THE EIGHTH DAY. NOVEL I. Gulfardo, Guasparruolo

THE EIGHTH DAY. 

The rays of the rising sun began now to gild the tops of the highest mountains, and the shade of the night was withdrawn from the earth, when the queen, and all her company arose on Sunday morning; and, after taking a pleasant walk along the meadows, they went about the third hour to a neighbouring chapel, where they heard divine service. 

Returning to the house, and dining cheerfully, they afterwards began to sing and dance as usual: when leave was given to such as wished to repose themselves. After the sun had passed the meridian, they all met again by the fountain-side; and being seated, Neifile, by the queen's command, thus began; 

NOVEL I. 

Gulfardo borrows a sufi of money of Guasparruolo, in order to give it his wife for granting him a favour; he afterwards tells Guasparruolo, in her presence, that he had paid it to her, which she acknowledges to be true. 

Seeing it is my fortune to begin today with a novel, I am content to obey: and, as we have heard much of the women overreaching the men, I have a mind to tell you of a man's being too cunning for a woman: not that I mean to blame him for it, or to say that she was not rightly served. No, I rather commend him, and think she met with no more than her due. I do it also to show that the men know how to deceive us on occasion, as well as we do to impose upon them: though, to speak more properly, this cannot be called deceiving, so much as making a deserved return; for a woman ought to be virtuous and chaste, and to hold her honour as dear as her life: and though our frailty is such, that we cannot always be upon our guard, yet I think that woman ought to be burned who makes a trade of love. But where the little god takes the field, whose force you know is very great, some grains of allowance should be made, as was shown a few days since by Filostrato, in the story of Madam Philippa di Prato. 

There lived at Milan, a soldier, who was a German, and his name was Gulfardo; one of a good person, and very trusty to such as retained him in their service, as the Germans generally are; and, because he was always very punctual in his payments, he found a great many merchants ready at any time to lend him any sum, for a very small profit. Now he had placed his affections on a lady, called Ambruogia, wife to a certain rich merchant, named Guasparruolo, who was his old friend and acquaintance. Conducting this affair with such caution, that neither the husband nor any one else had the least suspicion about it, he took an opportunity one day of declaring his mind to her, when she promised to comply upon two conditions; first, that it should be kept secret; and, secondly, as she had occasion for two hundred florins of gold, that he should supply her with that sum. Gulfardo was so provoked at this sordidness, that his love was changed into rage and contempt; and he resolved, therefore, to put a trick upon her. Accordingly, he let her know that he was ready at all times to do that or anything else which she desired, and that she should send him word when she would have him wait upon her with the money, promising to bring only one friend, in whom he put entire confidence, and who was his companion upon all occasions. She was content, and gave him to understand that her husband was to set out in a few days for Genoa; and that, as soon as he was gone, she would take care to send for him. 

In the meantime, Gulfardo went to Guasparruolo, and said, “sir, I have an affair of consequence upon my hands, which requires me to raise two hundred florins of gold; if you will advance that sum, I will allow you the utmost gratuity." Guasparruolo readily agreed to it, and told him out the money. In a few days after he set out for Genoa, as foretold by the lady, who immediately sent word for Gulfardo to come, and bring the two hundred florins. Obedient to the command, he took his friend along with him, and went to her house; when the first thing he did was to give her the money before this person, saying, "Madam, you will keep this, and give it to your husband when he returns." 

Never guessing why he spoke to her in that manner, but supposing it was because he would have his friend know nothing of the matter, she replied, "I will do so; but first let me see what money there is. So she turned it out upon the table, and found there were just two hundred florins; then, locking it up with a secret satisfaction, she came and showed him into the chamber. And he continued his visits to her during her husband's absence at Genoa. 

On Guasparruolo's return, Gulfardo went again to his house, having previously ascertained that his wife was with him, and said, in her hearing, "sir, the money you were so kind as to lend me was of no service, because I could not compass the thing on account of which I borrowed it: therefore, I brought it back immediately to your wife. Please, then, to cancel my account." Guasparruolo turned to her, and inquired whether she had received the money? She, seeing the witness present, and not knowing how to deny it, said, "Yes, I received it, and forgot to tell you." - "Then," he replied, "I am satisfied: farewell, your account is clear." Gulfardo withdrew, well pleased, leaving the lady full of indignation, defeated and despised. 

