In the year 1516, he married Alessandra Serristori, a lady of great beauty, by whom he had a numerous offspring. The rank and talents of Alamanni recommended him to the notice and friendship of the cardinal Giulio de' Medici, who, during the latter part of the pontificate of Leo X. governed on the behalf of that pontiff the city of Florence. The rigid restrictions imposed by the cardinal on the inhabitants, by which they were, among other marks of subordination, prohibited from carrying arms under severe penalties, excited the indignation of many of the younger citizens of noble families, who could ill brook the loss of their independence, and among the rest of Alamanni; who, forgetting the friend in the patriot, not only joined in a conspiracy against the cardinal immediately after the death of Leo X., but is said to have undertaken to assassinate him with his own hand.* His associates were Zanobio Buondelmonti, Jacopo da Diaceto, Antonio Brucioli, and several other persons of distinguished talents, who appear to have been desirous of restoring the ancient liberty of the republic, without sufficiently reflecting on the mode by which it was to be accomplished. The designs of the conspirators were, however, discovered, and Alamanni was under the necessity of saving himself by flight. After many adventures and vicissitudes, in the course of which he returned to Florence and took an active part in the commotions that agitated his country, he finally withdrew to France, where he met with a kind and honourable reception from Francis I., who was a great admirer of Italian poetry, and not only conferred on him the order of S. Michael, but employed him in many important missions. 91 On the marriage of Henry, duke of Orleans, afterwards Henry II., with Catherine de' Medici, Alamanni was appointed her maître d'hôtel; and the reward of his services enabled him to secure to himself great emoluments, and to establish his family in an honourable situation in France. The writings of Alamanni are very numerous; 92 but his most admired production is his didactic poem, "La Coltivazione," written in versi sciolti, and addressed by him to Catherine de' Medici, by a letter, in which he requests her to present it to Francis I. 93 This work, which

*Varchi Istor. Fior. lib. v. p. 108.

Alamanni completed in six books, and which he appears to have undertaken rather in competition with, than in imitation of, the "Georgics," is written not only with great elegance and correctness of style, but with a very extensive knowledge of the subject on which he professes to treat, and contains many passages which may bear a comparison with the most celebrated parts of the work of his immortal predecessor. His tragedy of Antigone," translated from Sophocles, is also considered by Fontanini as one of the best dramatic pieces in the Italian tongue; but his epic romances of the "Avarchide,' "94 and the "Girone Cortese, 95 both written in ottava rima, have not had the good fortune to obtain for their author any considerable share of applause.

"

From this brief review of some of the principal Italian poets who wrote in the pontificate of Leo X., it will not be difficult to perceive, that they may be divided into four distinct classes. I. Such as continued to adopt in their writings, although in different degrees, the rude and imperfect style of composition which was used towards the latter part of the preceding century. II. The admirers of Petrarca, who considered him as the model of a true poetic diction, and closely imitated his manner in their writings. III. Those who, depending on the vigour of their own genius, adopted such a style of composition as they conceived expressed, in the most forcible and explicit manner, the sentiments which they had to communicate. And, IV. Those authors who followed the example of the ancients, not only in the manner of treating their subjects, but in the frequent use of the versi sciolti, and in the simplicity and purity of their diction. That in each of these departments a considerable number of writers, besides those before mentioned, might be enumerated, will readily be perceived; but the limited object of the present work will be sufficiently obtained, by de monstrating the encouragement which the poets of the time derived from Leo X., and the proficiency made during his pontificate in this most popular and pleasing branch of literature. It is to this period that we are to trace back those abundant streams which have now diffused themselves throughout the rest of Europe; and although some of them may be pursued to a still higher fountain, yet it was not until this time that they began to flow in a clear and certain course. The laws of

