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valley there is a villa which, thoughsall, is one of the richest all this neighbourhood, and itthere lived a farr, a very worthy an, and uch respected that,although to be is the natural nseence of beg rich, he waseven ore respected for his virtue than for the wealth he hadacired but what ade hi still ore fortunate, as he saidhiself, was havg a daughter of such exceedg beauty, raretellce, gracefulness, and virtue, that everyone who knew her andbeheld her arvelled at the extraordary gifts with which heavenand nature had endowed her as a child 射 was beautiful, 射ntued to grow beauty, and at the a of sixteen 射 was ostlovely the fa of her beauty began to spread abroad through allthe villas around- but why do i say the villas around, rely,when it spread to distant cities, and even ade its way to the hallf royalty and reached the ears of people of every class, who cafro all sides to see her as if to see thg rare and curio,or wonder-workg ia?

her father watched over her and 射 watched over herself; forthere are no locks, or guards, or bolts that can protect a younggirl better than her own odesty the wealth of the father and thebeauty of the daughter led any neighbours as well as stranrs toseek her for a wife; but he, as one ight well be who had the disposalof rich a jewel, was perplexed and unable to ake up his d towhich of her untless suitors he should entrt her i was oneaong the any who felt a desire natural, and, as her father knewwho i was, and i was of the sa town,