ABSTRACT
This chapter reproduces the text from Chapter I of Ada Reis, Volume II. The city of Lima was founded by Don Francisco Pizarro, on the feast of Epiphany, 1535. It is situated in the spacious and delightful valley of Rimac. Lima, once the capital of Peru, commands the prospect of a country diversified by rivers and mountains, adorned by forests and groves of olives, orange and lemon trees. The Duke of Montevallos, though not so rich as many of those who were anxious to offer themselves to the notice of Fiormonda, was absorbed in family pride; he was connected with the royal family of Spain. The young Duke was perfectly ignorant that he even had a rival; he hesitated to declare his passion for Fiormonda to Ada Reis simply upon the knowledge that such an alliance would never be suffered by his friends.
