335 
brought very high qualifications to the 
accomplishment, of the great and kabo- 
rious task in which he has been long 
-and strenueusly engaged. Sensible 
that he was encouatering an author who 
was without a model, or an equal in: 
any times, he appears to have felt the 
importanee and grandeur of the la- 
bours and of the difficulties which he. 
had to surmount. To meet these, hie 
endeavoured to enter into the peculiar 
nature and character of the atithor’s 
Writings; and, like the Schleels, to 
appreciate the ‘leading features ‘and the 
spirit of the age in which he lived. 
Despising, on “such a subject, the 
shackles imposed at the dictation of the 
French, and the old Aristotelian 
schools, the translator, following the- 
example of his great master, has dared 
to give free and full scope to the im- 
pulses of feeling and imagination, 
attaining something of the noble enthu- 
siasm and magnificence of imagery, of 
language and versification, so charac- 
teristic “of the original, instead of ser- 
vilely following and renderi ing the text 
in the submissive strain of a tame inter- 
pretcr. Did our limits here permit, it 
would be easy ‘to~ give specimens that 
would perfectly justify the full measure 
of our praise; but these, with minute 
eritical observations on their desérts, 
for which we entertain a hearty abhor- 
rence, would serve to convey a very 
inadequate idea of the character and 
power of the entire version. ‘Though 
the undertaking be as yet incomplete, 
snficient earnest has been given, im 
the present volumes, that Signor 
Leoni will not disappoint the expecta- 
tions already raised among the living 
pocts and scholars of italy. 
We are bappy to observe, that a 
new edition of the Life and Actions of 
Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, Duke of 
Urbino, has been newly undertaken 
at Milan, founded on a former publica- 
tion in twelve volumes, from the pen 
of Bernardino Baldi da Urbino.. We 
are already indebted for two volumes 
of the hfe of this celebrated statesman 
and commander, which had been al- 
lowed since its first appearance, more 
than two centuries ago, to fall into 
comparative neglect, to the assiduous 
labours of Signor Perticari, though we 
are at the same time sorry to perceive 
that, together with the original work, 
they do not meet with that degree of 
approbation we might have expected 
i from the Italian reviewers. According 
Novelties of Foreign Literature. 
Michele Leoni, who appears to have — 
[Nov. fy 
to their fiat, from which we dare not. 
presume to appeal, it would appear 
that ng,historian adequate to the task 
has yet been found; no one-at all ca- 
pabie of doing complete justice to the 
distinguished» merits of their great 
countryman : “As few - princes had 
ever the good fortune to acquire the 
reputation of a Monitetcliro, who 
united successful vatour to true great- 
ness of mind, and thus accomplished 
many noble and surprizing under- 
takings.” ‘The editor of this work, 
however, openly maintains the value 
of those labours which have broughi to 
light the very rare and neglected. life- 
of a. distinguished character, whose 
genius and actions had such a marked 
influence on the age in which he lived. 
And, certainly, ‘though very imper- 
feetly executed, and abounding in all 
the blemishes of a weak and preju- 
diced writer, the voluminous produc- 
tion of Baldi, thus re-edited, must,. 
nevertheless, possess powerful attrac-_ 
tioas to southern readers, fromthe 
very interesting nature and importanee 
of the events which if commemorates. 
To judge, indeed, from its intrinsic 
qualities, and the merit of the execu- 
tion, both on the part of the editor ang 
the biographer, we are inclined to. 
coincide in opinion with the Italian 
critic, that the life and actions of so 
distinguished a character have never 
yet been adequately treated, and that’ 
it still remains a desideratum to the 
Italians, which we trust the abundance 
of motern genius will exe long find 
occasion to supply. 
Another very interesting publics tte 
has lately appeared at Milan, from the 
pen of the able and tearned Melchiore 
Gioja, an author whose writings have 
acquired a high reputation, having 
been wholly ‘devoted to the lucidation 
of subjects connected with the public 
interests, and ‘the , information and 
prosperity of his fellow-couutrymen. 
As a proof of ile progress and triumph 
of modern science, as well as of Sitera- 
ture in Italy, over the despotic princi- 
ples every whicre attempted to be esta- 
blished, it will be enough to mention 
even the titles of those works; which, 
within a few years, Siznor G. has him- 
self presented to the publié: these are, 
“1. A New View of the Sciences 
termed Econoiieal.” “2. A Treatise 
on Rewards and Recompences.” <3. 
The Elements of Philosophy.” “4. TE 
Nuovo Galateo.” ‘°5. A’ Treatise on 
National Manufactures.” “6. On the 
i ‘Means 