[This is Chaucer's "Shipmanne's Tale, or Story of Don John;" and La Fontaine's 

"A Femme avare Galant escroc.” Gulfardo's stratagem is attributed to Captain Philip Stafford, in Johnson's "Lives of Pirates and Highwaymen." Indeed, that work is full of tricks recorded by Boccaccio, Gabadino, and Sacchetti; which shows that it is a mere invention, unless Johnson's worthies resorted to the Italian novelists for instruction.] 

7-10, two inhabitants of Siena love the same woman

NOVEL X. 

Two inhabitants of Siena love the same woman, one of whom was god-father to her son. This man dies, and returns, according to his promise, to his friend, and gives him an account of what is done in the other world. 

There was only the king now left to speak; who, after quieting the ladies, who were under some concern for the cutting down of the pear-tree, began as follows: - It is a plain case, that every just prince ought himself to be tied down by the laws of his own making; and that if he acts otherwise, he should be punished as a private person: now I am forced to fall under this very censure; for, yesterday, I gave you a subject for this day's discourse, with no design of making use of my privilege, but to conform with the rest and speak to it myself. Whereas, besides having the very story taken from me which I meant to have given, there has been such a variety of incidents told, and well told, to the same effect, that I can think of nothing myself worth troubling you with, after them. Therefore, as I am under the necessity of transgressing against my own law, I submit to any punishment you shall please to inflict upon me. So, having recourse to my privilege at last, I shall relate a short novel; which, though it contains some things which are not to be credited, may not be disagreeable for you to hear. 

There were, some time since, two young men of Siena, the one named Tingoccio Mini, and the other Meuccio di Tura, who dwelt in the Porta Solaia, and were very intimate. They used, therefore, to go to church together, when, hearing much of the pleasures and pains of a future state, and being desirous of knowing something more certain on that head, they promised each other, that whichever died first should return, if it were possible, to inform his friend. In the meantime, they happened both to fall in love with the lady of Ambruogio Anselmini. Great as their friendship was, they kept this from each other, though for different reasons. Tingoccio had been godfather to one of the lady's children; and being in a measure ashamed of such gallantry, he concealed it from his friend. On the other hand, Meuccio kept his love a secret, because he knew the other liked her as well as himself. At length Tingoccio, as he had more opportunities than his friend, happened to succeed. This was a great mortification to Meuccio, who still lived in hopes of gaining his point some time or other, and affected, therefore, to know nothing of the matter, lest Tingoccio should thwart his designs. 

Some time after this, Tingoccio was taken ill, and died: and the third night afterwards, he came into Meuccio's chamber, when he was fast asleep, and called aloud to him. 

- Meuccio awoke, and said, "What art thou?" He replied, "I am thy friend Tingoccio, who am come, according to our agreement, to bring thee tidings of the other world." Meuccio was a good deal frightened at this, but taking courage at last, he said, "Thou art welcome." And then he asked him whether he was a lost person? Tingoccio made answer, "Those things only are lost which cannot be found; and if that was the case, how should I be here?" - "I mean not so," quoth Meuccio; "but what I ask is, whether you be one of the damned?" - "Not so," said he; "but yet I suffer great pains for some sins which I committed." He then inquired what punishment was inflicted for every single sin, and Tingoccio resolved him fully in each particular. Meuccio asked then if he could do him any service here, and Tingoccio answered, "Yes; namely, by saying prayers and masses, and giving alms: for those things are of great benefit to the deceased." This Meuccio promised to do; and as the ghost was offering to depart, he raised himself up, and said, "I remember, my friend, that you had an affair with your god-son's mother: pray what is done to you upon that account?" "O, brother," he replied, "when I first arrived in the other world, I met with a ghost who seemed to have all my sins by heart, and who ordered me to go into a certain place, where I was to do penance for them, and where I found a great many people who were sent thither upon the same score. And being among them, and calling to mind that particular crime you now mention, for which I expected some very great punishment, I was all over in a tremble, although in the midst of a great fire. When one that stood by me said, "Pray, what hast thou done more than any one else, that thou quakest to this degree in so hot a place?" - " Alas! " I replied, "I had to do with my godson's mother." - "Go, thou fool," said he, " is there any relationship in that, to make the crime worse?" This gave me some comfort." And now, it being near daybreak, he said to his friend, "Farewell, for I can stay no longer with you;" and so vanished out of the room. Thus Meuccio was convinced, that that sort of kindred was of no consequence; and thenceforth he was less scrupulous than he used to be in such cases. 

