CHAR flowers of summer bloomed in the midst of XVII. winter, as attempt to conceal a truth which is demonstrated by every line of his work; there

A. D. 1518.

A. Et. 43.

4. Pont. VI. being scarcely a person of any eminence mentioned by him, who was not indebted to Leo X. for the competence, and perhaps for the credit, which he enjoyed. On the merits of Sadoleti and of Bembo, this author has dwelt with peculiar complacency.

Hence numerous are the bards that Rome infolds In her maternal bosom; heirs of fame

Of Venice nurs'd, could'st tune thy infant voice

To notes of Tuscan melody, or wake

To Latian sounds the elegiac lyre,

From amorous Pan as Galatea flies.

Sing'st thou the hero's praise? thy rival verse
Aspires to emulate his deeds, and bears
The palm of excellence from every age.
Or if to narrower bounds confined, thou know'st
To rein thy steed and bend thy fervid wheels
Within prescriptive limits. These the bards
Of kindred mind, amid th' Idalian groves
Oft social wander, emulous to crop.

Their brightest flowers; and when the sister-train
Of Phoebus seek on Aganippe's brink
A shelter from the day-star's burning rage,
Then to her lyre Calliope attunes

Their melting numbers, that like music sweet
Sink deep into the vacant mind; and they,
The tuneful maids, responsive to the song,
In choral harmony applaud the strain.

This poem, as published in the Coryciana, consists of only one hundred and ninety-two distichs; but Tiraboschi had the good fortune to obtain another copy in the hand-writing of the author, which is enlarged by the addition of many other names and extends to three hundred and twenty-seven distichs. The perusal of this poem will afford the admirer of Latin poetry a characteristic idea of the numerous authors there mentioned; and the republication of it, at the close of the present volume, may therefore relieve us from the necessity of prosecuting our researches on a subject, which, if pursued, would carry us beyond the limits to which this portion of the present work must necessarily be confined.

CHAP.
XVII.

A. D. 1518.

A. Et. 43.

A. Pont, VI.

1518-1519.

SELIM usurps the Ottoman throne-Defeats the Sophi of Persia-Conquers EgyptApprehensions entertained for the safety of Europe-Leo X. endeavours to form an alliance among the Christian powers-Publishes a general truce for five years-His plan of an offensive league against the Turks-The Christian sovereigns engage only in a defensive alliance-Marriage of Lorenzo de' Medici with Madelaine de Tours-Munificence of the pope on that occasion-Charles of Austria endeavours to obtain the title of king of the Romans and the investiture of NaplesDeath of the emperor elect MaximilianCharles of Austria and Francis I. contend for the imperial crown-Views and conduct of Leo X.-Election of the emperor Charles V. -Death of Lorenzo duke of Urbino-Ippolito de' Medici-Alessandro de' Medici-Consequences of the death of Lorenzo-State of the Florentine government-Memoir of Machiavelli-The cardinal de' Medici directs the affairs of Tuscany-Urbino united to the dominions of the church.