Abbé [Charles] Dupaty, Travels through Italy, in a Series of Letters, Written in the Year 1785 (Letter 41)

The Abbé Dupaty describes the functioning of the Italian academy, which he suggests would be better constituted as a democracy than a monarchy. He briefly mentions, in an ironic tone, a failed improvisation by an unnamed improvisatrice at the academy.

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Author:
Dupaty, Abbé [Charles]
Date Written:
1785
Language:
English
Publication Title:
Travels through Italy, in a Series of Letters, Written in the Year 1785
Article Title:
Letter 41
Page Numbers:
117-18
Additional Info:
 
Publisher:
 
Place of Publication:
Dublin
Date Published:
1789

Text:

[117] The constitution of the academy is not calculated to give birth to great talents, still less to make them productive; for it is monarchical. It has a perpetual president nominated by the prince, two secretaries nominated by the prince, and two censors likewise nominated by the prince. A democracy alone is suited to an academy, because liberty alone is favourable to talents.

They have two meetings weekly, which are public. The members open the assembly, alternately, by a discourse, the subject of which they are at liberty to chuse. The secretary then invites the other academicians to read, and even strangers. […]

[118] An improvisatress then got up, and sang some verses, on the death of one of her female friends, at which every body laughed.

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DP