1821.] 
Angelo Poliziano. 
113 
But whatever may have been the de¬ 
ficiencies of his person, or of his temper, 
as a scholar and a poet he claims the 
first rank. Mis 44 Orpheus” is one of 
the most beautiful, as well as the ear¬ 
liest, specimens of the Italian drama ; 
and the 44 Stanzas ’’ which he wrote in 
celebration of the prize won by Julian 
de Medicis, at a tournament, have 
served as a model for the more finished, 
but not more graceful, compositions of 
Ariosto and Tasso. 
As these productions are compara¬ 
tively little known in this country, we 
shall make some extracts from the ori¬ 
ginals, 44 done into English” with as 
much fidelity as the trammels of verse 
have permitted our 44 unlettered muse” 
to attain. 
STANZAS.” 
descriptive passages, extracted from the 44 
RITORNO DI PRIMAVERA. 
Zefiro gia di bei fioretti adorno, 
Avea da’ monti tolta ogni pruina : 
Avea fatto al suo uido gid. ritorno 
La staaca rondiqella peregrina; 
Risonava la selva intorno iatorao 
Soavemente all’ora mattutina : 
E l’ ingegnosa pecchia ai primo albore 
Giva predando or uno or altro fiore. 
THE RETURN OF SPRING. 
The Zephyr, now, with flowers adorned, 
Had chased the mountain frosts away: 
The wandering swallow had returned 
To build again her nest of clay; 
The woodland echoed all around 
With carols sweet at morning hour 
TIP ingenious bee was early found 
On busy wing from flower to flower. 
LA SERA. 
Or poi che’l sol sue rote in basso cala, 
E da quesr.arbor cade mag’gior I’ ombra 
Gia cede al gi illo la stanca cicala, 
Gia il rozzo zappator del campo sgombra; 
E gid dall’ alte ville il fumo esala ; 
La villanella all’ uom suo il desco ingom- 
bra; 
Omai riprendero mia via pih corta : 
E tu lieto ritorna alia tua scorta. 
EVENING.* 
But see ! the sun declines apace, 
Length’ning the shade of this fair tree ; 
The grasshopper’s shrill song doth cease ; 
The labourer homeward plods his way. 
The city smoke begins to rise, 
The cottage wives the meal prepare ; 
You to your train must hence arise, 
1 to my neighbouring cot repair. 
LA NOTTE. 
La notte, che le cose ci nasconde, 
Tornava ombrata di stillato ammanto; 
E’l Rosignuol sotto 1 ’ amate fionde 
Cantando ripetea 1 ’ antieo pianto. 
Ma sola a’ suoi lamenti Eco risponde ; 
€h’ ogni altro augel quitato avea gia il 
canto. 
Dalla Cimmeria val uscian le tonne, 
De sogne negri con diverse forme. 
NIGHT. 
Now night with all-concealing shade, 
Returned arrayed in starry veil; 
The nightingale beneath the glade 
Renewed her ancient, plaintive wail. 
Hushed was each other tuneful sound, 
Echo alone returned her cries ; 
While from Cimmerian vale profound 
Dark dreams of various form arise. 
l’ alba. 
Tempo era ypiando 1’ alba s’ awicina, 
E divien fosca 1 ’ aria, ov’ era bruna; 
E giail carro stellato lcario inchina, 
E par nil volto scolorir la Luna. 
La rondinella sopra il nido allegra 
Cantando salutava il nuovo giorno 5 
E gia de’ sogni la compagna negra 
A sua spelonca avea fatto ritorno.* 
MORNING. 
The softening shade, the dubious light, 
Proclaimed the fast-approaching dawn ; 
1 he waning stars, the moon less bright. 
Began to fade before the morn. 
The swallow, twittering from her nest, 
Saluted blythe the new-born day ; 
The visions dark that night infest, 
lo gloomy caves fled swift away. 
LAUDE DELLA VITA RURALE.f 
Quanto e piu dolce ! quanto e piu sicurol 
Seguir le fere fuggitive in caccia 
Fra boschi antichi fuor di fossa o muro, 
E spi'ar lor covil per lunga traccia 
I he latter part of this description 
commences another stanza. 
J The poet in the preceding verses has 
been depicting the solicitudes and perils of 
love- 
Monthly Mag. No. 358. 
RURAL PLEASURES. 
How much more safe ! how much more 
sweet! 
In ancient woods to ply the chase; 
To urge the game on courser fleet, 
Or to their secret coverts trace ! 
* This stanza is addressed to Julian, the 
hero of the poem, by a nymph whom he 
meets with in hunting, of whom he becomes 
enamoured, and with whom, of course, he 
passes a very pleasant day. 
P 
