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The SECOND DAY.

The Sequel of the Pleasures of the Inchanted Island.

When the Night of the second Day was come, their Majesties repair'd to another Ring, surrounded with Palisadoes like the former and on the same Line, still advancing towards the Lake, where the Palace of Alcina was suppos'd to be built. The design of this second Feast was that Rogero and the Knights of his Troop, after having done Wonders in the Courses, which by order of the fair Inchantress they had perform'd in favour of the Queen, should continue in the same Design in order to the following Diversion; and that, the floating Island not having remov'd from the French Shore, they might give her Majesty the pleasure of a Comedy, whose Scene lay in Elis.

The King, then caus'd with surprising Expedition, all that Ring to be cover'd with Cloth in the manner of a Dome, to defend against the Wind the great number of Flambeaux and Candles which were to light the Theatre, the Decoration of which was very agreeable. There they represented the Comedy of The Princess of Elis.

During the Dances, there rises from under the Stage the machine of a great Tree with sixteen Fauns


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in it, eight of which play upon the Flute, and the others on the Violin, with the most agreeable Concert in the World. Thirty Violins answer them from the Orchestre, with six other Instruments of Harpsichords and Theorboes, which were the Sieurs D'Anglebert, Richard, Itier, La Barre the younger, Tissu and De Moine; and four Shepherds and four Shepherdesses danc'd a very fine Entry, which the Fauns descending from the Tree mix'd in from time to time. The Shepherds were the Sieurs Chicanneau, Du Pron, Noblet, La Pierre; the Shepherdesses were the Sieurs Balthazard, Magni, Arnald, Bonard.

All this Scene was so grand, so full and so agreeable, that there was never any thing of dancing finer seen; and such an advantageous Conclusion did it make to the Diversions of this Day, that the whole Court prais'd it no less than that which had preceded it, retiring with a satisfaction which gave them great Expectations of the Sequel of so compleat a Festival.