he fervid glow
Of summer days, afforded a retreat;
And nightingales, devoid of fear, among
Those branches fluttered, pouring forth their song.
Amid the lilies white and roses red,
Ever more freshened by the tepid air,
The stag was seen, with his proud lofty head,
And feeling safe, the rabbit and the hare....
Sapphires and rubies, topazes, pearls, gold,
Hyacinths, chrysolites, and diamonds were
Like the night flow'rs, which did their leaves unfold
There on those glad plains, painted by the air
So green the grass, that if we did behold
It here, no emeralds could therewith compare;
As fair the foliage of the trees was, which
With fruit and flow'r eternally were rich.
Amid the boughs, sing yellow, white, and blue,
And red and green small feathered creatures gay;
The crystals less limpidity of hue
Than the still lakes or murmuring brooks display.
A gentle breeze, that seemeth still to woo
And never change from its accustomed way,
Made all around so tremulous the air
That no annoyance was the day's hot glare.
(Canto 34.)

Descriptions of time are short:

From the hard face of earth the sun's bright hue
Not yet its veil obscure and dark did rend;
The Lycaonian offspring scarcely through
The furrows of the sky his plough did send.
(Canto 80.)

Comparisons, especially about the beauty of women, are very artistic,
recalling Sappho and Catullus:

The tender maid is like unto the rose
In the fair garden on its native thorn;
Whilst it alone and safely doth repose,
Nor flock nor shepherd crops it; dewy morn,
Water and earth, the breeze that sweetly blows,
Are gracious to it; lovely dames adorn
With it their bosoms and their beautiful
Brows; it enamoured youths delight to cull.
(Canto 1.)

Only, Alcina fairest was by far
As is the sun more fair than every star....
Milk is the bosom, of luxuriant size,
And the fair neck is round and snowy white;
Two unripe ivory apples fall and rise
Like waves upon the sea-beach when a slight
Breeze stirs the ocean. (Canto 7.)

Now in a gulf of bliss up to the eyes
And of fair things, to swim he doth begin.
(Canto 7.)

So closely doth the ivy not enlace
The tree where firmly rooted it doth stand,
As clasp each other in their warm embrace
These lovers, by each other's sweet breath fanned.
Sweet flower, of which on India's shore no trac