T A S 
T A S 
have thought this circumstance very improbable, and indeed 
it is hardly necessary to make an attempt for justifying the 
duke’s conduct in the confinement of Tasso, after he had 
given so many incontestible proofs of mental derangement. 
At length, however, Tasso was restored to entire liberty. 
But his disposition to wander still continued; and it is la¬ 
mentable to reflect, that, as one of his biographers observes, 
“ the admired author of ‘ Jerusalem Delivered,’ the favourite 
of princes and the boast of Italy, should have harboured in 
his mind something which defeated every plan to render his 
circumstances prosperous.” His last retreat was with Cardi¬ 
nal Cinzio Aldobrandini, at Rome, who obtained for him a 
pension from Pope Clement VIII., and had intended, as a 
compensation for his sufferings, to procure for him the ho¬ 
nour of a solemn poetical coronation in the Capitol; but the 
ceremony was delayed on account of the cardinal’s illness, 
and Tasso manifested symptoms of approaching dissolution. 
As soon as he was apprized of his danger, he was removed 
to the convent of St. Onofrio, where, deriving every possible 
consolation from the kindness of the cardinal, and exhibiting 
every evidence of sincere piety, he closed his days in April, 
1595, at the age of 51. His remains were honourably in¬ 
terred, and after some time a monument was erected to his 
memory by Cardinal Bonifacio Bevilacque, in the church of 
St. Onofrio. Tasso, “ in person, was tall, active, and well- 
proportioned, naturally of a firm temperament, and fit for 
all bodily exercises. He was sparing of words, sedate and 
grave in manner, and in conversation displayed little of the 
fire that animates his works. He was kind and affectionate 
in all his social relations, and conducted himself with great 
propriety in company." 
His works are very numerous. ThQse in prose consist of 
a great number of treatises, dialogues, and letters, on moral, 
literary, and familiar topics. In poetry, his “ Gerusalemme 
Liberata" is pre-eminent. His “ Gerusalemme Conquisata,” 
published in 1593, was a kind of recomposition of the former 
work, but less satisfactory to its readers. His “ Aminta” has 
been already mentioned; his “ Rime” consisted of occasional 
and miscellaneous pieces; his “Sella Giornata,” or Works 
of the Seven Days, pieces on sacred topics, bear the impres¬ 
sion of the gloomy state of his mind. Tiraboscki. Gen. 
Biog. For a criticism on the works of Tasso, see the 
article Poetry. 
TASSO, a small island on the western coast of Africa, at 
the mouth of the river Sierra Leone. 
TASSO, or Taschus. See Thasos. 
TASSONI (Alessandro), an Italian poet and man of let¬ 
ters, was born of an ancient and noble family, at Modena, in 
the year 1565. Notwithstanding various disadvantages in 
early life, such as the loss of his parents, a feeble diseased 
frame, and the persecution of enemies, he successfully culti¬ 
vated Greek and Latin literature, poetry, and eloquence. At 
the age of twenty he sought further improvement in the uni¬ 
versity of Bologna, and here, as well as at Ferrara, he directed 
his particular attention to jurisprudence. Being under a ne¬ 
cessity of seeking employment, he went to Rome, where, be¬ 
ing known by his writings, he was admitted into the service 
of cardinal Colonne, as secretary, and accompanied him to 
Spain in the year 1600. Being afterwards domesticated with 
cardinal Cesi, he became a member of the academies degli 
Umoristi and de’ Lincei, and was held in high estimation 
among the literati of Rome. A specimen of his “ Pensieri di- 
versi” (Thoughts on various Subjects) was published in 1608, 
under the title of “ Quesiti” and the whole in 1612. His 
“ Considerations on Petrarch” were first printed in 1609, and 
were intended to restrain the prevalent idolatry of this author. 
