His chisel bid the Hebrew, (1) at whose word The Ghibelline, who traversed the three realms The genius of my country shall arise, Fragrant as fair, and recognised afar, Wafting its native incense through the skies. Sovereigns shall pause amidst their sport of war, Wean'd for an hour from blood, to turn and gaze On canvass or on stone; and they who mar All beauty upon earth, compell'd to praise, Shall feel the power of that which they destroy; in the train, I cannot say of his imitators, but of his admirers. I have taken another course, one more suited to my abilities, and to the taste of the times in which I live. Yet, however unequal I feel myself to that attempt, were I now to begin the world again, I would tread in the steps of that great master. To kiss the hem of his garment, to catch the slightest of his perfections, would be glory and distinction enough for an ambitious man." Sir Joshua Reynolds's Discourses, vol ii., p. 216.—L. E. (1) The statue of Moses, on the monument of Julius I!. SONETTO Di Giovanni Battista Zappi. Chi è costui, che in dura pietra scolto, Onor del mento, e 'l doppio raggio in fronte, Acque ei sospese a se d' intorno, e tale "And who is he that, shaped in sculptured stone, But had they raised this awe-commanding form, (2) The Last Judgment, in the Sistine Chapel.-["It is obvious, throughout Michael Angelo's works, that the poetical mind of Dante influenced his feelings. The demons in the Last Judgment, with all their mixed and various pas sions, may find a prototype in La Divina Commedia. The figures rising from the grave mark his study of L'Inferno e il Purgatorio, and the subject of the Brazen Serpent, in the Sistine Chapel, must remind every reader of canto xxv. dell' Inferno, where the flying serpents, the writhings and con tortions of the human body from envenomed wounds, are described with pathos and horror; and the execution of ilaman, in the opposite angle of the same ceiling, is doub:less designed from these lines, Poi piovve dentro all' alta fantasia Un crocifisso dispettoso e hero And Art's mistaken gratitude shall raise To tyrants who but take her for a toy Emblems and monuments, and prostitute Her charms to pontiff's proud, (4) who but employ The man of genius as the meanest brute To bear a burthen, and to serve a need, To sell his labours, and his soul to boot. Who toils for nations may be poor indeed, But free; who sweats for monarchs is no more Than the gilt chamberlain, who, clothed and fee'd, Stands sleek and slavish, bowing at his door. Oh, Power, that rulest and inspirest! how Is it that they on earth, whose earthly power Is likest thine in heaven in outward show, Least like to thee in attributes divine, Tread on the universal necks that bow, And then assure us that their rights are thine? And how is it that they, the sons of fame, Whose inspiration seems to them to shine From high, they whom the nations oftest name, Must pass their days in penury or pain, Or step to grandeur through the paths of shame, And wear a deeper brand and gaudier chain? Or if their destiny be born aloof Nella sua vista, e cotal si moria. Ester sua sposa, e 'l giusto Mardocheo, Che fu al dire ed al far così 'ntero.'" Duppa.-L. E.] (3) I bave read somewhere (if I do not err, for I cannot recollect where,) that Dante was so great a favourite of Michael Angelo's, that he had designed the whole of the Divina Commedia; but that the volume containing these studies was lost by sea.-" Michael Angelo's copy of Dante," says Duppa, "was a large folio, with Landino's commentary; and upon the broad margin of the leaves he designed, with a pen and ink, all the interesting subjects. This book was possessed by Antonio Montauti, a sculptor and architect of Florence, who, being appointed architect to St. Peter's, removed to Rome, and shipped his effects at Leghorn for Civita Vecchia, among which was this edition of Dante: in the voyage the vessel foundered at sea, and it was unfortunately lost in the wreck."-L. E.] (4) See the treatment of Michael Angelo by Julius II., and his neglect by Leb X.