[“A”], “Italian Improvisatori” (The New Monthly Magazine)

Performer Name:

Accolti; Antoniano; Baraballo; Brandolini; Corilla; Corregio; de Santi; Giraldi; Marone; Micheli; Perfetti; Querno; Raffaello

Performance Venue:

Rome

Performance Date:

 

Author:

“A”

Date Written:

 

Language:

English

Publication Title:

The New Monthly Magazine

Article Title:

Italian Improvisatori

Page Numbers:

11: 193-202

Additional Info:

 

Publisher:

Henry Colburn

Place of Publication:

London

Date Published:

1824

Text:

[193] No sooner had the gloom of the dark ages been dispersed and literature regained some portion of its pristine splendour, than in almost every town of Italy Improvisatori appeared, professing to descant in poetic metre upon any subject that might be proposed. Nor was it solely in the vulgar dialect of the provinces, or where the mere tinkling of rhyme would ensure applause, that these indefatigable bards appeared. On the contrary, many of them courted the criticism of the learned. Of some of these worthies, whose names are distinguished in the writings of their contemporaries, an account may not be uninteresting to the general reader. The literary historians of the sixteenth century, in their account of this class of poets in that age, all agree in honourable mention of Andrea Marone. The exact place of his birth we do not find recorded, but he seems to have been an humble school-master in Venzone, until the fame of his versifying talents introduced him to the notice of the Cardinal Ippolito d'Este, whom he accompanied to the court of Alfonso I. Duke of Ferrara. His protector, the Cardinal, having occasion to make a journey into Hungary, Marone expressed a wish to be of the party. For some reason or other the Cardinal was not anxious for his company, and Marone unable to bear the mortification of the refusal, grew weary of the countenance of his patron, and at length abandoned the Court of Ferrara for that of Leo the Tenth, which was at that time the most advantageous arena for every species of talent. Giovio, Giraldi, and Valeriano, his contemporaries, relate almost incredible instances of the wonderful facility which this poet possessed in Latin improvisation. Accompanying himself on the viol, which he played with exquisite taste, he poured forth verses with astonishing rapidity, and as he proceeded, increased in copiousness and elegance.

Scarce a meteor appeared in the horizon of literature, science, or the fine arts, during the pontificate of Leo the Tenth, the lustre of which did not contribute to the splendour of his court and add glory to his reign. Possessed of no trifling share of acquirement himself, he knew well how to appreciate it in others, and from one end of Europe to the other, the Vatican drew learning and accomplishment to splendid leisure and luxurious enjoyment. Here then was a fit stage for the development of the talents of Marone. We are told by Giovio that Querno, Raffaello, Brandolini, and other celebrated improvisatori of the Court, "hid their diminished heads" when confronted with him, and that on one occasion at a solemn festival given by his Holiness to the ambassadors and other distinguished residents at Rome, when commanded to dilate upon the league against the Turks, then the subject of discussion, he so far surpassed anticipations of his patron, and so delighted and astonished the guests, that Leo immediately conferred on him a valuable benefice in Capua. Contemporary with Marone, though enjoying less honourable celebrity, was Camillo Querno, born at Monopoli, in the kingdom of Naples, A.D. 1470. His propensity to gormandizing was so great that many historians make no mention of him but as a notorious "ghiottone," whose other qualities were too trifling to redeem this unpardonable sin. He seems, however, early to have listened to the whisperings of his art, and ere he quitted his native [194] country had composed a poem of 20,000 verses, called Alexias,* in which, as it frequently happens, the author discovered more beauties than were clear to the indifferent reader. On its merits he determined to risk his reception at Rome, and accordingly proceeded thither with his poem. On his arrival he presented himself to the scholars of the academy, and courted their inspection of his performance. The gentlemen, however, whom he chanced to meet, were much more inclined to merriment than criticism, loved a joke a great deal better than a poem, and concluding from the grotesque rusticity of his costume, the convivial ruddiness of his features, and the uncultivated shagginess of his long black hair, that he was a much fitter subject to laugh at than to laugh with, voted him at once more likely to contribute to their amusement than do honour to their patronage. They therefore prepared an entertainment in a small island in the Tiber, to which Querno was invited; and while he was displaying his poetical as well as his guzzling qualities, and doing full as much justice to Liber Pater as to the Muses, they entwined a new wreath of poppies, cabbage, and laurel, and placing it solemnly upon his temples unanimously declared him "Arch-poet." Querno, inflated by an honour so far above his most sanguine expectations, thought himself quite competent to appear before the Pope, was presented and displayed before his Holiness his versifying talents. Leo soon perceived how great an addition the Improvisatore might prove to the hilarity of his entertainments, and accordingly ordered him to be regularly admitted. With the notion of making the hope of gratifying his gluttony an incentive to his muse, he was always kept at some distance from the table, and little delicacies were occasionally sent him to provoke him to exertion. After he had devoured these with the most disgusting avidity, the Pope had him placed nearer to himself, and filling a tumbler of the choicest wine, promised it to him on the express condition, that he should immediately produce two extemporaneous verses at least, which if he failed to do, or his verses were not approved, he was condemned not only to the forfeit the wine, but to swallow an equal quantity of pure water or of wine very considerably diluted. On one of these tantalizing occasions the disappointment seems to have produced what expectation could not, and Querno very appropriately on receiving his penance, exclaimed

