e voglio tanto bene a te ed alla tua sposa che nel mio regno, che tu puoi chiamare Paradiso, ho serbato un eletto luogo, dove voi potete securamente compire i vostri felici amori." E la donna sdegnata, o forse un poco ingelosita per cagione dell' amore passato dello suo sposo, tornò il dosso sopra la Morte, dicendo fra se stesso, "Che vuol questa amante del mio sposo che viene qui turbarci?" e chiamò "Vita, Vita!" e la Vita venne col viso allegro, coronata d'una iride, e vestita in versicolore manto di pelle di cameleone, e la Morte se ni andò piangendo, e partendo disse dolcemente, Voi mi sospettate, ma io vi lo perdono, e vi aspetto dove bisogna che passiate, perchè io abito coll' Amore e coll' Eternità, con quelle e forza che praticassero quelle anime. che eternamente amano. Voi vedrete allora se io ho Intanto vi raccomando alla meritata i vostri dubbj. Vita, e, sorella mia, ti prego per amore di quella Morte della quella tu sei la gemella, di non adoperare contra di questi amanti le tue solite arti, che ti basti il tribute già pagato di sospiri e di lagrime, che sono le ricchezze tue." Il giovane, rammentandosi di quanti mali gli aveva recati in quel bosco, se disfidava della Vita; ma la donna, quantunque in sospetto, essendo pure gelosa della Morte, [In the Relics of Shelley this admirable translation immediately follows the foregoing Fable in Italian; and I believe it has been usually accepted as Shelley's own translation. It is in fact by Mr. Garnett, and bears unmistakeable traces of the fine enthusiasm which carried him through the difficult task of digging out from Shelley's rough note-books and fragmentary papers the main contents of the beautiful little volume of "Relics."-H. B. F.] A FABLE. THERE was a youth who travelled through distant lands, seeking throughout the world a lady of whom he was enamoured. And who this lady was, and how this youth became enamoured of her, and how and why the great love he bore her forsook him, are things worthy to be known by every gentle heart. At the dawn of the fifteenth spring of his life, a certain one calling himself Love awoke him, saying that one whom he had ofttimes beheld in his dreams abode awaiting him. This Love was accompanied by a great troop of female forms, all veiled in white, and crowned with laurel, ivy, and myrtle, garlanded and interwreathed with violets, roses, and lilies. They sang with such sweetness that perhaps the harmony of the spheres, to which the stars dance, is not so sweet. And their manners and words were so alluring, that the youth was enticed, and, arising from his couch, made himself ready to do all the pleasure of him who called himself Love; at whose behest he followed him by lonely ways and |