1832.] Ugo Foscolo, and ike Italian Pods. 85 



to have raised his literary character, both in the eyes of his biographer 

 and of the public. These are, the surprising extent of his memory, his 

 erudition, his fluency, rapidity, and power of language, as evinced in 

 )lic occ 



conversation, and on public occasions ; his really fine eloquence, his con- 

 sistent patriotism, uncompromising spirit towards the oppressor, and 

 his naturally generous and independent nature. He had many and 

 serious faults, and he paid the heavy penalty of them ; he was less an 

 enemy to others than to himself. 



Of that peculiar frankness, in his manners, often carried to a degree 

 of rudeness, not a little startling to the prejudices or self-love of those 

 with whom he conversed, and the sudden gusts of passion to which he 

 was so liable, the following are among the not least amusing instances: 



" It may be as well, perhaps, to mention here, that he was not less ready to 

 say what he felt when quietly chatting with his acquaintances, if he chanced not 

 to be in a remarkably forbearing humour, than when provoked to do so on some 

 great occasion. A friend of mine, for whom he in reality felt considerable 

 esteem, happened to be sitting alone with him one day, conversing on a variety 

 of topics, when the discourse took a turn which tempted iny friend to dilate at 

 length, and with great gravity, on some point in philosophy. Foscolo listened 

 to him a long while, but at last, without saying a word, he rose, rang the bell for 

 the servant, and on her appearance, quietly told her to request her mistress to 

 come up stairs. The lady obeyed, and he desired, in a supplicatory tone, that 

 she would sit down and talk with his friend, for that he had quite tired him 

 with his absurdities. 



" Many instances of his intemperate passion have also been told me by Mr. 

 Redding, and other gentlemen who were in the habit of engaging with him at 

 chess. He was remarkably fond of that game ; but such was his rage whenever 

 his adversary made a very successful move, that he would start from his seat, 

 and, gnashing his teeth, pull up his hair in large quantities by the roots. It 

 mattered little where he might be when his anger was thus roused. A gentle- 

 man, who was in the habit of playing with him in his own house, has told me, 

 that he always took the precaution of running to the opposite side of the room 

 before he proclaimed check-mate. On the other hand, it is generally known to 

 his acquaintances, that being irritated in a similar manner one evening, when 

 playing at the house of a nobleman, he started up, and, before the whole com- 

 pany, challenged his astonished opponent to a rencontre of a different kind." 



As to the more doubtful points of his character, his admiration of the 

 elegant and the beautiful, and his ambition to be surrounded with what- 

 ever denoted the man of taste, influence, and intellectual luxuries, we 

 shall offer a few remarkable passages : 



" Common, however, as the opinion has been, that Foscolo's Digamma Cot- 

 tage was the image of an Eastern Haram, it yet admits of being doubted whether 

 the idea had not its sole origin in the encouragement which he himself gave, 

 either from vanity or madness, to these suspicions. After having heard his con- 

 duct represented by several persons in a manner which did not allow of my 

 doubting that he was a gross sensualist, I have had the advantage of conversing 

 with other individuals, who, perhaps, had better opportunities of judging cor- 

 rectly respecting his character. Their testimony directly contradicts that before 

 mentioned, and they repel with warmth the accusation that Foscolo was a sen- 

 sualist. He delighted, say they, in being surrounded with whatever is beautiful, 

 and he sought the fairest attendants that could be found, simply from the pleasure 

 he took in beholding what is lovely. If he sometimes spoke of them, or to 

 them, in a tone which scarcely became him as a master, it was only in con- 

 formity with his usual mode of expressing himself when elated ; and his particu- 