"In cratere meo, Thetis est conjuncta Lyæo
Est dea juncta deo, sed dea major eo."

Querno had expressed a very pardonable exultation of his talent by the following line:

"Archipoeta facit versus pro mille poetis."

Leo replied:

"Et pro mille aliis archipoeta bibit."

Querno:

"Porrige quod faciat mihi carmina docta, Falernum."

Leo:

"Hoc etiam enervat debilitatque pedes;"

alluding to the gout to which the jester was a martyr.

[195] The usual lot of buffoons was at length that of poor Querno. The applause of one moment was often effaced by the insults of the next; and we are told that some pointed witticism did, on one occation, so irritate the feelings of his patron, as to earn for the protégé very violent marks of his displeasure. An additional mortification was provided for him in the great superiority of Marone, and between the caprice of the Pontiff and the occasional outrages of his company, he retired from Court in disgust.

Giraldi, from whom this account is principally taken, mentions other poets of the same description, who, like Querno, were introduced to Leo in the hope of establishing their own fortunes upon the gratification of their patron, and like him, instead of favour of patronage, received nothing but mockery and derision. Among these he particularly names one Giovanni Giraldi, who for his absurd libels upon poetry was frequently publicly whipped by order of his Holiness—a species of despotism, which, happily for many poets of the present day, has now become obsolete. Baraballo, Abated a Gaeta, is likewise more famous for his inordinate vanity and ludicrous conceit than for any real merit. He seems to have been one of those ennuyeux, whom Molière describes—

Au palais, aux cours, au jardins, au table
Des ses vers fatigants lecteur infatigable.

