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dependence, and had now reached the forty-fourth year of his age, was determined never more to be connected with a court: but being closely persuaded by his intimate friend Buonoventura Pistofolo, secretary to Alphonso, he engaged in the service of that prince, from whom he met with a most gracious and affectionate reception.

Not long after, when Adrian II. succeeded to the papal chair, Grafagnana, a province on the Apennine, being torn to pieces by factions, augmented by the licentiousness into which the people had degenerated, from a total remissness of government, it was judged necessary to appoint a person, whose prudence and authority might reduce them to a due subjection. For this important trust Ariosto was chosen, who, though very averse to the journey, would not again hazard incurring the displeasure of his patron.

Ludovico continued three years in his new government, in which he acquitted himself so well, that he not only brought the people to a proper sense of their duty to their sovereign, but entirely gained their affections to himself; and was highly applauded by the duke for his good services. An extraordinary instance is here given of the veneration paid to his character by all ranks and degrees of men: At his first coming to the govern inent, having occasion one day to cross a wood, with about six horsemen in his company, he was obliged to pass through a number of armed men, who, from their appearance, gave great cause of suspicion; the country being, at that time, all round greatly infested with robbers, the most formidable of whom were headed by Dominico Maroco and Filippo Pacchione. Ariosto had scarcely got clear of this troop, before-mentioned, when

the captain demanded of one of the servants, that happened to be behind the rest, who the stranger was, and being told it was Ludovico Ariosto, he immediately ran to overtake him, armed as he was. Ariosto, seeing him follow, stopped short, waiting with some anxiety for the end of this affair. His pursuer, coming up, saluted him with great respect; and, declaring that his name was Filippo Pacchione, begged pardon, that, not knowing him, he had suffered him to pass, without paying the respect due to his singular merit.

Mr. Baretti, in the preface to his Italian Library, relates this story, with different circumstances, in the following words; concluding with a reflection on the power of eloquence over savage minds, very apposite to the subject.

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Among other striking instances of the people's veneration for him, Ariosto had one of a very particular nature. The duke, his master, had sent him governor of Grafagnana, a province on the Apennine, whose inhabitants, seizing the opportunity of the general turbulences that were in Italy at that time, paid but little obedience to their sovereign. Ariosto took his residence in a fortified castle, from which it was imprudent to step out without guards, as the whole neighbourhood was swarming with outlaws, smugglers, and banditti, who, after committing the most enormous excesses all around, retired, for shelter against justice, amidst the rocks and cliffs. Ariosto, one morning, happened to take a walk without the castle, in his night-gown, and, in a fit of thought, forgot himself so much, that, step after step, he found himself very far from his habitation, and surrounded, on a sudden, by a troop of these desperadoes,

who certainly would have ill-used, and perhaps murdered him, had not his face been known by one of the gang, who, informing his comrades that this was Signor Ariosto, the chief of the banditti addressed him with intrepid gallantry, and told him, that since he was author of the Orlando Furioso, he might be sure none of the company would injure him; but would see him, on the contrary, safe back to the castle: "and so they did, entertaining him all along the way with the various excellencies they had discovered in his poem, and be stowing upon it the most rapturous praises. A very rare proof of the irresistible powers of poetry; and a noble comment on the fables of Orpheus and Amphion who drew wild beasts, and raised walls, with the enchanting sound of their lyres."

While Ariosto continued in the government of Grafagnana, Buonoventura Pistofolo often proposed to him, by letter, to go as ambassador from the duke to Clement VII. who had been a great patron of our poet, setting before him the honours and advantages that would accrue from such an employ. But Ludovico gave little heed to these solicitations; his mind being altogether detached from the views of interest or ambition. His general answer was, "that he esteemed it better to enjoy a little in peace and tranquillity, than to seek after a great deal with fatigue and anxiety." Some relate, that he had a repugnance to live at a distance from his country, on account of a lady residing at Ferrara, for whom he had conceived a violent passion; and, indeed, he plainly acknowledges this himself, in his fourth Satire, to Annibale Malaguzzi.

Parmi vederti qui ridere e dire,

Che non amor di patri nè di studi,

Ma de donna cè cagion che non vogl'ire,
Libero t'el confesso, or chindi

La bocca

Methinks you smile, and cry---nor love of home,
Nor study makes your friend averse to roam :
But some fair dame---I own the guilt at large;
Upbraid not him who triumphs in the charge.

The term of his government being expired, he returned to court, where, finding the duke took great delight in theatrical representations, he applied himself to . the drama; and, besides the Cassaria and Suppositi, he composed La Lena, and Il Negromante, in prose and verse, and the Scolastica in verse; though the last was left imperfect by his death, and the fifth act added by his brother Gabriele. Of these comedies, four were first printed in prose, and afterwards turned into verse. They were performed with universal applause, before many families of rank; the actors being generally persons of condition: insomuch, that when the Lena was first acted, in 1528, Signor Don Francisco of Este, afterwards Marquis of Massa, spoke the prologue himself.

A remarkable anecdote is handed down, which shews how entirely his mind was, in the early part of his life, absorbed by his favourite studies. His father having taken some offence at the conduct of Ludovico, expostulated with him, one day, with uncommon warmth; to which his son listened without the least seeming notice, or returning any answer. Nicolo being gone, his brother Gabriele, who was with him, entered upon the same subject; to whom he gave such satisfactory reasons, as entirely removed every other objection that had been

brought against him. His brother then asking why he had not made use of the same arguments to his father, he replied, that, at that time he was considering whether the scene, which passed between them, might not be of use to him in a comedy he was then writing, called the Cassaria; that he thought his father would serve as an excellent model for an old man, whom he had introduced, on a like occasion, reproaching his son: concluding, that his thoughts were so engrossed by the fiction, that he had forgot the reality.

Another anecdote is told, relative to these comedies, which shews how totally the attention of the people in Italy was taken up with the merits and reputation of the Orlando Furioso. Ricoboni conceived a design of exhibiting the Scolastica of Ariosto on the stage at Venice; and public notice being given of the representation, the name of Ariosto drew together a prodigious concourse of spectators. But it unfortunately happened, few of them knew that this author had written comedies; and, before the piece began, Ricoboni was informed, that they had a notion the play was taken from the Orlando Furioso; and, when the performance came on, not seeing Angelica, Orlando, Bradamant, and the other personages of their favourite poem, they began to express their dissatisfaction; which increased to such a degree, that Ricoboni was obliged to drop the curtain at the end of the fourth act*.

Ariosto now appeared to lead a life of tranquillity; which was the more agreeable to him, as he was not so

* See Ricoboni.

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