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Now this is ambiguous, and impossible to explain to any one who is not in like degree the liegeman of Love; but to those who are, the meaning of these ambiguous words is obvious."

Delightful interpretation, full of character and truth! for is not every wonder an open secret—clear and evident to those who know, unexplainable to all others? But fortunately Love enlists his liegemen in all classes and ages; and there are few, we believe, to whom this sublime of explanations will not convey some glimmering of what the poet meant.

Two other sonnets, each with its commentary, follow, in something of the same strain of remonstrance and personal appeal; and then the strain changes. Not yet, it would seem, if ever, had the salutation which he prized so highly been restored to him; and the next step in the tale brings us into a company of noble Florentine ladies, and reveals, like a scene out of one of the dim beautiful frescoes still existing, a new-old society, in quaint rich robes, with a quaint openness of subtle talk. Thus the queens of love and beauty in the fantastic Provencal courts of love might have interrogated a young troubadour:—

"Through the changes in my looks the secret of my heart was now known to many; and certain ladies, to whom it was well known (they having often seen how sorely troubled I was), had met together on a day, drawn by their delight in each other's society. Happening to pass that way, led, as it were, by happy chance, one of these ladies called to me to approach. She who so called me was very gay and pleasant of discourse; so when I came in among them, and saw that my most gracious lady was not there, I recovered my courage, and, saluting them, inquired what might be their pleasure. There were many ladies there, some of whom were laughing among themselves, whilst others regarded me