-[Julius II. was no sooner seated on the papal throne than he was surrounded by men of genius, and Michael Angelo was among the first invited to his court. The Pope had a personal attachment to him, and conversed with him upon every subject, as well as sculpture, with familiarity and friendship; and, that he might visit him frequently, and with perfect convenience, caused a covered bridge to be made from the Vatican palace to his study, to enable him to pass at all times without being observed. On paying his visit one morning, Michael Angelo was rudely interrupted by the person in waiting, who said, "I have an order not to let you enter." Michael felt with indignation this unmerited disgrace, and, in the warmth of resentment, desired him to tell the Pope, "from that time forward, if his Holiness should want him, he should have to seek him in another place." On his return home, he ordered his servants to sell the furniture in bis house to the Jews, and to follow him to Florence. Himself. the same evening, took post, and arrived at Poggibonzi castle, in Tuscany, before he rested. The Pope despatched five couriers, with orders to conduct him back: but he was not overtaken until he was in a foreign state. A reconcili ation was, however, a few months after, effected at Bologna, through the mediation of the gonfaloniere. As Michael Angelo entered the presence chamber, the Pope gave him an askance look of displeasure, and after a short pause saluted him, "In the stead of your coming to us, you seem to have expected that we should wait upon you." Michael Angelo replied, with submission, that his error arose from too hastily feeling a disgrace that he was unconscious of meriting, and hoped his Holiness would pardon what was past. The Pope thereupon gave him his benediction, and restored him to his friendship. The whole reign of Leo X. was a blank in the life of Michael Angelo. Duppa.-L. E.] THE PROPHECY OF DANTE. From lowliness, or tempted thence in vain, In their own souls sustain a harder proof, The inner war of passions deep and fierce? Florence! when thy harsh sentence razed my roof, loved thee; but the vengeance of my verse, The hate of injuries which every year Makes greater, and accumulates my curse, Shall live, outliving all thou holdest dear, Thy pride, thy wealth, thy freedom, and even that, For such sway is not limited to kings, Which make men hate themselves, and one another, (1) In his Convito, Dante speaks of his banishment, and the poverty and distress which attended it, in very affecting terms:-"Alas!" said he, "had it pleased the Dispenser of the Universe that the occasion of this excuse had never existed; that neither others had committed wrong against me, nor 1 suffered unjustly; suffered, I say, the punishment of exile and of poverty; since it was the pleasure of the citizens of that fairest and most renowned daughter of Rome, Florence, to cast me forth out of her sweet bosom, in which I had my birth and nourishment, even to the ripeness of my age, and in which, with her good-will, I desire, with all my heart, to rest this wearied spirit of mine, and to terminate the time allotted to me on earth. Wandering over almost every part, to which this our language extends, I have gone about like a mendicant, showing against my will the wound with which fortune has smitten me, and which is often imputed to his ill-deserving on whom it is inflicted. I have, indeed, been a vessel without sail and without steerage, carried about to divers ports, and roads, and shores, by the dry wind that springs out of sad poverty, and have appeared before the eyes of many who, perhaps, from some report that had reached them, had imagined me of a different form; in whose sight not only my person was disparaged, but every action of mine became of less value, as well those already performed, as those which yet remained for me to attempt."-L. E. (2) About the year 1316, the friends of Dante succeeded in obtaining his restoration to his country and his possessions, on condition that he should pay a certain sum of money, and, entering a church, there avow himself guilty, and ask pardon of the republic. The following was his answer, on this occasion, to one of his kinsmen:-"From your letter, which I received with due respect and affection, I observe how much you have at heart my restoration to my country. I am bound to you the more gratefully, that an exile rarely finds a friend. But, after mature consideration, I must, by my answer, disappoint the wishes of some little minds; and I confide in the judgment to which your impartiality and prudence will lead you. Your nephew and mine has written to me, what indeed had been mentioned by many other friends, that, by a decree concerning the exiles, I am allowed to return to Florence, provided I pay a certain sum of money, and submit to the humiliation of asking and receiving absolution: wherein, my father, I see two propositions that are ridiculous and impertinent. I speak of the impertinence of those who mention such conditions to me: for in your letter, dictated