1805 | 
influenced by a difpofition more amiable 
and more gay, produced his Melite, on a 
fimilar occafion. i 
Alfieri’s paffion for an Englifh lady, 
his adventures with her, and two vifits to 
England, were not capable of in{piring 
him.with the leatt defire to learn the lan- 
guage of that country; though, for the 
laft thirty years, fafhion has rendered 
the ftudy of it almoft indifpeniable. He, 
however, had feveral traits of difpofition 
in common with the natives of that coun- 
try, whofe fathions he affected to follow, 
and whom he refembled in his propenfi- 
ties, particularly in hislove of fingularity. 
Like molt of the Englifh, he was paffion- 
ately fond of horfes ; in his youth he de- 
lighted in their company, and, like the 
heroes of Homer, contemplated them 
with affeétion, and treated them with the 
utmoft tendernefs. 
One of his firft theatrical produftions 
was a parody of fome bad pieces by the 
Jearned Bartoli, which abounded with 
harfh verfes and confufed ideas. Thefe 
de‘ects, however, did not prevent Alfieri 
from introducing a great number of them 
into his firft tragedi-s; which he, ina 
great meafure, comected in the fubfequent 
editions. Into this extreme he had been 
led by his enthufiafic admiration of 
Dante, and the fear of appearing. to imni- 
tate Metaftaho. He likewife wrote feve- 
ral comedies, and compofed fome Jatires, 
but neither the one nor the other have yet 
been made public; and there is reafon to 
fuppole, that, if they fhouid make their 
appearance, there will be found leis comic 
vivacity in the fatires, than fatirical 
fhrewdnefs in the comedies, which in 
ftyle feem to refemble thole of Arifto- 
phanes. He compofed, allo, a-great 
number of fonnets,; fome of which are 
truly admirable. Though he fuccefsfully 
cultivated variots kinds of poetry, I may, 
neverthelefs, venture to affert, that his 
talents as a poet and a dramatic author 
were created only by his determination to 
be fuch, and by ithat love of glory, 
which, when he had once entered on that 
dificult but brilliant career, urged him 
forward, in fpite of every obftacle. Iam 
inclined to delieve, that his ftrong and 
penetrating genius, though adapted to 
various objeéts, had, neverthelefs, a fecret 
impullé, and a particular tendeacy, which 
he miflcok, This impulfe, which might 
have been checked by accidental caufes, 
would, in my opinion, have directed him 
into the footfteps of Tacitus and Ma- 
chiavel; and he appears to me to have 
been calculated to reproduce, under anew 
4 
Memoirs, ec. of Count Vittorio Alfieri. 
-his performances. 
244 
form, a compound of thofe two celebrat. 
ed writers. His ftudy of hiftory had fur- 
nifhed him with extenfive knowledge in 
that department of learning, and asto the 
ftyle {uitable to it, his Italian tranflation 
of Salluft, which has not yet been printed, 
isa fuficient proof that he could com- 
mand all the energy and brevity of that 
excellent original. 
The charaéter of Vittorio Alfieri pof- 
fefled force and elevation; incapable of 
envy, meannefs, and malignity, fuperior 
to artifice and deceit, the dignity of his 
mind was ftamped on his exterior. His 
difpohition was never inclined to the 
fpleen, as fome haveaflerted. Full of am- 
bition, not of pride, he was neither vain 
nor timid; his conftitutional melanche- 
ly fometimes yielded to gaiety, and, though 
naturally very paffionate, he had learned 
to acquire great coolnefs and felf-com- 
mand. With an inclination to fareafm 
and irony, he manifefted his abhorrence 
of calumny and flander. Formed to ex- 
_ere:fe the greateft afcendancy over thofe 
who frequented his houfe, he always ob- 
tained, without appearing defirous of ac- 
quiring, that influence. His indifference 
to many things, his averfion to utter fri- 
volitics, or to bear a part in frivolous 
converfation, the habit of obfervation and 
reflection, perhaps, likewife, the weak. 
nefs of withing to attract, exclufively, the 
attention of the company, frequently - 
made him: appear cold, referved, and even 
fomewhat dildainful ; but he fcarcely ever 
broke this contemplative filence, except 
by fentences replete with fagacity, wnex- 
pected failies, or fometimes eloquent ha- 
rangues. Sufceptible of a folid and con- 
ftant attachment, his concentrated affec. 
tions. were confined to a fall number of 
objects; but the extraordinary merits of 
thole who enjoyed his confidence and his 
friendfhip, will ever remain a teftimony 
honourable to his fentiments. ‘ From thefe 
he was fnatched at the age of 56 years, 
when his brilliant genius feemed to have 
attained to complete maturity. 
The variety of difpofitions has pro- 
duced very different judgments concern- ’ 
ing the tragedies of Alfieri;” and his cri- 
tics have not been a little biafled by poli- 
ticalopinions. Alfieri’s merits can, how- 
ever, only be appreciated “by thofe who 
have read him in his native language. 
The French tranflation which has been 
publithed of his works is not only too lan- 
guid, and too tame, but has mutilated the 
original too much, to afford a jult idea of 
Italy, the only com- 
petent tribunal, can fcarcely pronounce 
any 
ae 