In 1613 he entered into the service of Charles Emanuel, duke 
of Savoy, in which situation he was regarded as an enemy to 
the Spanish monarchy ; and he was considered as the author 
of“ Philippics” against the Spaniards, and of a book entitled 
“ Essequie della Monarchia di Spagna.” In 1623, he quitted 
the family of Savoy; and about this time he finished “A 
Compendium of the Annals of Baronius.” In 1626, he was 
taken into the service of cardinal Lodovisio, nephew of Gre¬ 
gory XV.; and upon his death, in 1632, he was invited to the 
859 
court of Francis I., duke of Modena, who gave him a pension 
and some honorary titles. Of this situation death deprived 
him in 1635, at the age of 70. One of his biographers says 
of him, that “ he had a prepossessing countenance, with a 
cheerful expression, was open in conversation, a good speaker, 
serious or pleasant, according to the occasion, of a lively 
imagination, and sound judgment.” The work by which 
the memory of Tassoni is chiefly preserved, is his mock 
heroic poem “ La Secchia Repita.” Tiraboscki. Gen. 
Biog. 
Another Alessandro Tassoni of Modena, born in 1488, 
made a compilation of the different annals of that city, pub¬ 
lished in Muratori’s Collection of Italian historians. 
TASSOWITZ, or Taszwitz, a village of the Austrian 
states, in Moravia, on the Theya, in the circle of Znaym, with 
1100 inhabitants. 
TA'STABLE, ad). That may be tasted; savoury; relish¬ 
ing.—Their distilled oils are fluid, volatile and tastable. 
Boyle. 
To TASTE, v. a. [taster , to try, French. Dr. John¬ 
son. —The old French word fasten is to handle, to feel, to 
touch, as the Germ, and Tent, tasten, from which Kilian 
and Wachter derive the French; and the latter deduces the 
word from tatse, the hand. Taste-vin Cotgrave calls a 
broker for wine-merchants. Richelet shews taster, under 
the form of tater, as common in the sense of perceiving by 
the palate : “ tater, du vin, de la biere, &c.” Diet. 1685.] 
To perceive and distinguish by the palate.—The ruler of 
the feast tasted the water made wine. St. John. —To try 
by the mouth; to eat at least in a small quantity.—Bold 
deed to taste it under ban to touch. Milton. —To essay 
first. 
Thou and I marching before our troops 
May taste fate to them, mow them out a passage. Dryclen. 
To obtain pleasure from. 
So shalt thou be despis’d fair maid. 
When by the sated lover tasted; 
What first he did with tears invade. 
Shall afterwards with scorn be wasted. Carctv. 
To feel; to have perception of.—He should taste death for 
every man. Heb. —To relish intellectually; to approve.— 
Thou, Adam, wilt taste no pleasure. Milton. 
To TASTE, v. n. To try by the mouth to eat.—Of this 
tree we may not taste nor touch. Milton. —To have a 
smack; to produce on the palate a particular sensation.— 
When kine feed upon wild garlic, their milk tasteth of it. 
Bacon. —To distinguish intellectually. 
Scholars, when good sense describing, 
Call it tasting and imbibing. Swift. 
To be tinctured, or receive some quality or character. 
Ev’ry idle, nice, and wanton reason 
Shall, to-the king, taste of this action. Shakspcare. 
To try the relish of any thing. 
The body’s ife with meats and air is fed. 
Therefore the soul doth use the tasting power 
In veins, which through the tongue and palate spread, 
Distinguish every relish sweet and sour. Davies. 
To have perception of. 
Cowards die many times before their deaths; 
The valiant never taste of death but once. Shakspcare. 
To take to be enjoyed. 
What hither brought us ?■ not hope here to taste 
Of pleasure. Milton. 
To enjoy sparingly. 
This fiery game your active youth maintain’d. 
Nor yet by years extinguish’d, though restrain’d; 
You season still with sports your serious hours. 
For age but tastes of pleasures, youth devours. D/yde/i. 
TASTE, s. The act of tasting; gustation.—Best of fruits, 
whose taste gave elocution. Milton. —The sense by which 
the 