The west wind began now to breathe, as the sun grew near his setting; when the king, having concluded his novel, arose, and taking the crown from his own head, placed it upon Lauretta's, saying, "Madam, I crown you with your own crown, as queen of this company; do you, as such, command what you think will be most agreeable to us all." Lauretta, being now queen, sent to the master of the household, and ordered him to have the cloth laid in the pleasant valley sooner than usual, that they might return afterwards with more ease to the palace. Then directing what she would farther have done, she turned to the company, and said, "It was Dioneo's will, yesterday, that our novels should be concerning the devices and tricks which women put upon their husbands; and was it not that you would think I had malice in my heart, my subject for tomorrow should be the manner of men's imposing upon their wives. But, setting this aside, let every one think of the stratagems which are daily practised by women against the men, or by the men against the women; or, lastly, by one man against another; and this, I think, will afford as agreeable matter for discourse as what we have had today." Then she gave them their liberty till supper-time. The company then arose, and whilst some went to wash their feet in the cool stream, others took a walk upon the green turf, under the cover of the spreading trees, and Dioneo and Fiammetta sat singing together the song of Palamon and Arcite. Thus all were agreeably employed till supper; when the tables being set forth by the side of the basin, they sat down to the music of a thousand birds, and their faces fanned all the time with cool refreshing breezes, coming from the little hills around them, they supped with the utmost mirth and satisfaction. Taking a walk afterwards round the valley, before the sun was quite set, they began their march back to the palace, talking all the way of a thousand different things, which had either occurred in this day's discourse, or the preceding, and arrived there as it grew dark. Refreshing themselves, after their walk, with wine and sweetmeats, they indulged in a dance by the side of the fountain; sometimes, for variety, to the sound of Tindaro's bagpipes, and sometimes to other more musical instruments. At length they called upon Filomena for a song, who thus obeyed: 

SONG. 

Such my desire to meet my love, 

That I with eager transport fly: 

But why your long unkind delay? 

Tell me, my swain, O tell me why? 

The joys I from your converse feel 

No pow'r of language can express; 

Whilst your commanding smiles and voice 

Conspire with mutual aid to bless. 

Say, then, my life! when shall I meet, 

And former vows of love renew? 

Soon come the time, be long your stay; 

For all my wishes point to you; 

I'll hold you fast, when fortune thus 

Auspicious crowns my fond desires; 

Then naste, fly quick to my embrace; 

That pleasing hope my song inspires. 

This song made them all conclude that Filomena was subject to the little god; and, by her manner of expressing herself, her passion seemed to be in a fair and prosperous way: but when it was ended, the queen, remembering that the next day was a fast, said, "Gentlemen and ladies, I must let you know, that tomorrow being Friday, it is to be observed as holy; for you may remember, that when Neifile was queen, we waved our diversions on that day, and so we did on Saturday. Therefore I think it proper to follow so laudable an example, and to dedicate those two days to our devotions." This was agreeable to the whole company; and a good part of the night being now spent, she dismissed them, and they retired to their respective chambers. 

7-9, Lydia, Nicostratus, Pyrrhus

NOVEL IX. 

Lydia, the wife of Nicostratus, being in love with Pyrrhus, did three things which he had enjoined her, to convince him of her affection. She afterwards used some familiarities with him before her husband's face, making him believe that what he had seen was not real. 

Neifile's novel had pleased them all to that degree, that they could not keep from laughing and talking about it, although the king had several times called out silence, in order that Pamfilo should speak; who at length began in this manner: - There is nothing, I am persuaded, so dangerous and difficult, that a person who is thoroughly in love will not attempt; and this, though it has been shown by various instances already given, yet I think will be still more apparent from a story which I am going to tell you of a lady much more fortunate than discreet. Therefore I would advise no one to run the risk of following her course; because neither is fortune always disposed, nor are all men to be blinded, in the same manner. 

