Volume IV Part 100 (2/2)

'Quisque histrioniah he as totally deficient in hu a banquet at Lodi the day after next, and a project of this kind not calling for much deliberation I went forthwith to the best hotel to ements I ordered a choice dinner for twelve, paid the earnestshould be of the best

When I got back to St Angelo, I had a sackfull of books carried into Clementine's room She was petrified There were raphers, philosophers, scientists--nothing was forgotten I had also selected solish, and French, for we have no good novels in Italian

This admission does not prove by any means that Italian literature is surpassed by that of any other country Italy has little to envy in other literatures, and has numerous masterpieces, which are unequalled the whole world over Where will you find a worthy coreat work is incapable of transalation The finest and truest panegyric of Ariosto ritten by Voltaire when he was sixty If he had not ement of his youthful days, he would not have enjoyed, in Italy at all events, that io I told him as much, and he took me at my word He was afraid, and he acted wisely

If I have any readers, I ask their pardon for these digressions They e, and the old are always garrulous The time will coed repeat themselves, it is because they live in a world of memories, without a present and without a future

I will now return to my narrative, which I have kept steadily in view

Cleazed from me to the books, and from the books to me She wondered and aded to her At last she collected herself, and said in a tone full of gratitude,--

”You have co makes a man into a God He is sure that she who speaks thus will do all in her power to iven

There is soratefulness on the face of the being one loves If you have not experienced the feelings I describe, dear reader, I pity you, and am forced to conclude that you must have been either aard or miserly, and therefore unworthy of love

Cle at dinner, and afterwards retired to her roo the books in order, and she sent for a carpenter to make a bookcase with a lock and key

”It will be my pleasure to read these books,” said she, ”when you have left us”

In the evening she was lucky with the cards, and in delightful spirits

I asked them all to dine with me at Lodi, but as the dinner was for twelve the Countess Auests anted at Lodi, and the canon said he would take the lady friend with her two children

The next day was one of happy quiet, and I spent it without leaving the castle, being engaged in instructingher for the beauties of Wolf I presented her with my case of mathematical instruments, which seemed to her invaluable

I burned with passion for this charirl; but would I have done so in her taste for literature and science had not been backed up by her personal char to the palate, but if it is not pleasing to the eye as well, I do not taste it but put down as bad The surface is always the first to interest, close examination comes afterwards The man who confines himself to superficial charins, except that which rises in the realm of fancy, and this nearly always falls before the reality

When I went to bed, still thinking of Clean to reflect seriously, and I was astonished to find that during all the hours we had spent together she had not caused the slightest sensual feeling to arise in n the reason to fear, nor to shyness which is unknown toof duty It was certainly not virtue, for I do not carry virtue so far as that Then as it? I did not tirethe question I felt quite sure that the Platonic stage must soon come to an end, and I was sorry, but ether interested us so strongly that we did not think of love, nor of the pleasure we took in each other's co by us When intellect enters on the field, the heart has to yield; virtue triu Our conquestsof security was a Colossus whose feet were of clay; we knew that we loved but were not sure that ere beloved But when this becaround

This dangerous trustabout our journey to Lodi, the carriages were already waiting She was still asleep, but my step on the floor made her aith a start I did not even think it necessary to apologize She told me that Tasso's Aminta had interested her to such an extent that she had read it till she fell asleep

”The Pastor Fido will please you still more”

”Is it more beautiful?”

”Not exactly”

”Then why do you say it will please me more?”

”Because it chars, and seduces us--and we love seduction”

”It is a seducer, then?”

”No, not a seducer; but seductive, like you”