by judgment and discretion, there is no such thing. Is such an invitation to return to his country glorious for Dante, after suffering in exile almost fifteen years? Is it thus, then, they would recompense innocence which all the world knows, and the labour and fatigue of unremitting study? Far from the man who is familiar with philosophy be the senseless baseness of 341 Who has the whole world for a dungeon strong, Seas, mountains, and the horizon's verge for bars, Which shut him from the sole small spot of earth Where whatsoe'er his fate--he still were hers, His country's, and might die where he had birth— Florence! when this lone spirit shall return To kindred spirits, thou wilt feel my worth, And seek to honour with an empty urn The ashes thou shalt ne'er obtain (2)~~Alas! Raised by thy will, all thine in peace or war, Beholding with the dark eye of a seer a tear, And make them own the Prophet in his tomb. (4) a heart of earth, that could do like a little sciolist, and imitate the infamy of some others, by offering himself up as it were in chains. Far from the man who cries aloud for justice this compromise, by his money, with his persecutors! No, my father, this is not the way that shall lead me back to my country. But I shall return with hasty steps, if you or any other can open to me a way that shall not derogate from the fame and honour of Dante; but if by no such way Florence can be entered, then Florence I shall never enter. What! shall I not every where enjoy the sight of the sun and stars? and may I not seek and contemplate, in every corner of the earth under the canopy of heaven, consoling and delightful truth, without first rendering myself inglorious, nay infamous, to the people and republic of Florence? Bread, I hope, will not fail me." Yet he continued to experience "How salt the savour is of others' bread, His countrymen persecuted even his memory: he was excommunicated after death by the Pope.-L. E. (3) "E scrisse più volte non solamente a particolari cittadini del reggimento, ma ancora al popolo, e intra l' altre una epistola assai lunga che comincia :-' Popule mi, quid feci tibi?'"-Vita di Dante, scritta da Lionardo Aretino. (4) Dante died at Ravenna in 1321, in the palace of his patron, Guido Novello da Polenta, who testified his sorrow and respect by the sumptuousness of his obsequies, and by giving orders to erect a monument, which he did not live to complete. His countrymen showed, too late, that they knew the value of what they had lost. At the beginning of the next century, they entreated that the mortal remains of their illustrious citizen might be restored to them, and deposited among the tombs of their fathers. But the people of Ravenna were unwilling to part with the sad and honourable memorial of their own hospitality. No better success attended the subsequent negotiations of the Florentines for the same purpose, though renewed under the auspices of Leo X., and conducted through the powerful mediation of Michael Angelo. Never did any poem rise so suddenly into notice, after the death of its author, as the Divina Commedia. About the year 1350, Giovanni Visconti, Archbishop of Milan, selected six of the most learned men in Italy, two divines, two philosophers, and two Florentines,-and gave them in charge to contribute their joint endeavours towards the compilation of an ample comment, a copy of which is preserved in the Laurentian library. At Florence, a public lecture was founded for the purpose of explaining a poem, which was at the same time the boast and the disgrace of the city. The decree for this institution was passed in 1373; and in that year Boccaccio was appointed, with a salary of a hundred florins, to deliver lectures in one of the churches The Blues; A LITERARY ECLOCUE. (1) "Nimium ne crede colori."--Virgil. O trust not, ye beautiful creatures, to hue, Though your hair were as red as your stockings are blue. ECLOGUE FIRST. London-Before the Door of a Lecture Room. Enter TRACY, meeting INKEL. Ink. You're too late. Is it over? Tra. Ink. Nor will be this hour. But the benches are cramm'd, like a garden in flower, With the pride of our belles, who have made it the fashion; [passion" So, instead of "beaux arts," we may say "la belle For learning, which lately has taken the lead in The world, and set all the fine gentlemen reading. Tra. I know it too well, and have worn out my patience With studying to study your new publications. There's Vamp, Scamp, and Mouthy, and Wordswords and Co. (2) With their damnable- on the first of their poets. The example of