Of the Abbe ds SAD E. 159 



terms, mulier and famina are indifcriminately applied to un- 

 married and to married women. In the 17th law of the Codex 

 de donat. ante nuptias, the title bears ; " Donatio ante nuptias 

 " faSla mulier i in minori at ate, non indiget infinuatione ," &c. Fa- 

 ber, in his T'befaurus, obferves, on the word mulier ; " Varie 

 " accipitur vox j aliquando enim communiter de fexu dicitur, et 

 " omnem est at em ac conditionem ejus ample Bitur j it a que et de 

 11 puellis ufurpatur" l$c. 



In the fame manner, donna and madonna are ufed by the 

 Italians, when fpeaking either of unmarried or of married wo- 

 men. Every Italian poet terms his miftrefs donna and madonna* 

 Thus, Ariosto, in the beginning of the 35th canto of the Or- 

 lando Furiofo, fays, 



Che falira ptr me, Madonna, in cielo j 



and in his ift elegy, 



Non e affai Madonna meji e anni 

 La fra fpeme e timorjin quifofpefa? 



Thus Guarini, in the Pajior Fido, att. I. 



Lafede in cor di donna, fe pur fede 



In donna alcana (cbHo noUfo)Ji trova, &c* 



and again, 



Bella donna e gentil, follecitata 



Da numerofa Jluol di degni amanti, 



Se d'unfolo e contenta, e gli alt/ i fprezza 



non e donna, fe pur donna, e fciocca. 



Thus too, Boccacio, in the Introduction to the Decamerone t 



Gratiofe e nobili donne, meco penfando, &c. 



X2 A 



