. Naudet as saying, Orlando de Berni recut l'approbation & les applaudissi€ mens de ceux du Pays, de sorte • qu'on a cru lui faire honneur de • donner son nom à une des espéces du genre Burlesque, qui est ⚫ en usage chéz les Italiens, qu'on appelte Berniesque á cause de lui.' The story of the work is as fol. lows: Orlando, having destroyed the enchanted gardens of Falerina, queen of Orgagna, and killed or enchained the monsters, which guarded it, proceeds with Falerina to release the prisoners, who had been confined in some of her distant dungeons. During this journey they came to a bridge, built over a deep, dark lake. On a meadow was built a large, strong tower, which was the residence of a bold, murderous robber, Arridano. He was the terrible agent of the fairy Morgana, and used to seize eny illustrious persons who were Vol. III. No. 8. 3G passing that way, strip them of their armour, and throw them into the lake, and after sinking to the bottom they became prisoners to Morgana. Falerina entreated Orlando not to encounter Arridano, who wore enchanted armour, and was assisted by the powerful fairy Morgana. Orlando, moved by her prayers and tears, hesitated to proceed, till he observed hanging on a cypress the arms of the renowned Rinaldo, who had been made a prisoner by the robber. He immediately advanced with impetuosity to the meadow. Falerina deserts him. He fights a most violent battle with Arridano, who at length seizes Orlando, and plunges with him into the lake. They arrive at the bottom of the lake, where was a most beautiful plain, and Arridano, attempting here to strip Orlando of his armour, whom he thought complete, ly conquered, was compelled to renew the battle, and is finally killed, after a long and terrible en counter. Orlando, after a strange and adventurous journey through enchanted ground, came to a small bridge, beyond which extended a plain, enriched with all the treasures of Morgana. He endeavoured in vain to pass the bridge several times, and is prevented by its alternate destruction and renewal by its guardian figure in iron armour. Orlando finally swims to the other side, and after some interesting adventures proceeds towards the prison, where Morgana had confined Dudon, Rinaldo, Brandimarte, &c. and at length comes near a fountain ; There on the herbage green extended lay, Wrapp'd in soft slumber's folds th’enchanting Fay. Beyond a chrystal mound, Oriando observes his captive friends, whom he cannot approach ;- and is cation it is not easy to give the gen- And what shall we say to this line: The speech of the robber Arridano, in p. 11, is probably mean enough in the original, yet it cannot easily be lower than the following: advised by a damsel to endeavour to obtain from Morgana the key of the gate, which alone admits an entrance into the enchanted garden. Orlando follows the advice, and approaches the fairy, who flies from the place, and Orlando pursues. A violent storm arises, but the hero continues the pursuit. He is met by the hag Repentance, who was decreed by fate to be his companion and tormentor; and while he flies after the fairy, this wild, haggard being follows and scourges him with a whip. Orlando, though in violent anger, is obliged to submit. He continues to chase Morgana, and at length catches and holds her by a golden lock of hair, and this was the signal of success. After some advice from the hag, who then leaves him, and a request from the fairy, he obtains the key of the prison garden, and hastens to release the knights. After a long journey, through the roads and scenes of enchantment, the captives, having obtained their armour, pursued their way in differ- Form'd all of gold, and o'er them thickly strown ent directions. After the long account we have given of the whole poem of Boiardo, and the analysis of the episode under review, we have hardly room for minute criticism. The poetry only extends to forty pages, and twenty-seven pages, in small print, are occupied in notes and additional notes, except the two last, which contain a small glossary. This most extraordinary fact is decisive evidence of the difficulty we have before stated, with regard to translations of selections. It covers this plan with insuperable difficulties, and seems fully to show the necessity of a translation, where the parts may be rendered intelligible by easy reference to other passages after the manner of Hoole. Of the versifi He cried, "Thy toil is here but labour vain, But for this one a hundred I'll repay.', 9h Our author is sometimes as much at a loss for chiming words, as a ringer would be for a jingle, who had only two bells and a small one in his steeple; thus, pages 14, 16, 17, 18, 21: Amidst th' innumerous gems a wond'rous stone Pearls, rubies, diamonds, intermingled shone. At length to thought recurr'd the precious stone That like enkindled fire bright-blazing shore. Some of the rhymes are extremely defective. [Since the days of Pope the ear has become so familiar to easy harmonious versification, that what was once offered as a luxury is now demanded as a right as the tea of China, which was once a curiosity, is now become a necessary of life; yet inthis poem the ear is annoyed with "toil" rhyming with "mile" ; "sped" is forced to associate with "freed," and "are" stubbornly yokes with "prefer." Surely these broken bells, thus jangling, might describes the battle between Orfando and Arridano: He said, and hurl'd" on high the pond'rous mace, have been exchanged for the pleasant symphony, which Cowper heard undulating from the village. We have seldom found in any poetry two lines more harsh and heavy than the following. The author was not contented with ruggedness of alliteration, but in the The mountain echo'd and the meadow shook. last verse has added the "slow length" of a useless unbending Alexandrine : ,་,་ We have pointed out a sufficiency of faults to gratify the acrimony of the critick, and more than a sufficiency for the kind friends of the author; yet we might mention others, which deserve severe reprehension; but though