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Aet. 44.

vid, and so continually indulged, should have at length, in a CHAP. XX. superstitious age and country, become so powerful as to mis- A. D. 1588. take occasionally its shapes for substances. The deceptions which are occasionally practised with persons in his situation, were attributed by him then to the tricks of a goblin. Now, thedirection of his fancies was altered; he was employed at leisure in the frequent composition of Socratic dialogues, and his mischievous sprite was converted into a familiar spirit, which taught him to

... Soar with Plato to the empyreal sphere,

To the first good, first perfect, and first fair. *

On the return of Tasso to Naples with the marquis, which happened about the eighth of November, he again repaired to his apartments in the monastery of Mount Olivet. †

**

Essay on Man, II. 23. Cardan, whose vanity carries him extra flammantia moenia mundi, employs a chapter of his life in giving an account of an attendant spirit, under whose particular guardianship he considered himself as being; and his father, he tells us, pretended to the same privilege. "Similes Genii, (says Gabriel Naudaeus,) conceduntur Socrati, Plotino, Ciceroni, Bruto, Cassio, Cæsari, Synesio, Porphyrio, Jamblicho, Chicco Asculano, quin etiam Julio Scaligero, et innumeris aliis, qui vel ambitione ducti, vel in Platonicorum et Cabalistarum scholis innutriti, illud acceptum Geniis suis ferunt, in quo naturae suae sublimitatem mirari citius, et aestimare deberent huc tandem redeo, ut Cardanum ex intemperie quâdam animi nusquam aequalis et compositi, absurda multa fecisse, et minime sibi in omnibus consentanea loquutum fuisse, concludam. Scitum est enim melancholicos omnes, cujusmodi eum fuisse in dubio apud me non est, superbos esse, nimiumque sibi blandientes, et elatos; quia melancholia ventosa facit ingenia, et magnarum rerum, ut nominis, honorum, auctoritatis, desiderio flagrantia." De Cardano Judicium. See Hesiod, Op. et Dies, ver. 121. & Spenser, F. Queene, Book II. Canto 12. St. 47.

+ Serassi, who is in general extremely accurate with regard to dates, supposes that Tasso remained with Manso at Bisaccio almost the whole of October, and part of No

СНАР. ХХ.

A. D. 1588.
Act. 44.

Here, being somewhat renovated by his visit to the country, he resumed his Jerusalem, for the purpose of completing those changes and additions which he had planned. As the

vember; "quasi tutto l'Ottobre, e parte del Novembre, di quell' anno." [1588] This, however, I cannot reconcile with a letter of our poet, first published by Tiraboschi, (Storia della Poesia Ital. Ed. Mathias, vol. III. p. 242,) and dated Naples, 24th October, 1588. This letter is addressed to D. Ferrante, and is exceedingly pathetic. "Many years (says he) I have been constantly infirm, and am at present so, at least as much, if not more than usual; and, indeed, the principal advantage I have hitherto derived from medicine is, not to become worse, Nevertheless, being in a declining age, with a distempered complexion, a disturbed mind, and adverse fortune, nothing can be hoped for without amendment; and much I fear that the close of my sufferings shall not be prosperity, but death. I rise sometimes from these vexing thoughts, as it were from a tempestuous sea, and methinks there then appears not merely a single, but a double harbour. Unable as I am to choose that of philosophy, which I myself would wish, I ought not to refuse to enter into the other, where all human miseries have an end.... I shall go in a few days to the baths of Pozzuolo, or of Ischia, in which are reposed my last hopes. God grant that my poverty may not be an impediment to this remedy." From another letter of Tasso in MS. it would seem he was at Naples on the 9th of November; so that, unless there be an inaccuracy in one of the dates of these two epistles, it would appear that he was at Bisaccio at a different period, or during part of September and October. Perhaps he might have been at Bisaccio at the period mentioned by Serassi, but for a shorter time as Manso says he went thither, "per non molti giorni," and afterward, "essendosene egli nella fine dell' autumno ritornato col Marchese in Napoli."

