e
irregular and successful warfare which he kept up at the head of a few
daring followers, that they sent an officer to remonstrate with him for
not coming into the open field and fighting "like a gentleman and a
Christian."

Page 139.

MARY MAGDALEN.

Several learned divines, with much appearance of reason, in particular
Dr. Lardner, have maintained that the common notion respecting the
dissolute life of Mary Magdalen is erroneous, and that she was always a
person of excellent character. Charles Taylor, the editor of "Calmet's
Dictionary of the Bible" takes the same view of the subject.

The verses of the Spanish poet here translated refer to the "woman who
had been a sinner," mentioned in the seventh chapter of St. Luke's
Gospel, and who is commonly confounded with Mary Magdalen.

Page 142.

FATIMA AND RADUAN.

This and the following poems belong to that class of ancient Spanish
ballads, by unknown authors, called _Romances Moriscos_--Moriscan
Romances or ballads. They were composed in the fourteenth century, some
of them, probably, by the Moors, who then lived intermingled with the
Christians; and they relate the loves and achievements of the knights of
Granada.

Page 143.

LOVE AND FOLLY.--(FROM LA FONTAINE.)

This is rather an imitation than a translation of the poem of the
graceful French fabulist.

Page 146.

_These eyes shall not recall thee_, etc.

This is the very expression of the original--_No te llamaran mis ojos,
_etc. The Spanish poets early adopted the practice of calling a lady by
the name of the most expressive feature of her countenance, her eyes.
The lover styled his mistress "ojos bellos," beautiful eyes; "ojos
serenos," serene eyes. Green eyes seem to have been anciently thought a
great beauty in Spain, and there is a very pretty ballad by an absent
lover, in which he addressed his lady by the title of "green eyes;"
supplicating that he may remain in her remembrance:

"iAy ojuelos verdes!
Ay los mis ojuelos!
Ay, hagan los cielos
Que de mi te acuerdes!"

Page 147.

_Say, Love--for didst thou see her tears_, etc.

The stanza beginning with this line stands thus in the original:

"Dilo tu, amor, si lo viste;
iMas ay! que de lastimado
Diste otro nudo a la venda,
Para no ver lo que la pasado."

I am sorry to find so poor a conceit deforming so spirited a composition
as this old ballad, but I have preserved it in the version. It is one of