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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=431377" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Magnificent</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">SOME wit, handsome form and gen'rous mind;<br>A triple engine prove in love we find;<br>By these the strongest fortresses are gained<br>E'en rocks 'gainst such can never be sustained.<br>If you've some talents, with a pleasing face,<br>Your purse-strings open free, and you've the place.<br>At times, no doubt, without these things, success<br>Attends the gay gallant, we must confess;<br>But then, good sense should o'er his actions rule;<br>At all events, he must not be a fool.<br>The stingy, women ever will detest;<br>Words puppies want;--the lib'ral are the best.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">A Florentine, MAGNIFICENT by name,<br>Was what we've just described, in fact and fame;<br>The title was bestowed upon the knight,<br>For noble deeds performed by him in fight.<br>The honour ev'ry way he well deserved;<br>His upright conduct (whence he never swerved,)<br>Expensive equipage, and presents made,<br>Proclaimed him all around what we've pourtrayed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">WITH handsome person and a pleasing mien,<br>Gallant, a polished air, and soul serene;<br>A certain fair of noble birth he sought,<br>Whose conquest, doubtless, brilliant would be thought;<br>Which in our lover doubly raised desire;<br>Renown and pleasure lent his bosom fire.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE jealous husband of the beauteous fair<br>Was Aldobrandin, whose suspicious care<br>Resembled more, what frequently is shown<br>For fav'rites mistresses, than wives alone.<br>He watched her every step with all his eyes;<br>A hundred thousand scarcely would suffice;<br>Indeed, quite useless Cupid these can make;<br>And Argus oft is subject to mistake:<br>Repeatedly they're duped, although our wight,<br>(Who fancied he in ev'ry thing was right,)<br>Himself so perfectly secure believed,<br>By gay gallants he ne'er could be deceived.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">TO suitors, howsoe'er, he was not blind;<br>To covet presents, greatly he inclined.<br>The lover yet had no occasion found,<br>To drop a word to charms so much renowned;<br>He thought his passion was not even seen;<br>And if it had, would things have better been?<br>What would have followed? what had been the end?<br>The reader needs no hint to comprehend.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">BUT to return to our forlorn gallant,<br>Whose bosom for the lady's 'gan to pant;<br>He, to his doctor, not a word had said;<br>Now here, now there, he tried to pop his head.<br>But neither door nor window could he find,<br>Where he might glimpse the object of his mind,<br>Or even hear her voice, or sound her name;<br>No fortress had he ever found the same;<br>Yet still to conquer he was quite resolved,<br>And oft the manner in his mind revolved.<br>This plan at length he thought would best succeed,<br>To execute it doubtless he had need<br>Of ev'ry wily art he could devise,<br>Surrounded as he was by eagle-eyes.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">I THINK the reader I've already told,<br>Our husband loved rich presents to behold;<br>Though none he made, yet all he would receive;<br>Whate'er was offered he would never leave.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">MAGNIFICENT a handsome horse had got,<br>It ambled well, or cantered, or would trot;<br>He greatly valued it, and for its pace,<br>'Twas called the Pad; it stept with wond'rous grace:<br>By Aldobrandin it was highly praised;<br>Enough was this: the knight's fond hopes were raised;<br>Who offered to exchange, but t'other thought,<br>He in a barter might perhaps be caught.<br>'Tis not, said he, that I the horse refuse;<br>But I, in trucking, never fail to lose.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">ON this, Magnificent, who saw his aim;<br>Replied, well, well, a better scheme we'll frame;<br>No changing we'll allow, but you'll permit,<br>That for the horse, I with your lady sit,<br>You present all the while, 'tis what I want;<br>I'm curious, I confess, and fort it pant.<br>Besides, your friends assuredly should know<br>What mind, what sentiments may from her flow.<br>Just fifteen minutes, I no more desire:<br>What! cried the other, you my wife require?<br>No, no, pray keep your horse, that won't be right.<br>But you'll be present, said the courteous knight.<br>And what of that? rejoined the wily spouse.<br>Why, cried Magnificent, then naught should rouse<br>Your fears or cares, for how can ill arise,<br>While watched by you, possessed of eagle-eyes?</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE husband 'gan to turn it in his mind;<br>Thought he, if present, what can be designed?<br>The plan is such as dissipates my fears;<br>The offer advantageous too appears;<br>He's surely mad; I can't conceive his aim;<br>But, to secure myself and wife from shame;<br>Without his knowledge, I'll forbid the fair<br>Her lips to open, and for this prepare.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">COME, cried old Aldobrandin, I'll consent:<br>But, said the other, recollect 'tis meant,<br>So distant from us, all the while you stay,<br>That not a word you hear of what I say.<br>Agreed, rejoined the husband:--let's begin;<br>Away he flew, and brought the lady in.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">WHEN our gallant the charming belle perceived;<br>Elysium seemed around, he half believed.<br>The salutations o'er, they went and sat<br>Together in a corner, where their chat<br>Could not be heard, if they to talk inclined;<br>Our brisk gallant no long harangues designed,<br>But to the point advanced without delay;<br>Cried he, I've neither time nor place to say<br>What I could wish, and useless 'twere to seek<br>Expressions that but indirectly speak<br>The sentiments which animate the soul;<br>In terms direct, 'tis better state the whole.