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these were fifty of the aerial beings, their wings of downy silver stretched for flight, & each a burning taper in his hand, and lastly, on the circumferance of the amphitheatre, shone one hundred knights, in mail of tempered steel, in one hand they shook aloft a large targe of massy diamond, and in the other flashed a taper So excessive was the reflection that the targes had the lustre of an hundred suns and when shaken, sent forth streams of vivid lightening; from the gold, the silver, and the sapphires, rushed a flood of tinted light, that mingling, threw upon the eye, a series of revolving hues. Sir Gawen impressed with awe, with wonder and delight fell prostrate on the ground, whilst the fairy spirit advancing, knelt and presented to the queen a chrystal vale. She rose, she waved her hard, and smiling bade Sir Gawen to approach Gentle stranger, (she exclaimed) let not fear appal thine heart for to him whom courage truth and piety have distinguished our friendship and our love is given. Spirits of the blest we are, our sweet employment is to befriend the wretched and the weary, to lull the torture of anguish and the horror of despair. Ah! never shall the tear of innocence or the plaint of sorrow, the pang of injured merit, or the sigh of hopeless love, implore our aid in vain
