(fonte citata da J.J.lowes, The road to Xanadu, 1927 )
His name was Aloadine, and was a Mahumetan. Hee had in a goodly Valley betwixt two Mountaynes very high, made a goodly Garden, furnished with the best trees and fruits he could find, adorned with divers Palaces and houses of pleasure, beautified with gold Workes, Pictures, and Furnitures of silke...
There by divers Pipes answering divers parts of those Palaces were seen to runne Wine, Milke, honey, and cleere Water. In them hee had placed goodly Damosels skifull in Songs and Instruments of Musicke and Dancing, and to make Sports and Delights unto men whatsoever they could imagine. they were also fairely attryred in Gold and Silke, and were seene to goe continually sporting in the garden and Palaces. He made this Palace, because Mahomet had promised such a sensuall Paradise to his devous follower...
Aloadine had certaine Youthes from twelve to twentie yeares of age, such as seemed of a bold and undoubted disposition, whom hee instructed daily touching mahomets Paradise, and how hee could bring men thither. And when he toght good, he caused a certaine Drinke to bee given unto ten or twelve of them, which cast them in a dead sleepe: and then hee caused them to be carryed into divers Chambers of the said Palaces, where they saw the things aforesaid as soone as they awaked: each of them having those Damosels to minister Meates and excellent Drinkes, and all varieties of pleasures to them; insomuch that the Fooles thought themselves in Paradise indeed.
cfr. la descrizione di Marco Polo, nel Milione, ( " veglio della montagna")
fonti "ispiratrici" del poema di Coleridge citate nel libro di Lowes:
Purchas (Old man of the Mountain) • Purchas (Xamdu) • Bartram • Bruce • Rennel