The swarthy people are baptized with fire.
Stanza cii. line 8.
Hoole says that the ancient Nubians, interpreting the Gospel literally, were branded with the cross.
High prized withal, albeit it so abound,
Is that best metal, &c.
Stanza civ. lines 1 and 2.
All romancers have, necessarily for the effect of their fable, kept up the value of the precious metals in their descriptions of gorgeous cities and palaces, however marvellously they may have increased their quantity; but it is a singular fact, that Ariosto, in his age, should have been aware of the contradiction. It may be noticed aa no common example of his shrewdness.
I have in this stanza ventured to introduce the word lodges into poetical, as already received into architectural, language, as ‘in the lodges of Raphael.’ If it be objected that lodges in English have already a different acceptation; I say this objection maybe made to half the importations of foreign words with which our language has been enriched. A fair restriction of the licence, however, might be contended for, where we are in possession of an equivalent for that which is sought to be introduced; and thus Milton may be said to have sinned in the use of frontispiece in his description of the Pandæmonium, if the word pediment was then in existence.
We Priest and Prester John the sovereign name.
Stanza cvi. line 8.
In the original,
Gli diciam Presto e Pretejanni noi.
