176 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
From this the lecturer proceeded to notice some of the principal 
works of Tasso. Having just mentioned the general nature and 
subjects of the Rinaldo, and the play of Torrismonde, he dwelt 
somewhat longer upon the Aminta, and the Gerusalemme Conquis- 
tata. After a passing reference to Tasso' s numerous sonnets, the 
lecturer proceeded to unfold more fully the plan and theme of his 
great epic poem, — the Gerusalemme Liberata ; here having parti- 
cularly pointed out the distinctive features of an epic, he went on 
to deal with the subject and merits of the Gerusalemme. He en- 
deavoured to shew how closely it is founded upon the models 
supplied by Homer and Virgil, the frequent appropriation of their 
matter, and the imitation of their ideals. He next directed atten- 
tion to some of the principal characters of the Gerusalemme, 
particularly those of Godfrey and Tancred on the one side, and 
those of Argantes and Soliman on the other. He finally described 
the beautiful episodes introduced into the poem, as constituting the 
great charm of the whole ; of these Sophronia and Olinda, Tan- 
cred and Clorinda, Erminia and Tancred, and above all Rinaldo and 
Armida came under review, illustrated by copious extracts from the 
translations of Fairfax and Leigh Hunt. 
The lecturer closed with some remarks on the peculiar sweetness 
of Italian poetry, and commended the study of such compositions, 
in preference to the trashy novels of the present day. 
THE VISION OF PIERS PLOWMAN. 
ABSTRACT OF PAPER BY MR. D. SLATER, M.A. 
(Read February 15th, 1872.) 
Much confusion of thought and expression having prevailed 
respecting this poem, some having regarded Piers Plowman as the 
author of the Vision instead of the subject of it, and others having 
adopted a title likely to mislead,^' it was proposed to call it 
William's Vision of Piers Plowman," which is the exact equi- 
valent of the Latin title found in numerous MSS. — Visio Willelnii 
de Petro Plowman. The full name of the author was probably, but 
not certainly, William Langland. It really consists of two parts — 
Piers Plowman proper, and the Life of Dowel, Dobet and Dobest. 
* Thus Dean Milman calls it "Piers Ploughman's Vision." Hist. Lat. 
Christ, vi. 536. See also London University Calendar for 1867, p. xHx 