lyric composition, as prescribed by the example of Sanazzaro, Bembo, Molza, and Vittoria Colonna, have since been adopted by the two Tassos, Tansillo, Costanzo, Celio Magno, Guidi, Filicaja, and a long train of other writers; who have carried this kind of composition, and particularly the higher species of ode, to a degree of excellence hitherto unattained in any other country. In epic poetry, the great work of Ariosto excited an emulation, which in the course of the sixteenth century, produced an immense number of poems on similar subjects; many of which are of great extent, and some of which, if they have not equalled the “Orlando Furioso" in fertility of invention and variety of description, have excelled it in regularity and classical chastity of design, and have displayed all those poetical graces that, without surprising, delight the reader. If to the satires of Ariosto, we add those of Ercole Bentivolio, who was nearly his contemporary, and which are written on a similar model, we shall be compelled to acknowledge that neither these, nor the singular productions of Berni, Bini, Mauro, and their associates, have in any degree been rivalled in subsequent times. Nor have the later writers of blank verse, among whom may be enumerated Annibale Caro, Marchetti, and Salvini, greatly improved upon the correct and graceful example displayed in the writings of Rucellai, Alamanni, the cardinal Ippolito de' Medici, and frequently in those of Trissino.

With respect to the drama, much, however, remained to be done. Neither the "Sofonisba " of Trissino, nor the "Rosmunda or "Oreste of Rucellai, although highly to be commended when compared with the works which preceded them, and when considered with relation to the times in which they were produced, can be regarded as perfect models of tragedy, adapted to theatrical representation. It must also be observed that the efforts of the cardinal da Bibbiena, and even of Ariosto, to introduce a better style of comic writing, are rather scholastic attempts to imitate the ancient writers, than examples of that true comedy which represents, by living portraits, the follies, the vices, and the manners of the age. It is only in later times that the dramatic works of Maffei, of Metastasio, of Alfieri, and of Monti, have effectually removed from their

country the reproach of having been inferior, in this great de. partment of letters, to the rest of Europe. In comedy, the Italians have been yet more negligent; for between the dry and insipid performances of the early writers, and the extravagant, low, and burlesque exhibitions of Goldoni, Chiari, and similar authors of modern comedy, lies a spacious field, in which the genius of a Molière, a Goldsmith, or a Sheridan, would not fail to discover innumerable objects of pursuit and of

anusement.

CHAPTER XVII.

1518.

Improvement in classical literature-Jacopo Sadoleti-Latin writings of Bembo-Giovanni Aurelio Augurelli-His Chrysopoiea-Latin writings of Sanazzaro-His poem, De Partu Virginis-Girolamo Vida-His Christiad -His Poetics-Girolamo Fracastoro-His poem entitled Syphilis--Andrea Navagero-Marc Antonio Flaminio-His writings-Latin poetry cultivated at Rome-Guido Postumo Silvestri-Giovanni Mozzarello-Latin extemporary poets-Raffaello Brandolini-Andrea Marone-Camillo Querno and others-Baraballo di Gaeta-Giovanni Gorizio a patron of learning at Rome -The Coryciana-Francesco Arsilli-His Latin poem De Poetis Urbanis. FROM the time of the revival of letters in Italy, the poesia volgare, or poetry of the national tongue, had experienced many vicissitudes; having at some periods shone with distinguished lustre, and at others been again obscured by dark and unexpected clouds; but classical learning, and particularly Latin poetry, had made a steady and uniform progress, and in the course of one hundred and fifty years, during which a long succession of eminent scholars had continually improved upon their predecessors, had at length nearly attained to the highest degree of excellence. The pontificate of Leo X. was destined to give a last impulse to these studies; for if there was any department of literature, the professors of which he regarded with more partiality, and rewarded with greater munificence than those of another, it was undoubtedly that of Latin poetry. Nor had this partiality first manifested itself on his ascending the pontifical throne; whilst he yet held the rank of cardinal, the Italian scholars had been well prepared by his conduct to judge of the favour and encouragement which they would be likely to experience, if that fortunate event should take place; and we have already seen, that in the very commencement of his pontificate, he was saluted by them as the person destined to restore the honours of literature, and to revive the glories of the Augustan age.

VOL II.