Florence was speedily followed by Bologna, Pisa, Piacenza, and Venice. It is only within a few years, that the merits of this great and original poet were attended to and made known in this country. And this seems to be owing to a translation of the very pathetic story of Count Ugolino; to the judicious and spirited summary given of this poem in the 31st section of the History of English Poetry; and to Mr. Hayley's translations of the three cantos of the Inferno. believed," says Ugo Foscolo, "that, by his sufferings on earth, he atoned for the errors of humanity Ma la bontà divina ha si gran braccia, Che prende ciò che si rivolge a leì.' So wide arms Hath goodness infinite, that it receives All who turn to it.' "Dante And he seems to address Heaven in the attitude of a worshipper, rather than a suppliant. Being convinced that Man is then truly happy when he freely exercises all his energies,' he walked through the world with an assured step, 'keeping his vigils' So that nor night nor slumber with close stealth He collected the opinions, the follies, the vicissitudes, the miseries, and the passions that agitate mankind; and left behind him a monument which, while it humbles us by the representation of our own wretchedness, should make us glory that we partake of the same nature with such a man, and encourage us to make the best use of our fleeting existence."-L. E. (1) This trifle, which Lord Byron has himself designated as "a mere buffoonery, never meant for publication," was written in 1820, and first appeared in The Liberal. The personal allusions in which it abounds are, for the most Ink. And think you that I Can stand tamely in silence, to hear you decry The Muses? Tra. Excuse me: I meant no offence To the Nine; though the number who make some pretence To their favours is such--But, the subject to drop, That it is, as the phrase goes, extremely “refreshing." Ink. Very true; 't is so soft And so cooling-they use it a little too oft; And the papers have got it at last-but no matter. So they've cut up our friend then? Tra. Not left him a tatterNot a rag of his present or past reputation, part, sufficiently intelligible; and, with a few exceptions, so good-humoured, that the parties concerned may be expected to join in the laugh. "About the year 1781, it was much the fashion for several ladies to have evening assemblies, where the fair sex might participate in conversation with literary and ingenious men, animated by a desire to please. These societies were denominated Blue-stocking Clubs; the origin of which title being little known, it may be worth while to relate it. One of the most eminent members of those societies, when they first commenced, was Mr. Stillingfleet, whose dress was remarkably grave, and in particular it was observed that he wore blue stockings. Such was the excellence of his conversation, and his absence was felt as so great a loss, that it used to be said, We can do nothing without the blue-stockings; and thus by degrees the title was established." Croker's Boswell, vol. iv. p. 480. Sir William Forbes, in his Life of Dr. Beattie, says, that "a foreigner of distinction hearing the expression, translated it literally Bas Bleu,' by which these meetings came to be distinguished. Miss Hannah More, who was herself a member, has written a poem with the title of Bas Bleu, in allusion to this mistake of the foreigner, in which she has characterised most of the eminent personages of which it was composed."-L. E (2) See the stanzas on Messrs. Wordsworth and Southey in Don Juan.-L. E. (3) Paternoster-row-long and still celebrated as a very bazaar of booksellers. Sir Walter Scott "hitches into rhyme" one of the most important firms-that "Of Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, (4) This cant phrase was first used in the Edinburgh Review probably by Mr. Jeffrey... E. Which they call a disgrace to the age and the nation. Ink. I'm sorry to hear this! for friendship, you know Our poor friend!—but I thought it would terminate so. Our friendship is such, I'll read nothing to shock it. You don't happen to have the Review in your pocket? Tra. No; I left a round dozen of authors and others (Very sorry, no doubt, since the cause is a brother's) All scrambling and jostling, like so many imps, And on fire with impatience to get the next glimpse. Ink. Let us join them. Tra. What! won't you return to the lecture? Besides, our friend Scamp is to-day so absurd- The angel! Ink. The devil! why, man! Pray get out of this hobble as fast as you can. You wed with Miss Lilac! 