So ended the narrative of the Queen of the evening, which was received with murmurs of applause ; and she immediately followed it up by reciting the beautiful passage from the Fairy Queen with which the selection begins. We shall not interrupt the tasteful array of poetic gems thus supplied from the stores of each retentive memory, by relating the comments that followed each piece, or the apologies and explanations with which they were occasionally introduced, but simply placing the poem with which Queen Caroline began the evening's proceedings in its appropriate place at the beginning, we shall arrange the others in the order they were given, and so proceed to THE BEAUTIES OF SPENSER, SIDNEY, AND RALEIGH.

BEAUTIES OF

SPENSER, SIDNEY, AND RALEIGH.

BEAUTIES OF

SPENSER, SIDNEY, AND RALEIGH.

Spenser.

UNA FOLLOWED BY THE LION.

NOUGHT is there under Heaven's wide hollowness,
That moves more dear compassion of mind,
Than beauty brought t' unworthy wretchedness
Through envy's snares, or fortune's freaks unkind.
I, whether lately through her brightness blind,
Or through allegiance and fast fealty,

Which I do owe unto all womankind,

Feel my heart pierc'd with so great agony,
When such I see, that all for pity I could die.

And now it is impassioned so deep,

For fairest Una's sake, of whom I sing,

That my frail eyes these lines with tears do steep, To think how she through guileful handelling, Though true as touch, though daughter of a king,

Though fair as ever living wight was fair,
Though nor in word nor deed ill meriting,
Is from her knight divorced in despair,

And her due love's deriv'd to that vile witch's share.

Yet she, most faithful lady, all this while
Forsaken, woeful, solitary maid,

Far from all people's preace, as in exile,
In wilderness and wasteful deserts stray'd,
To seek her knight, who, subtily betray'd

Through that late vision, which th' enchanter wrought,
Had her abandoned: she, of nought afraid,

Through woods and wasteness wide him daily sought; Yet wished tidings none of him unto her brought.

One day, nigh weary of the irksome way,
From her unhasty beast she did alight;
And on the grass her dainty limbs did lay
In secret shadow, far from all men's sight;
From her fair head her fillet she undight,
And laid her stole aside: her angel's face,
As the great eye of heaven, shined bright,
And made a sunshine in a shady place;
Did never mortal eye behold such heavenly grace.

It fortuned, out of the thickest wood,

A ramping lion rushed suddenly,
Hunting full greedy, after savage blood;
Soon as the royal virgin he did spy,