Cowper, like Tasso, often represents himself as storm-beaten and shipwrecked, a favourite metaphor of our author, in speaking of his misfortunes. Thus, in the Cast-away, written by the English poet in the deepest gloom of his distemper, after giving a versified account of a man, who, in Anson's voyage, is described as falling over-board in a storm, and is forced to be abandoned to the waves, he concludes with saying, that

-Misery still delights to trace
Its semblance in another's case.

No voice divine the storm allay'd,
No light propitious shone,
When, snatch'd from all effectual aid,
We perish'd each alone;

A. D. 1588.

Aet. 44.

Count of Paleno, however, far from being deterred by the CHAP. XX. prohibition of his father, was still eager, in a very high degree, to be the host of our poet, and importuned him for this purpose; he, either tired of Naples, or, in order not to be a cause of discord between the count and the prince his father, alleged that he was under a necessity of returning to Rome. His motive for this, he said, was to recover, by means of Cataneo, some of his works which he had left at Bergamo in the hands of Licino; and to hasten also the arrival of his books from Mantua, as he had heard nothing satisfactory concerning them, during the year which had now elapsed since his departure from that court. He was the more readily induced to leave Naples for some time, since this could be no hindrance to his lawsuit, as he had not yet discovered who were to be the defendants. He had repeatedly

But I beneath a rougher sea,

And whelm'd in deeper gulphs than he.

Life, iv. 184.

Writing, too, (when in the same condition,) of a journey to the coast, and contrasting the effect of its scenery on his own mind with that of a friend, he thus expresses himself:

To me the waves that ceaseless broke,

Upon the dangerous coast,

Hoarsely, and ominously, spoke

Of all my treasure lost.

Your sea of troubles you have past,
And found the peaceful shore;

I tempest-toss'd, and wreck'd at last,

Come home to port no more.

Ibid. p. 282.

CHAP. XX.
A. D. 1588.
Aet, 44.

Tasso leaves Naples.

written both for documents, and for his books, to different friends, both in Bergamo and Mantua; and it is difficult to account for their inattention and indifference. He had also addressed a letter to the Duke Vincenzo, who he feared had retained his books as pledges, or hostages for his faith, beseeching that he would give up them, as he had already liberated himself. Tasso remarked, that of his fidelity and respect, the duke had much better security (than his books,) in his attachment, and in his strong and lasting gratitude for so many and so signal favours. He added, that, as his health was now despaired of, he hoped that Vincenzo would at least deign to favour him in his studies, which were now his only consolation. *

Torquato, having thus formed the resolution of quitting Naples, he took leave of the good monks, who had received and treated him with such kindness, and went to spend some days with Alexander de' Grassi, a native of Bergamo, and distant relation. By this gentleman he was hospitably entertained, and, being kindly furthered on his journey, he arrived at Rome on the ninth of December, 1588.

+ Vol. IX. p. 175. The letter is dated Naples, September 24. 1588.

CHAPTER XXI.

Distressful situation of Tasso on his arrival at Rome.-He abides in the monastery of Santa Maria Nuova.-His literary employments.-Is dismissed the house of Cardinal Gonzaga.-Resides in an hospital.-Is invited to Florence.Graciously received by the Grand Duke.—Returns to Rome. -His disappointments there.-Tasso leaves Rome, and visits Mantua.

A. D. 1588-1591.

Aet. 44-47.

Aet. 44.

NEVER, as has been seen from the preceding story, was CHAP. XXI. the trite maxim, that the life of a literary man is to be found A. D. 1588. in his writings, less applicable to a biography than to that of Tasso. By all who view the number of his compositions, it would be at once supposed, that they were the labours of a man who enjoyed a long protracted existence of uninterrupted ease, health, and leisure. It would appear, however, that a life of agitation, unless excessive, is favourable to study;

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