" XVII. CHAP. excellent English critic considers them as the most perfect of all the compositions of their author, and as "one of the first, if "not the very first piece of criticism, that appeared in Italy since the revival of learning."(a) A. D. 1518. A. Pont. VI. 66 In his poem of the Christiad, Vida has avoided the error into which Sanazzaro has fallen, in mingling the profane fables of the heathen mythology with the mysteries of the Christian religion; and like Milton, seeks for inspiration only from the great fountain of life and of truth. Although he placed Virgil before him as his principal model, and certainly regarded him with sentiments next to adoration, as may appear from the conclusion of the third book of his poetics, yet he knew how to fix the limits of his imitation; and whilst he availed himself of the style and manner, and sometimes even of the language of the great Mantuan, he sought not to give to his writings a classic air, by the introduction of such persons and imagery, as could violate probability, nature, and truth. Hence (a) Warton's Essay on the genius, &c. of Pope, vol. i. p. 197. XVII. Hence, whilst the poem of Sanazzaro, seems CHAP. to be the production of an idolater, who believes not in the truths which he affects to inculcate, and frequently verges on the confines of indecency or incongruity, the writings of Vida display a sincere and fervent piety, a contempt of meretricious ornament, and an energetic simplicity of language, which will secure to them unmingled and lasting approbation. A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI. Girolamo In the first class of Italian scholars at this period, we may also confidently place Giro- Fracastoro. lamo Fracastoro; who was not less distinguished by his skill in medicine and his uncommon scientific acquirements, than by his great and acknowledged talents for Latin poetry. He was a native of Verona, where his ancestors had long held a respectable station. The time of his birth may be placed with tolerable certainty in the year 1483. Some peculiar circumstances attended his infancy, which his future eminence has perhaps caused to be more particularly noticed. At the time of his birth, his lips adhered together in such a manner as scarcely allowed him to breathe, and a surgical operation became necessary in order to remedy the defect. This incident is com VOL. III. D D memorated CHA P. A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI, memorated in an epigram of Julius Cæsar Scaliger, which may thus be imitated:(a) Thine infant lips, FRACASTOR, nature seal'd, An awful event which occurred in the infancy of Fracastoro has also been considered as a presage of his future eminence. Whilst his mother was carrying him in her arms she was struck dead by lightning, but her child received not the slightest injury. This singular fact is attested by such decisive evidence (a) "Os Fracastorio nascenti defuit, ergo "Inde hauri, Medicusque ingens, ingensque Poeta, "Et magno facies omnia plena Deo." These lines have also been paraphrased by the Cavalier Marini, in the softer language of Italy: "Al Fracastor nascente, "Mancò la bocca; allora il biondo Dio, "Con arte diligente, "Di sua man gliela fece, e gliel 'aprio, 66 Quinci ei divin divenne; ed egualmente dence as to place it beyond all reasonable CHAP. XVII. doubt.(a) After having received a liberal education in his native place, Fracastoro repaired to Padua, where he for some time availed himself of the instructions of the celebrated Pietro Pomponazzo, and formed a friendly intimacy with several persons who afterwards rose to great literary eminence. The authority of his instructor did not, however, lead Fracastoro to embrace his singular and erroneous opinions in metaphysics, some of which he afterwards confuted in one of his dialogues, although without expressly naming his former tutor.(b) He early perceived the futility of the barbarous and scholastic philosophy which Pomponazzo professed, and directed his whole attention to the cultivation of real science, of DD 2 natural (a) Fracastorius mira vitæ incunabula a divina fata"lique cœlestium numinum benignitate auspicatus est. "Matrem enim infans adhuc, et tantum non vagiens, cum " ipsa ei in sinu subsultanti blandulos garriret jocos, ictu "fulminis horribili confectam illæsus sensit, si modo sentire potuit." Franc. Pola, ap. Menckenium, in vita Fracastorii, p. 30.. (b) Tiraboschi, Storia della Lett. Ital. vii. par. i. p. 66 A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI. CHAP. A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI. natural knowledge, and of every branch of polite literature. At the age of nineteen, he had not only received the laurel, the emblem of the highest academical degree at Padua, but was appointed professor of logic in that university, which office he relinquished a few years afterwards, that he might attend with less interruption to his own improvement.(a) He at first applied himself to the study of medicine rather as a science than as a profession; but afterwards engaged with great assiduity in the laborious duty of a physician, and was regarded as the most skilful practitioner in Italy. His engagements in this respect did not, however, prevent him from other pursuits, and his proficiency in mathematics, in cosmography, in astronomy, and other branches of natural science, have given just reason to suppose, that no other person in those times united in himself such a variety of knowledge.(b) The irruption of the emperor elect Maximilian into Italy, in the year 1507, and the dangers with which the city of Padua was threatened, induced Fracastoro, who (a) Maffei, Veron. v. iii. par. ii. p. 337. ap. Tirab. Storia della Lett. Ital. vii. iii. 293. in not. Ed. Rom. 1785. (b) Tirab. Storia della Lett. Ital. vii. iii. 293. |
