o Madness;
what Account must she now make to the mournful Father, who esteem'd this
Child the chief Treasure of his Life; she fear'd, that she might forfeit
the Affection of a Husband, by being the unfortunate Cause of so great a
Loss; but her Fears deceiv'd her, for altho' her Husband, receiv'd her
with great Grief, 'twas nevertheless moderated by the Patience of a
Christian, and the Joy for recovering his beloved Lady.

This Misfortune was soon lessen'd by the growing Hopes of another
Off-spring, which made them divest their Mourning, to make Preparations
for the joyful Reception of this new Guest into the World; and upon its
Appearance their Sorrows were redoubled, 'twas a Daughter, its Limbs
were distorted, its Back bent, and tho' the face was the freest from
Deformity, yet had it no Beauty to Recompence the Dis-symetry of the
other Parts; Physicians being consulted in this Affair, derived the
Cause from the Frights and dismal Apprehensions of the Mother, at her
being taken by the Pyrates; about which time they found by Computation,
the Conception of the Child to be; the Mother grew very Melancholy,
rarely speaking, and not to be comforted by any Diversion. She conceiv'd
again, but no hopes of better Fortune cou'd decrease her Grief, which
growing with her Burden, eased her of both at once, for she died in
Child-birth, and left the most beautiful Daughter to the World that ever
adorn'd _Venice_, but naturally and unfortunately Dumb, which defect the
learn'd attributed to the Silence and Melancholy of the Mother, as the
Deformity of the other was to the Extravagance of her Frights.

_Rinaldo_, waving all Intentions of a second Marriage, directs his
Thoughts to the Care of his Children, their Defects not lessening his
Inclination, but stirring up his Endeavours in supplying the Defaults of
Nature by the Industry of Art; he accordingly makes the greatest
Provision for their Breeding and Education, which prov'd so effectual in
a little Time, that their Progress was a greater Prodigy than
themselves.

The Eldest, called _Belvideera_, was indefatigably addicted to Study,
which she had improv'd so far, that by the sixteenth Year of her Age,
she understood all the _European_ Languages, and cou'd speak most of'em,
but was particularly pleas'd with the _English_, which gave me the
Happiness of many Hours Conversation with her; and I may ingenuously
declare, 'twas the most Pleasant I ever enjoy'd, for besides a piercing
Wit