From garments ftriped with shining gold he turn'd; Soon as the gleamy ftreaks of purple morn Down the steep mountain's fide, yet hoar with dew, These to their hopes were given, and, void of fear, A bold rafh youth, ambitious of the fame Of brave adventurer, Velofe his name, Through pathless breaks their homeward steps attends, Long was his ftay: my earnest eyes explore, When rushing down the mountain to the shore I mark'd him; terror urged his rapid ftrides; And foon Coëllo's fkiff the wave divides. Yet ere his friends advanced, the treacherous foe 2 57 Moved Moved by the danger of a youth so brave, Myfelf now fnatch'd an oar, and sprung to fave: When fudden, blackening down the mountain's height, And foon an arrowy and a flinty shower Thick o'er our heads the fierce barbarians pour, Vengeance Fix'd in my leg. -Camoëns, in defcribing the adventure of Fernande Velofo, by departing from the truth of history, has fhewn his judgment as a poet. The place where the Portuguese landed they named the Bay of St. Helen. They caught one of two negroes, fays Faria, who were busied in gathering honey on a mountain. Their behaviour to this favage, whom they gratified with a red cap, some glasses and bells, induced him to bring a number of his companions for the like trifles. Though fome who accompanied Gama were skilled in the various Ethiopic languages, not one of the natives could understand them. A commerce however was commenced by figns and gestures. Gama behaved to them with great civility; the fleet was cheerfully fupplied with fresh provifions, for which the natives received cloaths and trinkets. But this friendship was foon interrupted by a young rafh Portuguese. Having contracted an intimacy with fome of the negroes, he obtained leave to penetrate into the country along with them, to obferve their habitations and ftrength. They conducted him to their huts with great good nature, and placed before him, what they esteemed an elegant repast, a fea-calf dreffed in the way of their country. This fo much difguited the delicate Portuguese, that he instantly got up and abruptly left them. Nor did they oppofe his departure, but accompanied him with the greatest innoAs fear, however, is always jealous, he imagined they were leading him as a victim to flaughter. No fooner did he come near the ships, than he called aloud for affiftance. Coello's boat immediately fet off for his refcue. The Ethiopians fied to the woods; and now esteeming the Portugucfe as a band of lawless plunderers, they provided themselves with arms, and lay in ambush. Their weapons were javelins, headed with short pieces of horn, which they threw with great dexterity. Soon after, while Gama and fome of his officers were on the fhore, taking the altitude of the fun by the aftrolabium, they were fuddenly and with great fury attacked by the ambush from the woods. Several were much wounded, multos convulnerant, cence. Vengeance as fudden every wound repays, Full on their fronts our flashing lightnings blaze; His fportful mates his brave exploits demand, And what the curious wonders of the land: "For you, my friends, my fleeteft speed was try'd; "For you I fear'd the fortune of the day; "Your danger great without mine aid I knew, "And fwift as lightning to your rescue flew." He inter ques Gama in pede vulnus accepit, and Gama received a wound in the foot, The admiral made a speedy retreat to the fleet, prudently choofing rather to leave the negroes the honour of the victory, than to risk the life of one man in a quarrel fo foreign to the destination of his expedition; and where, to imprefs the terror of his arms could be of no fervice to his interest. When he came nearer to India he acted in a different manner. He then made himself dreaded whenever the treachery of the natives provoked his refentment. Collected from Faria and Oforius. And fwift as lightning.-The critics, particularly the French, have vehemently declaimed against the least mixture of the comic, with the dignity of the epic poem. It is needless to enter into any defence of this paffage of Camoëns, farther than to obferve, that Homer, Virgil, and Milton have offended the He now the treafon of the foe relates, How foon, as past the mountain's upland ftraits, How Patroclus "It is a the critics in the fame manner; and that this piece of raillery in the Lusiad is by much the politeft, and the leaft reprehenfible of any thing of the kind in the four poets. In Homer are several strokes of low raillery. having killed Hector's charioteer, puns thus on his fudden fall. pity be is not nearer the fea! He would foon catch abundance of oysters, nor would the forms frighten him. See how, he dives from his chariot down to the fand! What excellent divers are the Trojans !" Virgil, the most judicious of all poets, defcends even to the ftyle of Dutch painting, where the commander of a galley tumbles the pilot into the fea, and the failors afterward laugh at him, as he fits on a rock spewing up the falt water: Segnemque Menceten In mare præcipitem puppi deturbat ab alta. And though the characters of the speakers, (the ingenious defence which has been offered for Milton) may in fome measure vindicate the raillery which he puts into the mouths of Satan and Belial, the lowness of it, when compared with that of Camoëns, must still be acknowledged. Talking of the execution of the diabolical artillery among the good angels, they, fays Satan, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell As they would dance, yet for a dance they seem'd For joy of offer'd peace. To whom thus Belial, in like gamefome mood, this gift they have befide, How down the coverts of the steepy brake Now profp'rous gales the bending canvas swell'd; And flowly floating o'er the maft's tall head Which these wide folitudes of feas and sky Were doom'd to hide from man's unhallowed eye? Whate'er |