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collected a powerful army against Ferrara : but he gained little honour in this enterprise, being defeated at the battle of Ravenna. Part of a fleet was sent up the Po, against Ferrara; but met with a repulse from the duke's party. In this engagement, Ariosto, who was present, behaved with great courage, and took one of the largest of the enemy's vessels, filled with stores and ammunition.

The papal army being dispersed, Alphonso thought it adviseable to send an ambassador again to Rome. But every one being afraid to engage in his service, knowing the Pope's disposition, he dispatched Ludovico a second time, who found his Holiness so incensed against the duke, that his indignation was very near shewing itself to the ambassador; and it was not without difficulty that Ariosto escaped with life to Ferrara.

The duke's affairs being established, Ariosto returned to his studies; though, continuing still in the service of the cardinal, he was employed, at times, in various public occupations, that often broke in upon his retirement, and obliged him to defer the completion of his Orlando. However, he found means to steal so much leisure from his more serious employments, that he at last brought it to a conclusion: and though the work was far from having that perfection which he himself desired, yet, in order to avail himself of the general opinion of the public, he was determined to give it to the world; and accordingly caused it to be first printed in the year

1515.

Some time after, the cardinal having a design to go into Hungary, was desirous of being accompanied by the ingenious men who lived under his patronage: but

Ariosto openly declared his inclination to be left behind; for, being now afflicted with a catarrh, he was fearful of the consequences from the fatigues and inconveniences of so long a journey. Besides, the service of the cardinal began to grow very irksome to him; those, who were about him, being frequently obliged to watch the greatest part of the night. It appears, likewise, that Ariosto was in his nature averse to travelling, and had visited few countries.

Delgi uomini son varii gli appetiti,

A chi piace la chiesa, a chi la spada,
A chi la patria, a chi gli strani liti.
Chi vuol andare a torno, a torno vada,

Vegga Inghilterra, Ungheria, Francia, e Spagna,
A me piace habitar la mia contrada.

Vist' ho' Toscana, Lombardia, Romania,
Quel monte che divide, e quel che serra
Italia e un mare, e l'altro che la bagna:

Questo mi basta, il resto della terra,

Senza mai pagar l'oste, andró cercando
Con Tolomeo sia 'l mondo in pace o in guerra.

E tutto il mar senza far voti quando

Lampeggi il ciel, sicuro in sulle carte
Verro' più che su i legni volteggiando.

Various are men's pursuits; these seek renown
In fields of death; those chuse the sacred gown:
Some quit their native for a foreign shore:
Let those, that wish, unnumber'd realms explore,
To France, Hungary, Spain, and England roam,
While I prefer a peaceful seat at home.
I've view'd whate'er the Tuscan country yields,
Fair Lombardy, and wide Romania's fields:
The hills, that Italy from Spain divide,
And those extending to the surging tide.

Let this suffice---the rest I can survey,

In peace or war---nor host nor captain pay;

With Ptolemy can safely trace the seas,

Nor need with vows and prayers the storms appease:

Better on pictur'd charts secure to sail,

Than in frail vessels dare the treacherous gale!

Satire iv.

The refusal of Ariosto to accompany the cardinal, sə exasperated the prelate, that he, in a manner, withdrew his protection from him; which circumstance gave our Poet great uneasiness; though it is thought that Hippolito might have taken him again into favour, but for the ill offices of some malicious persons, who had the address to keep them at a distance from each other. On this difference between the cardinal and him, Ariosto strongly dwells in his satires.

A me per esser stato contumace
Di non veder Agria ne Buda,

Che si ritoglia il sua gia non mi spiace.

I murmur not, to think my patron's hand
Resum'd the grace my service once obtain'd;
Since I refus'd to quit Italia's shores,

To visit Agria's * walls, and Buda's * towers.

And afterwards:

Che senza fede e senza amor mi nome

E, che dimostri con parole e cenni

Ch' in odio, ch' in dispetto habbia il mio nome.

Still let him, at his will, my faith reprove,
And tax mé still with breach of loyal love;
With every word and deed to all proclaim
His settled hatred of my hapless name!

The only consolation Ludovico had, was the leading a retired life, which suited his disposition far more than the continual bustle of a court. He now applied himself, without interruption, to give every improvement to his Orlando; and, in the year 1521, published another edition of it, with further corrections.

In the mean time, cardinal Hippolito died; and Ariosto, who for fifteen years lived in a state of uneasy

Two towns in Hungary.

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 autho rity 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 govern ment, 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 governinent, 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.

"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,

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