ITALIAN GARDENS OF THE RENAISSANCE 
But the great soldier was far from despising learning ; 
on the contrary, he devoted every moment of leisure 
to the study not only of contemporary but of ancient 
literature. We find him quoting Seneca and bringing 
forward numerous instances from Roman history in 
his letters, while Boccaccio relates how, during his 
wars in Sicily, he actually composed a history of the 
Crusades in the French language, of which, unfor¬ 
tunately, nothing more is known. Above all, he 
delighted in the society of poets and men of letters, 
and endeavoured by every means in his power to bring 
Petrarch to live at Naples, sending him the most 
pressing invitations again and again, and promising 
him a new Parnassus between Salerno and Vesuvius. 
In this he never succeeded, but many of Petrarch’s 
dearest friends, Francesco Nelli, Zanobi da Strada, 
Giovanni Barili, were his constant guests and chosen 
companions. So also at times was Boccaccio, who, 
although he frequently lived at his charge and dedi¬ 
cated his work on illustrious women to Niccold, was 
not always satisfied with the treatment he received 
from the Grand Seneschal’s dependants, and makes 
bitter complaints of the neglect he suffered on one 
occasion. But of all these, the friend whom Niccolo 
most loved and valued was Zanobi da Strada, a Floren¬ 
tine poet, who, little known to posterity, seems to 
have been famous in his own day and received the 
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