1832.] Ugo Foscolo, and Ike Italian Pods. 81 



of the pen ; when proud prelates, and princes with all the wealth and 

 beauty of the land, courted the notice of famed poets and painters te 

 prolong their brief and perishable names ; but times and characters are 

 so wofully altered in these matters, that one might fairly, perhaps, be 

 supposed to be giving a sketch of the golden age, or some " author's 

 Paradise" previous to his fall, before the flood. 



As regards Italy, however, the dignity, the vigour, and the exten- 

 sive influence of her literary character as it once existed, will more 

 fully appear, if we turn for a moment from the brighter days of her 

 intellectual supremacy, to observe how even amidst the desolation that 

 has palsied her powers and laid waste her palaces, the genius of her 

 former men still inspires hope in their descendants, a secret vigilance 

 and dread in the oppressor, and bitter hostility to those principles which 

 animate the true poet and the patriot. So sensible was Napoleon of 

 this power of literary opinion, that, on his conquest of Italy, he left no 

 means untried to conciliate the leading literary men of the day ; and it 

 may easily be surmised that from their influence on the political as well 

 as the literary fortunes of their country, the poets of Italy would pre- 

 sent a rich and interesting theme for the pen of any biographer, who 

 had a soul to feel and intellect to appreciate the character of their works 

 and of the times in which they flourished. 



In this respect, it may justly be observed that among the writers who 

 have recently done so much to illustrate the more important periods of 

 Italian history, and to bring us more intimately acquainted with works 

 of literature and art, few appear to have entered on the task with more 

 sincerity and zeal than the author, the title of whose book is appended 

 to the foregoing observations. It is written in a spirit of candour and 

 truth which reflects credit on his taste and feelings, while, as we shall 

 proceed to shew, it will be found to supply ample sources of informa- 

 tion, at once amusing and instructive. We have felt more deeply 

 interested in such of the lives as run to some extent, though not more 

 perhaps, from the characters of the men, than from the manly and en- 

 gaging style which the writer brings to the discussion of his theme. 

 In presenting the reader with some examples, our veneration for these 

 far-famed poets who gave new impulse to their language and their 

 times, has not been a little enhanced by the agreeable manner in which 

 their distinctive merits have been pointed out. Of the mistress of the 

 celebrated Dante, it may be interesting to give the following particulars 

 at least curious and touching from their rarity : 



" But the youth of Dante was the subject of another spell besides that of his 

 richly-endowed and creative intellect. Of those who have immortalized their 

 love in song, none have more intimately united their name and immortality, 

 both as men and poets, with the memory of their mistresses than Dante. When 

 he first saw Beatrice Portinari, he was little more than nine years old, and the 

 details he has himself left respecting this youthful passion, have so much the air 

 of a romance, that they have been frequently passed over with much less attention 

 than they merit. When it is considered how much greater influence his love for 

 Beatrice seems to have had upon his mind than any other circumstance of his 

 life ; how much more present her image is to the reader of the ' Commedia' 

 than any other of the numerous personages it mentions ; how closely, in fact, 

 the names of Dante and Beatrice must remain united so long as Italian literature 

 exists ; we shall not fail to regard every notice that remains of their connection 



JM.M. New Series. VOL. XIII. No. 73. G 



