h an
expressive, one might say, a handsome face."--Dickens, _Our Mutual
Friend_ (1864).

[Asterism] For solution of the mystery, see vol. I. ii. 13.

=Ro'land=, count of Mans and knight of Blaives. His mother, Bertha, was
Charlemagne's sister. Roland is represented as brave, devotedly loyal,
unsuspicious, and somewhat too easily imposed npon.[TN-133] He was eight
feet high, and had an open countenance. In Italian romance he is called
Orlan'do. He was slain in the valley of Roncesvalles as he was leading
the rear of his uncle's army from Spain to France. Charlemagne himself
had reached St. Jean Pied de Port at the time, heard the blast of his
nephew's horn, and knew it announced treachery, but was unable to render
him assistance (A.D. 778).

Roland is the hero of Th['e]roulde's _Chanson de Roland_; of Turpin's
_Chronique_; of Bojardo's _Orlando Innamorato_; of Ariosto's _Orlando
Furioso_; of Piccini's opera called _Roland_ (1778); etc.

_Roland's Horn_, Olivant or Olifant. It was won from the giant Jatmund,
and might be heard at the distance of thirty miles. Birds fell dead at
its blast, and the whole Saracen army drew back in terror when they
heard it. So loud it sounded, that the blast reached from Roncesvall[^e]s
to St. Jean Pied de Port, a distance of several miles.

Roland lifts Olifant to his month and blows it with all his might.
The mountains around are lofty, but high above them the sound of
the horn arises [_at the third blast, it split in twain_].--_Song
of Roland_ (as sung by Taillefer, at the battle of Hastings). See
Warton, _History of English Poetry_, v. I, sect. iii. 132 (1781).

_Roland's Horse_, Veillantif, called in Italian _Velian'tino_ ("the
little vigilant one").

In Italian romance, Orlando has another horse, called Brigliado'ro
("golden bridle").

_Roland's Spear._ Visitors are shown a spear in the cathedral of Pa'via,
which they are told belonged to Roland.

_Roland's Sword_, Duran'dal, made by the fairies. To prevent its falling
into the hands of the enemy, when Roland was attacked in the valley of
Roncesvall[^e]s, he smote a rock with it, and it made in the solid rock a
fissure some 300 feet in depth, called to this day _La Br[^e]che de
Roland_.

Then would I seek the Pyrenean breach,
Which Roland clove with huge two-handed sway,
And to the enormous labor left his name.

Wordsworth.

[Asterism] A sword is shown at Rocamadour, in the dep