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THUS circumstanced, fair lady, let me, pray;<br>To you at once, my adoration pay;<br>No words my admiration can express;<br>Your charms enslave my senses, I confess;<br>Can you suppose to answer would be wrong?<br>Too much good sense to you should now belong;<br>Had I the leisure, I'd in form disclose<br>The tender flame with which my bosom glows;<br>Each horrid torment; but by Fate denied<br>Blessed opportunities, let me not hide,<br>While moments offer, what pervades my heart,<br>And openly avow the burning smart<br>Few minutes I have got to travel o'er<br>What gen'rally requires six months or more.<br>Cold is that lover who will not pursue,<br>With ev'ry ardour, beauty, when in view.<br>But why this silence?--not a word you say!<br>You surely will not send me thus away!<br>That heav'n, an angel made you, none deny;<br>But still, to what is asked you should reply.<br>Your husband this contrived I plainly see,<br>Who fancies that replies were not to be,<br>Since in our bargain they were never named;<br>For shuffling conduct he was ever famed;<br>But I'll come round him, spite of all his art;<br>I can reply for you, and from the heart,<br>Since I can read your wishes in your eyes;<br>'Tis thus to say--Good, sir, I would advise<br>That you regard me, not as marble cold;<br>Your various tournaments and actions bold,<br>Your serenades, and gen'ral conduct prove,<br>What tender sentiments your bosom move.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">YOUR fond affection constantly I praised,<br>And quickly felt a flame within me raised;<br>Yet what avails?--Oh, that I'll soon disclose;<br>Since we agree, allow me to propose,<br>Our mutual wishes we enjoy to-night;<br>And turn to ridicule that jealous Wight;<br>In short, reward him for his wily fear,<br>In watching us so very closely here.<br>Your garden will be quite the thing, I guess;<br>Go thither, pray, and never fear success;<br>Depend upon it, soon his country seat<br>Your spouse will visit:--then the hunks we'll cheat.<br>When plunged in sleep the grave duennas lie,<br>Arise, furred gown put on, and quickly fly;<br>With careful steps you'll to the garden haste;<br>I've got a ladder ready to be placed<br>Against the wall which joins your neighbour's square:<br>I've his permission thither to repair;<br>'Tis better than the street:--fear naught my dove.--<br>Ah! dear Magnificent, my fondest love;<br>As you desire, I'll readily proceed;<br>My heart is your's: we fully are agreed.<br>'T's you who speaks, and, would that in my arms<br>Permission I had got to clasp your charms!</div><div style="margin:10px 0">MAGNIFICENT (for her he now replied,)<br>This flame you'll soon no reason have to hide<br>Through dread or fear of my old jealous fool,<br>Who wisely fancies he can woman rule.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE lover, feigning rare, the lady left,<br>And grumbling much, as if of hope bereft,<br>Addressed the husband thus: you're vastly kind;<br>As well with no-one converse I might find;<br>If horses you so easily procure,<br>You Fortune's frowns may very well endure.<br>Mine neighs, at least, but this fair image seems,<br>Mere pretty fish; I've satisfied my schemes;<br>What now of precious minutes may remain,<br>If any one desire my chance to gain,<br>A bargain he shall have:--most cheap the prize;<br>The husband laughed till tears bedewed his eyes.<br>Said he, these youths have always in their head<br>Some word'rous fancies; follies round them spread.<br>Friend, from pursuit you much too soon retire:<br>With time we oft obtain our fond desire.<br>But I shall always keep a watchful eye;<br>Some knowing tricks methinks I yet can spy;<br>Howe'er, the horse must now be clearly mine,<br>And you'll the pad of course to me resign;<br>To you no more expense; and from to-day,<br>Be not displeased to see me on it, pray;<br>At ease I'll ride my country house to view;--<br>That very night he to the mansion flew,<br>And our good folks immediately repaired,<br>Where gay Magnificent no pains had spared<br>To get access; what passed we won't detail;<br>Soft scenes, you'll doubtless guess, should there prevail.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE dame was lively, beautiful, and young;<br>The lover handsome, finely formed, and strong;<br>Alike enchanted with each other's charms,<br>Three meetings were contrived without alarms;<br>A fair so captivating to possess,<br>What mortal could be satisfied with less?<br>In golden dreams the sage duennas slept;<br>A female sentinel to watch was kept.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">A SUMMER-HOUSE was at the garden end,<br>Which to the pair much ease was found to lend;<br>Old Aldobrandin, when he built the same,<br>Ne'er fancied LOVE, would in it freak and game.<br>In cuckoldom he took his full degrees;<br>The horse he daily mounted at his ease,<br>And so delighted with his bargain seemed,<br>Three days, to prove it, requisite he deemed.<br>The country house received him ev'ry night;<br>At home he never dreamed but all was right.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">WHAT numbers round, whom Fortune favours less;<br>Have got a wife, but not a horse possess;<br>And, what yet still more wond'rous may appear,<br>Know ey'ry thing that passes with their dear.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=La+Fontaine">La Fontaine</a><div class=q>
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<script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=431377" data-title="The Magnificent de La Fontaine" data-description="SOME wit, handsome form and gen'rous mind;
A triple engine prove in love we find;
By these the strongest fortresses are gained
E'en rocks 'gainst such can never be sustained.
If you've some talents, with a pleasing face,
Your purse-strings open fr..."></div>
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