In Argos, an ancient city of Achaia, more famous formerly for its kings than great, lived a certain nobleman called Nicostratus, to whom fortune, in the decline of his life, had given a young lady for his wife, of as great spirit as she was beautiful, named Lydia. Now he, being a lord of large estate, kept a great number of slaves, dogs, and hawks, and was very fond of country diversions. Amongst his other servants, was a genteel young man named Pyrrhus, whom he valued and trusted above all the rest. With this person Lydia was so much in love, that she could never be happy but in his company; whilst he (whether he did not, or would not, perceive her regard for him) seemed not at all affected by it. This she laid much to heart, and, resolving to make him understand her, she called one of her favourite maids, whose name was Lusca, and said to her, "Lusca, the favours you have received from me should make you both obedient and faithful; take care, therefore, that you reveal what I am going to speak to no one, save to the person concerned. You see what a great disproportion there is between my husband's age and mine, and may suppose I can have but little comfort with such a one; for that reason I have made choice of our Pyrrhus. If you have any regard for me, then, let him know my love for him in the best manner you are able; and entrext him, on my part, that he would please to come hither to me." The girl promised to do so; and on the very first opportunity, she took Pyrrhus aside, and delivered her message. This surprised him very much, for he never had the least notion of such a thing; and being apprehensive that it might be done to try him, he answered roughly, "Lusca, I can never think this comes from my lady; take care, therefore, what you say: or, if she did say so, you could never have her orders to disclose it; or, even admitting that, still I have that regard for my lord, that I could never offer to do him such an injury: I charge you, then, let me hear no more about it." Lusca, not at all abashed at his stern way of speaking, replied, "Pyrrhus, I shall speak at all times what I am ordered by my lady to say, whether it offends you or not; but, as for you, you are no better than a brute." 

She returned full of wrath to her mistress, who was like to die on hearing her report. In a few days, she said again, "You know, Lusca, that one stroke never fells an oak: then go once more, and tell Pyrrhus that his fidelity is at my expense, and represent the passion I have for him in such a manner that he may be affected with it; for if he continues so indifferent, it will go near to cost me my life." The girl desired her to take courage; and going again to Pyrrhus, and finding him in a good humour, she said, " I told you, a few days since, of the great regard my lady had for you; and I now assure you, that, if you continue in the same resolution, she will never survive it: then be persuaded, or I shall think you the greatest fool in the world. What an honour it will be to have the love of such a lady. Consider how greatly you are obliged to fortune: she offers you a most beautiful woman, and a refuge from your necessities. Who will be happier than yourself, if you be wise? Do but represent to yourself whatever an ambitious heart can desire; all will be yours. Open then your understanding to my words, and remember, that fortune is wont to come once in our lives to us with cheerful looks, and her lap full of favours: if we turn our backs on her at that time, we may thank ourselves should we be poor and miserable all the rest of our days. You talk of honour and fidelity; there is something indeed in that plea among friends: but, with regard to slaves, in such a case, they may do just as their masters would behave to them. Can you imagine, had you a wife, daughter, or sister, that our master fancied, that he would stand on such nice terms of duty, and all that, as you now do to his wife? You can never be so foolish, but you must believe that, if persuasion was ineffectual, he would use force. Let us serve him, therefore, as he would serve us; take advantage of fortune's kind offer in your favour; for, depend upon it, setting aside the consideration of what may happen through your refusal to the lady, if you do not, you will repent the longest day you have to live." 

Pyrrhus, who had made several reflections on what she had said before to him, and had resolved to make a different reply if ever she came again, being now not averse to the thing, provided he could be assured she was in earnest, made answer, "Lusca, that is all true, I confess; but yet, as my lord is a very wise and provident person, and, as I am intrusted with the management of all his affairs, I am afraid that my lady, only does this to try me: three things then there are that I require of her for my own conviction, after which I will obey all her commands. The first is, that she kill my lord's favorite hawk before his face; the second, that she send me a lock of his beard; and the third, one of his soundest and best teeth." These seemed very hard conditions to the maid, and more so to the mistress; but love, who is a good comforter as well as counsellor, soon made her resolve. Accordingly, she sent him word, by the same person, that all three should be done. And farther, that, as he had such an opinion of his lord's wisdom, she would also undertake to make him not believe his own eyes. 

Pyrrhus then waited to see what course she meant to take. In a few days, therefore, Nicostratus having made a great entertainment, as he used frequently to do, just as the first service was taken away, she came into the hall, richly dressed, and there, in the presence of Pyrrhus and the whole company, went to the perch where this hawk was, and loosed him, as if she had a mind to take him upon her hand, when, taking him by the jesses, she dashed his brains out against the wall. And while Nicostratus was crying out, "Alas! my dear, what have you done?" She took no notice, but turned to the company, and said, "I should scarcely revenge myself on a king that was to do me an injury, if I wanted courage to wreak my vengeance on a paltry hawk. You must know, that this bird has deprived me of all the pleasure I should have from my husband; for, by break of day he is up, and on horseback, after his favourite diversion, whilst I am left all alone, and neglected: for which reason, I have long taken a resolution to do this thing, and only waited for an opportunity to have so many equitable judges present, as I take you to be." The gentlemen, supposing her affection to Nicostratus to be as fervent as her words seemed to declare, laughed heartily; and, turning to Nicostratus, who seemed a good deal disturbed, they said, "She has done very well in taking her revenge upon the hawk;" and, after a little raillery, they changed his resentment into a fit of laughter. Pyrrhus, upon seeing this, said to himself, " She has made a noble beginning; heaven grant that she may persevere!"