't would be your perdition: She's a poet, a chemist, a mathematician. Tra. I say she's an angel. Ink. Say rather an angle. If you and she marry, you'll certainly wrangle. (1) I say she's a Blue, man, as blue as the ether. Tra. And is that any cause for not coming together? Ink. Humph! I can't say I know any happy alliance Which has lately sprung up from a wedlock with science. She's so learned in all things, and fond of concerning Herself in all matters connected with learning, (1) "Her favourite science was the mathematicalIn short, she was a walking calculation, Miss Edgeworth's novels stepping from their covers, Morality's prim personification- That Tra. Ink. What? I perhaps may as well hold my tongue; But there's five hundred people can tell you you're wrong. Tra. You forget Lady Lilac 's as rich as a Jew. Ink. Is it miss or the cash of mamma you pursue? Tra. Why, Jack, I'll be frank with you-something of both. The girl's a fine girl. Ink. And you feel nothing loth To her good lady-mother's reversion; and yet Her life is as good as your own, I will bet. Tra. Let her live, and as long as she likes; I demand [hand. Nothing more than the heart of her daughter and Ink. Why, that heart's in the inkstand-that hand on the pen. Tra. Apropos-Will you write me a song now and Ink. To what purpose? [then? Tra. You know, my dear friend, that in prose My talent is decent, as far as it goes; But in rhyme-Ink. You're a terrible stick, to be sure. Tra. I own it: and yet, in these times, there's no For the heart of the fair like a stanza or two; [lure And so, as I can't, will you furnish a few? Ink. In your name? Tra. In my name. I will copy them out, To slip into her hand at the very next rout. Ink. Are you so far advanced as to hazard this? Tra. Why, Do you think me subdued by a Blue-stocking's eye, So far as to tremble to tell her in rhyme What I've told her in prose, at the least, as sublime? Ink. As sublime! If it be so, no need of my Muse. Tra. But consider, dear Inkel, she's one of the "Blues." Ink. As sublime!—Mr. Tracy—I've nothing to say. Stick to prose-As sublime!!-but I wish you good day. Tra. Nay, stay, my dear fellow-consider-I'm I own it; but, prithee, compose me the song. [wrong; Ink. As sublime!! Tra. soon That pleasure's to come. Why so? I have heard people say And I own, for my own part, that 't is not unpleasant. But let us proceed; for I think, by the hum Ink. Very true; let us go, then, before they can come, Or else we'll be kept here an hour at their levy, All flocking to moisten their exquisite throttles [Exit TRACY. Messrs. Southey and Sotheby.-L. E. “My Grandmother's Review, the British." See Moore's Life of Lord Byron. This heavy journal has since been gathered to its grandmothers.-L. E. (3) The Journal de Trevoux (in fifty-six volumes) is one of the most curious collections of literary gossip in the world, and the Poet paid the British Review an extravagant compliment when he made this comparison.-L. E. (4) "Sotheby is a good man-rhymes well (if not wisely); but is a bore. He seizes you by the button. One night of a rout at Mrs. Hope's, he had fastened upon me-(something about Agamemnon, or Orestes, or some of his plays) ECLOGUE SECOND. An Apartment in the House of LADY BLUEBOTTLE, -A Table prepared. SIR RICHARD BLUEBOTTLE solus. Sir Rich. Was there ever a man who was married In science and art, I'll be cursed if I know Enter LADY BLUEBOTTLE, MISS LILAC, LADY Lady Blueb. Ah! Sir Richard, good morning; Lady Blueb. But the luncheon attends. I pray ye be seated, " sans cérémonie." Mr. Scamp, you 're fatigued; take your chair there, [They all sit. next me. Sir Rich. (aside.) If he does, his fatigue is to come. Lady Blueb. Mr. TracyLady Bluemount-Miss Lilac-be pleased, pray, to place ye; And you, Mr. Botherby Both. I obey. Oh, my dear Lady, Lady Blueb. Mr. Inkel, I ought to upbraid ye: You were not at the lecture. Ink. Excuse me, I was; But the heat forced me out in the best part--alas! -notwithstanding my symptoms of manifest distress-(for I was in love, and just nicked a minute when neither mothers, nor husbands, nor rivals, nor gossips were near my then idl, who was beautiful as the statues of the gallery where we stood at the time). Sotheby, I say, had seized upon me by the button and the heart-strings, and spared neither. William Spencer, who likes fun, and don't dislike mischief, saw my case, and, coming up to us both, took me by the hand, and pathetically bade me farewell; 'for,' said he, I see it is all over with you.' Sotheby then went away: sic me servavit Apollo.'" B. Diary, 1821.–L E. |