L'Ape liallana, No. XXX L 



[Feb. 1, 



effect, united to a proper appreciation 

 of his own deserts, of adding- conside- 

 rably to their price. 



Having realized a small stock of 

 money, lie soon after, about the twen- 

 tieth year of his age, left Naples on an 

 excursion to Rome, wliere he had 

 such a terrible attack of sickness, as 

 obliged him, on recovering, to return 

 to his native place. A space of two 

 years intervened before he ventured, 

 with his slender rpsonr<-es, to repeat 

 his visit, when he was first introduced 

 to manj' of the principal artists and ce- 

 lebrated men in Home. 



'I'herc is a story related by Dome- 

 niei of the occasion of his leaving 

 JSaples, which, however, we think en- 

 lille<l to very little credit. During its 

 possession by the Spaniards, Naples 

 was frequently disturbed by popular 

 riots and insurrections. Salvator Mas 

 accused of having niadi; himself too 

 busy in uniting in the schemes of the 

 insurgents, and joining w itii bodies of 

 natives, formed under various deno- 

 minations and devices. It would seem 

 that Salvator showed his usual taste 

 for the «ild and terrible, in fixing up- 

 on that of the Canipioui di Morte, or 

 Death-Chamj)ion, mIio scoured the 

 streets, committing many assassina- 

 tions and bloody murders, in which 

 the Spaniards were particularly in- 

 cluded, without mercy or remorse. 

 Becoming in this way obnoxious, as 

 we may suppose, to magistrates, it is 

 said that he hastily retreated from his 

 native jilaee, to avoid the very unplea- 

 sant consequences of detection. 



As coutemporary writers say no- 

 thing in confirmation of so serious a 

 charge, we feel bound to dismiss it 

 with many other anecdotes of distin- 

 guished jiersons, entitled much to the 

 same degree of credit. 



On his return from Rome, we find 

 our young artist gradually rising un- 

 der the patronage of the Bishop of 

 Viterbo, afterwards promoted to the 

 dignity of Cardinal, whom he accom- 

 panied to his see, and was employed 

 in painting a rich altar-piece for the 

 church, exhibiting the doubting apos- 

 tle, St. Thomas, iu the act of touching 

 the wound in the side of Christ. Here 

 also, it appears, he first indulged his 

 taste for poetry, becoming acquainted 

 with young Abbate, then a poet of 

 .some distinction ; from whose conver- 

 sation he was led to attempt some 

 trilling etTusions, which encouraged 

 him to proceed. It was long, how- 



ever, before he produced any rcgnhir 

 work, and considered himself antho- 

 rised as a poet to appear before the 

 public eye. After completing the 

 ornaments of the church, he resolved 

 to send some specimens of his works 

 to Rome, in order to try whether ho 

 might yet venture his reputation in a 

 place distinguished for the number and 

 excellence of the great masters of the 

 art, before be himself appeared to 

 challenge competition in such an 

 arduous career. For this he now de- 

 voted himself unremittingly to his 

 l)rofession, and was soon delighted to 

 liear that one of his pictures, oflilius 

 torn by the vulture, exhibiting awoug 

 the finest productions of the Roman 

 artists, had attracted universal atten- 

 tion, and enquiries were making on all 

 sides lor the new master. 



Quitting Naples in a moment, he 

 approached Rome with feelings doubt- 

 less as exulting as any of the Roman 

 conquerors, after a long and danger- 

 ous campaign. Flis success speedily 

 enabled him to take a handsome resi- 

 dence ; where, in the true spirit of 

 thoughtless genius, he began to enter- 

 tain his friends, — returning the hospi- 

 table conviviality he had met with on 

 his preceding visit ; seasoning conver- 

 sation with genius, and mirth and the 

 festive board with the sallies of untu- 

 tored wit. Like Burns, — of a very 

 similar genius, — ho would have the 

 taper of life burn fresh and fast; 

 pouring more oil upon oil, and stirring 

 it up as if to see how short a time liu 

 could make it last; though he did not 

 succeed, — we should perhaps say ex- 

 ceed, — so much as Burns: living to 

 near sixty years of age. 



While his reputation was thus rising 

 to its tide, the Grand Carnival took 

 place at Rome. His genius, flushed 

 with victory and joy, seized the golden 

 moments to pour his stores of wit and 

 humour info the common fund. He 

 poured out several nearly extempore 

 comedies, in which he disposed the 

 characters for himself and friends, re- 

 commending their performance by 

 reserving full license of personal sa- 

 tire and invective ; heightening it to a 

 popular flavour, to the great scandal 

 of many of the more important per- 

 sonages of the city. They retorted 

 with scurrility and abuse; in which, 

 however, Salvator had the wisdom to 

 decline further controversy. 



From Rome, on an invitation from 



Mattia de Sledici, he proceeded to 



riorence, 