The hawk being thus despatched, it was not long before she happened to be toying with her husband in the chamber, whilst he, pulling her gently by the hair, gave occasion for her to put Pyrrhus's second command in execution: so, taking hold of a little lock of his beard and laughing heartily at the same time, she pulled so hard, that she brought the skin and all away together. He grew very peevish at this, and was going to quarrel with her; when she said, "You make an angry face, truly, because I plucked a hair or two off your beard; you were not sensible what I suffered, when you pulled me by the hair just now.” So, continuing their play from one word to another, she took care of the tuft of his beard, and sent it that very day to her lover. 

She was more perplexed about the last thing; but having an enterprising genius, which was rendered more so by love, she soon resolved on what means to use to bring that about. Nicostratus had two youths in his house, given him by their fathers, who were gentlemen, in order to learn good breeding, one of whom carved his victuals, whilst the other filled out the wine. Now she told both the youths one day, that their breath was very offensive, and she instructed them, when they waited upon Nicostratus, to turn their heads on one side always, but never to speak of it to any person. They believed what she had told them, and did as they were directed. After this she said one day to her husband, "Did you ever take notice of your pages" behaviour when they wait upon you?" - "Yes," said he, "I have, and have been often going to ask them the reason." - "Then," she replied, "you may spare yourself that trouble, for I can tell you. I have kept 

it some time from you, for fear of annoying you; but as I see other people take notice of it, I can conceal it no longer. It is then because you have a very foul breath; I know not what the cause may be, for it did not use to be so; but it is a most grievous thing, as you keep a great deal of company: therefore, I would have you take some method or other to get rid of it." - "What," said Nicostratus, "can it be owing to Ì Have I a "bad tooth in my head?" "Perhaps you have," she replied; and taking him to the window, she made him open his mouth, and after looking carefully in every part, she said, "Oh, my dear! How could you bear with it so long? Here is a tooth which seems not only rotten, but entirely consumed, and, if you keep it any longer in your mouth, it will certainly decay all the rest on the same side: I advise you then to have it out before it goes any farther." - "As you think so," quoth he, "send instantly for an operator, to draw it out." - "Tell me of no operator," said she; "I will never agree to that; it seems to stand in such a manner, that I think I could do it myself: besides, those fellows are so very barbarous upon such occasions, that my heart could never bear to have you under their hands. Therefore, I will try to do it myself; and, if it gives you too much pain, I will let you go again, which those people never will do." Getting now an instrument for that purpose, and sending every one out of the room, excepting her favourite maid, she seated him upon a stool, and laying hold of a tooth, whilst the other kept him fast down, she put him to most intolerable pain, and at length drew it out by main force; then keeping the tooth, and producing a rotten one, which she had ready in her hand, she said to the poor man, who was almost dead, “see here, what it was you had in your mouth." He believing her, and though he had felt the most exquisite torture, and complained much of her harsh way of doing it, yet now it was out, he thought himself cured; and having taken some good comfortable things, the pain abated, and he went out of the chamber. The tooth she immediately sent to her lover, who being now convinced of her love, held himself in readiness to obey her commands. 