the reviewer might say with Tacitus, "Mihi Otho, Galba, Vitellius, nec beneficio nec injuriâ cogniti," yet we hear that the author, Mr. Alsop, is beloved and esteemed by his numerous friends, who know him well, which is high praise" as the world goes"; and we readily acknowledge that his ambition is laudable, and his undertaking arduous and uncommon. We are willing to bestow every commendation on great endeavours and suitable exertions, and we therefore with pleasure assure our readers, that the following extract is not the only one, which combines ease and strength, variety and musick. It Whose force had shook a mountain to its base Now 'twixt the twain a fiercer strife arose," tries This is vigorous and poetical, and we would not make a single deduction from the praise, did not our duty compel us to observe,that the translation of a battle between heroes cannot now deserve the highest commendation. The combats in Homer, Tasso, and Ariosto have been so excellently versified by Pope and Hoole, that their successors have little more to do, than to combine the various beauties of their words and sentences. We say nothing of Virgil, for though Dryden has injected into his version all the vigour, of which the battles in the Eneid were susceptible, yet in this part of epick grandeur, the Roman bard is evidently inferiour to the Grecian and Italian poets. We beg leave to entertain our readers with one more extract, which displays a storm, and to remark generally, that Mr. Alsop has succeeded better in translating passages, descriptive of the exertion of great power, than those, which paint the beauties of scenery and person: And now dark grew the sky-in murky clouds, Wide flashes round, or darts in arrowy ftreams; And heaven appears diffolv'd in floods of rain. ART. 40. WHEN this novel was first announced to us, we fancied, from its name, it came to swell the catalogue of those so continually flowing a fluminibus stultitia into the oceanum oblivionis; which have sometimes come so thick and fast as to threaten taste and her temp ples with a deluge; and which ac, mm. tually have polluted a few of her fountains, and thrown down some monuments in their course. Buten we are now happy to confessiour, selves mistaken; and if Leonora does not exhibit great originality of thought and expression, inge nuity of invention, or interesting incident, to recommend her, she possesses many sterling qualities, come which elevate her very consider 1 ably above mediocrity. The gen. eral style of this novel is harmonrous and pleasing; and the colle eation much purer,than we usually find in female writings. Consid We have before acknowledged, that we have not been able to procure the work of Boiardo or Berni. Of course it is utterly impossible for us to say a word on the fidelity of the translation. The poem be fore us is sufficiently interesting to be read with pleasure, though the poetry might easily have possessed more variety of rhyme and less feebleness of construction. If the author has time, he may gain the talents for translation, because diligence and careful examination and rigid correction may easily do away the objections we have stated. The specimen before us is hardly suffering it is written in a series of lett cient to exact our opinion, as to the recommending of Berni to Mr. Alsop for a complete translation. If he wishes to rank with translators, like Pope, Hoole and Sotheby, he must learn to be vigorous by years of correction, and harmonious by attentive cultivation and studious devotion to the masters of song. If he does not pant for such high praise, he may still gain commendation; but this ought never to satisfy the aspirations of literary ambition; and Mr. Alsop should contemplate with regret, but without fearful anticipation, the decaying glory, which now feebly illuminates the Tasso of Fairfax and the Ariosto of Harrington. ters from different characters,there is too great a monotony of manner, and similarity of diction. There are several other errors; but they are trivial, and mostly is the manner; the matter is unexcep. tionable. But these may be par doned in the freedom and familiarity of " Letters.” The object of the writer, in this publication, is twofold. The prin cipal characters are Lady Leonora and Lady Olivia. Lady Leonorá is represented as an English wife, in the most amiable and engaging point of view; endowed with beau ty, without being conscious of it; sensibility, which she conceals; having an implicit confidence in the conjugal fidelity of her husband, and the strongest attachment to his interest and honour; possessing every imaginable excel lence and virtue, which can secure domestick felicity, but at the same time a generosity and credulity, Who can control the passions or the winds? After all, l'erreur d'un moment yourself too bitterly, my sweet friend, is not irretrievable. You reproach for your involuntary injustice to Leono ra. Assuredly it could not be your intention to sacrifice your repose to Mr. L.; you loved him against your will; and you know it is by the intention that I have set your poor distracted head to which occasion all her woes. La This illuminated reasoning had the desired effect, and Olivia acknowledges herself convinced of her ridiculous scrupulosity and insensible relapse into the English way of thinking, in her next let ter: Your truly philosophical letter, my infinitely various Gabrielle, infused a portion of its charming spirit into my vated by your cloquence! soul. My mind was fortified and eleWho could think that a woman of your lively genius could be so profound? and who could expect from a woman, who has passed her life in the world, such origiwere mistaken, when you thought you nal and deep reflections? You see you had no genius for philosophical subjects... The essence of truth cannot be affect ed by external circumstances. Now the proper application of metaphysicks and dissipates the baby terrours of an wil frees the mind from vulgar prejudices, ill-educated conscience. To fall in lover with a married man, and the husband |