J--02. society of Arcana. 235 



of true poetry ; I mean iCeinlra Parraside, (%«o- 

 ra Fortunata Sulcker Fatitastici,^ in Florence. In the 

 same town I have had the pleasure to be intimately 

 acquainted with Dr Giannetti, who, to application 

 to the severest studies, has added the amenities 

 of the fine arts. The astonifliing rapidity with which 

 he speaks his extempore poetical performances make* 

 up for his want of voice, which hinders him to sing 

 at the sound of the luthe, as is commonly in use 

 with the improvisdtori, though Corilla used to sing 

 her poetry at the sound of the violin, especially 

 where {he could meet with Nardini. Nor is this 

 ready disposition to extempore poetry peculiar to 

 people of education ; that natural keennefs of sense 

 for harmony, numbers, and metre, which may be 

 reckoned one of the first things requisite to form a 

 poet, is not rare m Italy, even among the country 

 lads and girls, chiefly in the environs of Rome and 

 Florence, who, not knowing even to re-.d, and total- 

 ly ignorant of metrical kw., will sing verses all' 

 improviso upon any given subject, suit-l to their ca- 

 pacity, with the only guide of their c ?.■.-, without 

 ever transgrefsing the accents or th( measure ; 

 though many learned people, and well sequainted 

 with the laws of versification, would ir.ui U very 

 difficult to execute, without counting the .yii.'bles on 

 their fingers. It is pleasant in Rome, in the summer 

 nights, ta follow some of these jolly fellows, most of 

 them journeymen mechanics, and hejir them ii:g 

 their rhapsodies, in which many fine, natural, un- 

 sought poetical flalhes, lighten through the clouds of 

 their uncouth language. The like j^leasure was for- 