She had a mind, however, to give him some further assurance, and though thinking every hour an age till she could be with him, she feigned to be very ill; and her husband coming one day after dinner to see her, and nobody with him but Pyrrhus, she desired, that, by way of ease to her malady, they would take her into the garden. Accordingly, Nicostratus took hold of one arm, and Pyrrhus, of the other, and leading her thither, laid her on a grass plot, under a pear-tree. Nicostratus then sat down by her, and she, who had before instructed Pyrrhus what to do, said to him, "I have a great desire to have some of those pears; climb up into the tree, and get me a few." Pyrrhus immediately went up, and, as he was throwing down some of the pears, he began to call out, "Hallo, master! What are you doing? And you, madam, are you not ashamed to suffer it in my presence? Do you think I am blind? You seem to me to have soon recovered from your fit of sickness. If you want to do the like, surely you have plenty of fine rooms that might serve the turn more decently." The lady turned to her husband, and said, "What is Pyrrhus talking of? He is in a dream, surely." - "No, madam," quoth he, "I am in no dream. What! did you think I could not see you?" Nicostratus wondered, and said, “surely, Pyrrhus, you are raving." - "No, sir," he replied, "I am very confident I saw you so and so together." "What can be the meaning of this?" quoth the lady, "can it be possible that he appeared to himself to see what he says? Were I well enough I would actually go into the tree myself, to behold the strange things that he talks of seeing thence." Pyrrhus still continuing in the same story, Nicostratus desired him to come down, and asked him what it was he really saw? Pyrrhus replied, "I saw you tumbling my lady on the grass, saving your favour; and then I saw you get up from her and place yourself where you are." "The man is out of his wits," quoth Nicostratus; "we neither of us so much as stirred from the place where we are sitting." - "What is the use of arguing," said Pyrrhus, "I tell you I saw it." 

Nicostratus was now more and more surprised, and said, "I will see whether this tree be enchanted or not: "and as he was mounting up into the tree, Pyrrhus and the lady became very loving. Nicostratus seeing this, began to roar out, "Oh! thou vile woman! what art thou doing there? and that rascal Pyrrhus, in whom I put all my confidence!"

And, with these words, he made all possible haste down, when the lady and Pyrrhus both said, "We were sitting here all the time just as you left us." - However, he seemed to be in a violent passion, whilst Pyrrhus said to him, "Now, sir, I am convinced that I saw falsely myself, as yours is the same case; for I can be positive that you were mistaken. Do but reason with yourself: can it be supposed that your lady, who is the most virtuous and prudent of all her sex, should ever attempt to do such a thing before your very face? And for my own part, I would be cut limb from limb before I would ever entertain such a thought, much less do so in your presence. The fault, then, in this mistaken appearance must proceed from the tree; for all the world could never have convinced me, but that I saw you and my lady together in the same manner, if I had not heard from yourself that we appeared so to you." On this, she said, with a good deal of warmth, "Do you think, were I so loosely given, that I should be such a fool as to do these things before your eyes? No, there are opportunities enough, without your ever being the wiser." 

Nicostratus, believing at last what they both had said, came into a little better temper, and began to talk of the novelty, and wonder at the thing; whilst the lady, who seemed concerned for the ill opinion he had received concerning her, added, "Most certainly, this tree shall never occasion any more scandal either to me or any other woman, if I can help it: run, therefore, Pyrrhus, for an axe, and cut it down, in regard to us both; though the axe might be as well employed upon my husband's weak noddle, for believing his own eyes in a case so repugnant both to common sense and reason." 

The axe was then brought, and the tree cut down; upon which she said to Nicostratus, "My wrath is over, now I see my honour's adversary thus demolished." And he having begged her pardon, she freely forgave him, charging him, for the future, never to presume such a thing of her, who loved him dearer than her own life. - So the poor deluded husband returned with his wife and Pyrrhus into the house, where nothing now prevented the latter from accomplishing all their wishes. 

[All that relates to the pear-tree in this tale, corresponds precisely with the fourth lesson in chapter 12 of the collection known by the name of “Bahar Danush, or Garden of Knowledge" (Scott's translation, vol. ii). It is true that "Bahar Danush" was not written till long after the age of Boccaccio, but the author of "Inatulla" professes to have borrowed it from the traditions of the Brahmins, from whom it may have been translated into the languages of Persia or Arabia, and imported from these regions to Europe by some crusader, like other Asiatic romances which have served as the groundwork of so many of our stories and poems. "Indeed," says Dunlop, "I have been informed by an eminent oriental scholar that the above story of the "Bahar Danush" exists in a Hindu work, which he believes prior to the age of Boccaccio." The fact of the tale in the "Decameron" which relates to the stratagem by which the lady obtains a tooth from her husband, seems to have been suggested by the "Conte Devot d'un Roi qui voulut faire bruler le fils de son Seneschal," or the sixty-eighth story of the "Cento Novelle Antiche," which is copied from the French tale. The incidents concerning the pear-tree form the second story in La Fontaine's "La Gageure des trois Commères." They have also some resemblance to the "Merchant's Tale," in Chaucer, and, by consequence to Pope's "January and May." ]