osing one for himself; and having seriously pondered
on the matter eight whole days more, at last he determined to call
himself Don Quixote. Whence the author of this most authentic history
draws this inference, that his right name was Quixada, and not
Quesada, as others would maintain. And observing that the valiant
Amadis, not satisfied with the bare appellation of Amadis, added to it
the name of his country, that it might grow more famous by his
exploits, and so styled himself Amadis de Gaul; so he, like a true
lover of his native soil, resolved to call himself Don Quixote de la
Mancha; which addition, to his thinking, denoted very plainly his
parentage and country, and consequently would fix a lasting honor on
that part of the world.

And now, his armor being scoured, his headpiece improved to a helmet,
his horse and himself new named, he perceived he wanted nothing but a
lady, on whom he might bestow the empire of his heart; for he was
sensible that a knight-errant without a mistress was a tree without
either fruit or leaves, and a body without a soul. Should I, said he
to himself, by good or ill fortune, chance to encounter some giant, as
is common in knight-errantry, and happen to lay him prostrate on the
ground, transfixed with my lance, or cleft in two, or, in short,
overcome him and have him at my mercy, would it not be proper to have
some lady to whom I may send him as a trophy of my valor? Then when he
comes into her presence, throwing himself at her feet, he may thus
make his humble submission: "Lady, I am the giant Caraculiambro, lord
of the island of Malindrania, vanquished in single combat by that
never-deservedly-enough-extolled knight-errant Don Quixote de la
Mancha, who has commanded me to cast myself most humbly at your feet,
that it may please your honor to dispose of me according to your
will." Oh! how elevated was the knight with the conceit of this
imaginary submission of the giant; especially having withal bethought
himself of a person on whom he might confer the title of his mistress!
which, it is believed happened thus: Near the place where he lived
dwelt a good likely country lass, for whom he had formerly had a sort
of an inclination, though, it is believed, she never heard of it, nor
regarded it in the least. Her name was Aldonza Lorenzo, and this was
she whom he thought he might entitle to the sovereingty of his heart;
upon which he studied to find her out a new name, that might have some