XVI. A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI. nephews and relations, who must drink CHAP. "first; and afterwards those who have assist "ed in investing him with the richest of all "mantles. When these are satisfied, he will "favour those who espoused his cause against "Soderini, on his return to Florence. One will say, I was with Piero in Casenperson "tino and narrowly escaped being taken and "killed. I, cries Brandino, lent him money. "He lived, exclaims a third, a whole year at my expense, whilst I furnished him with 66 arms, with clothes, with money, and with "horses. If I wait until all these are satisfied "I shall certainly either perish with thirst or see the well exhausted," 66 36 66 66 That Ariosto however felt his disappointment, is evident from many other passages in his satires, in which he adverts to his journey to Rome with equal vexation and pleasantry. Certain it is, that the munificence of the pontiff by no means corresponded with the kind and even affectionate reception which the poet experienced on his arrival. The granting him a pontifical privilege for securing to him the sole some have supposed, but diminutives of affection, derived from the common names of Giovanni, Bartolommeo, Lancelotto, &c. XVI. CHAP. sole right of printing his great work, the bull for which was, as he pointedly informs us, expedited at his own expense,(a) was, assuredly, no great effort of princely bounty. It is, however, evident from the writings of Ariosto, that he possessed a considerable share of that impatience and irritability which are the usual attendants of genius. After waiting a few days at Rome, in the expectation that the pope would have made a liberal provision for one towards whom he had expressed such uncommon regard, he hastily took his departure, with a firm resolution never more to return.(b) There is, however, sufficient reason to believe, A. D. 1518. a. Pont. VI. A. ft. 43. (a)" Di mezza quella Bolla anco cortese (b) "Venne il dì che la Chiesa fu per moglie "Salì del ciel, quel dì che'l Pastor santo XVI. lieve, that Ariosto experienced at different CHA P. times the liberality of the pontiff; and in particular that Leo presented him with several hundred crowns towards the expense of publishing his immortal poem.(a) It is certain also that the disappointment which he has described in such lively terms, did not excite in the generous breast of Ariosto any lasting degree of animosity towards the pontiff; whom he has frequently mentioned in his subsequent writings, with the highest veneration and applause.(b) On quitting Rome, Ariosto did not imme- Ariosto vidiately return to Ferrara, but paid a visit to Florence, sits Flo rence, (a) The favours conferred by Leo on Ariosto are alluded to by Gabriello Simeoni, in his Satira sopra l'Avarızia. "Successe a lui Lion poi lume e specchio "Che all' Ariosto ancor porgiamo orecchio." Which is explained by a marginal note; "Leon X. "donò all' Ariosto per fornire il suo libro più centinaja di "scudi." 7. Mazzuchelli, Scrittori d'Ital, in art. Ariost, ii. 1063, A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI. (b) His attachment to the family of Medici in general, and to Leo X. in particular, appears in his beautiful canzone, on the death of Guiliano de' Medici, already given in the Appendix, No. CXXXVI, XVI. CHAP. Florence, where he was present at the rejoicings which took place in that city on the elevation of Leo X. He remained there at least six months, and probably a much longer time; attracted by the air and situation of the place, the beauty of the women, and the manners of the inhabitants; and on his departure, celebrated in an exquisite poem the opportunities of enjoyment which it afforded him, and which it seems were sufficient to banish all anxieties but those of love. (a) On his arrival at Ferrara he again attached himself to the service of the cardinal Ippolito; which, however, did not prevent his finishing the poem on which he had been so long employed, and which he published at Ferrara in the year 1515. If Ariosto was disappointed in the conduct of Leo X. he had much more reason to complain of the illiberality and insensibility of his great patron the cardinal, to whom he has inscribed his work in terms of such high commendation; but who, instead of affording him any recom pense for his labours, inquired from him with the indifference of a stupid curiosity, where he had collected together such a number of absurdities. A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI. XVI. A. D. 1518. A. Æt. 43. absurdities.(a) This reproof, which was not CHAP. counterbalanced by any act of kindness on the part of the cardinal, greatly affected the poet; who in the second edition of his poem express- A. Pont. VL ed his sense of it by an Impresa or device, in which he has represented a serpent, towards which a hand is stretched out attempting with a pair of shears to cut off its head, and surrounded by the motto Pro bono malum. This device, in (a) Dove, diavolo, Messer Lodovico, avete pigliate tante coglionerie. Mazzuchelli has altered, in some degree, the phraseology of the cardinal, who, according to his narrative, inquired from Ariosto, Donde mai avesse egli trovate tante minchionerie. Scrittori d'Ital. ii. 1069; but there is reason to believe, that the anecdote is well-founded, and that the merits of Ariosto, like those of Milton, and of all others, whose genius has been superior to the character of the age, were not sufficiently acknowledged in his life-time. "Così fa il mondo degli huomini; non gli conosce mai se non "quando gli ha perduti. Vedi come stava il povero Ari46 osto, uomo excellente; leggi i suoi scritti, e vedi, se il "mondo lo conosceva. Se risuscitasse oggi, ogni principe "lo vorrebbe appresso, ogni persona l'onorerebbe." Doni, la Zucca, p. 105. ap. Mazzuch. Scrittori d'Ital. ii. 1069. P. Aretino, in a letter to Dolce relates, that an expression similar to that made use of by the cardinal, had been applied by one of his servants to the paraphrase of Aretino, of the seven penitential psalms. "Un mio servitor, sen"tendo leggere i miei salmi, disse, mi non so ù Diavolo il "padron si catti tante bagatelle." Note, M. de la Mon noye. Baillet, Jugemens des Sçavans. iv, 48, |