At any rate he carried his stupid vanity so far as to compare his improvisations to the sonnets of Petrarch, and actually claimed the honour which that poet had received, of being crowned in the Capitol. This idea opened a fine prospect of amusement to Leo and his Court; his pretensions were acknowledged by acclamation, and it was arranged that his coronation should take place upon the festival of St. Cosmus and Damian. The Pope was so enchanted with the ludicrous anticipation of Baraballo's self-complacency, and of his utter insensibility to the real nature of the part he had to play, and of the applause he was to receive, that he determined to give every possible éclat to the farce, and assemble all Rome to witness the ridiculous exhibition. Baraballo, too, within sight of the very summit of his ambition, resolved that the ceremony should proceed with the utmost magnificence, and this inclination received every encouragement from the courtiers, who naturally concluded that the more pageantry surrounded him the greater was their dupe. It happened about this time that a very large elephant had been presented to Leo by the King of Portugal, and it was suggested and finally agreed, that the elephant should convey the Improvisatore to the Capitol. On the appointed day the "Eternal City" was on the alert to catch a glimpse of the procession; every avenue to the Vatican was crowded to suffocation; elegantly dressed females, the rank and beauty of Rome, of course, decorated the windows, and the air resounded with vivas, and shouts in honour of Baraballo. He himself was betimes at the palace, from whence the cortége was to proceed, and was feasting upon the honour that awaited him, when a deputation was announced from Gaeta, where the friends of the Abate enjoyed some consideration. The deputation was admitted to the presence of Baraballo, who received them in the costume which was worn by the triumphant generals of ancient Rome. He was clad in a garment of purple, embroidered with [196] gold, and surrounded by facetious wags, who were loading him with congratulatory mockeries. Baraballo, elated by this new mark of attention, had begun in pompous verse to express his acknowledgements to his fellow-citizens of Gaeta, for the interest they took in his good fortune, when they interrupted him by earnest entreaties not to dishonour his family and stamp ludicrous notoriety upon his birthplace, by exposing himself to the jests and ribaldry of Rome. This unexpected rebuff, instead of cooling the ardour of Baraballo, only roused him to exertion. He burst into a violent paroxysm of rage, vented in impromptu verse the most violent imprecations upon the deputation, which he accused of mean and sordid jealousy at the distinction he had reached, and leaving them abruptly and in anger, mounted his elephant amid the suppressed giggle of the Court and acclamations of the populace. He had not, however, proceeded very far, before some misgivings overtook him of the honorary character of the proceeding: the jibes of the people became at length too unequivocal to be mistaken—he saw through the double-entendre or the insincerity of every fresh compliment he received, and by the time he had arrived at the Ponte S. Angelo, he had become excessively impatient, and had given his attendants several indications that their fulsome flattery was offensive. Shame and mortification still chained him to his seat, and had not an impediment occurred where it was not expected, this extravagant pantomime must have been consummated. Luckily, however, for the Abate, further than the Pont S. Angelo the elephant would not move. It seemed to have conspired with the Nine Sisters to prevent the profanation of an honour, until then only enjoyed by their darling votaries, and nothing could induce it to proceed. It was soon understood that another conveyance would be supplied to complete the burlesque; but in the midst of the hurry Baraballo had disappeared, and having doffed his triumphant robes, sneaked to his lodging. From the failure and exposure of the two last-mentioned Improvisatori, it will appear that mere versification, without intrinsic merit, was not sufficient to procure applause, either from the learned or the vulgar. No poet was considered to have attained perfection in the art, until he was able to treat with accuracy and precision the theme appointed for his amplification. Music, too, that twin sister of Poetry, in its primitive unsubdued existence, was the inseparable companion of extemporaneous recitations, and the mere effusion of verses was held a very mediocre performance unless enhanced by the charms of song and the sweet notes of the lyre. But some instances are recorded of Improvisatori, who, to this varied and extensive accomplishment, added profound learning and erudition. Toward the end of the fifteenth century flourished Bernardo Accolti, son of Bendetto, secretary of the Republic of Florence, and a celebrated historian. He was a native of Arezzo, and from his extraordinary talent in improvisation obtained the name of "l'unico Aretino." It is to be regretted that little of the poetry of the Improvisatori of his age has been preserved by historians; but in the absence of such testimonies of ability, the suffrages of their contemporaries must be admitted as evidence, and the proficiency of Bernardo will not be doubted when supported by the authority of Ariosto, who, speaking of him in his 46th Canto, says—]

[197] "Il cavalier che tra lor viene e ch' elle
Onoran si, s'io non ho l'occhio losco
Dalla luce offuscato de' bei volti
E'l gran lume Aretin, l'unico Accolti."

Cassio da Narni is not less flattering in his testimony of Accolti:—

"Vedevasi poi l'unico Aretino
Un nuovo Orfeo, con la citra al collo
All' improviso un stil tanto divino
Che invidia gli ebbe non pochi anni Apollo."

The applause which Accolti received at the Court of Urban and afterwards of Leo the Tenth, was almost without example. When it was understood that he was going to recite, the shops in the neighbourhood were closed, crowds assembled to listen to him, and cardinals, ambassadors, and the most distinguished literati of Rome, were regular attendants. Pietro Bembo, in a letter to the Cardinal of St. Maria, 19th April 1516, furnishes other instances of this poet's ability, and throws some light upon his amours. He says he had lately heard from Accolti, who was still very assiduous in his attentions to a young lady with whom he had long been enamoured, that when he wrote he had the most encouraging prospect of success, for that she had desired him, when he next came, not to forget his lyre, and he doubted not that by its assistance he should be able to describe his passion in such glowing colours as would overcome the hesitation of his mistress. This certainly was turning the talent of improvisation to some account, but from the silence of Bembo it would appear, in this instance, this it was not successful.

The Conte Mazzuchelli, in his account of the Improvisatori of this age, makes particular mention of Aurelio Brandolini. He was the son of Matteo di Giorgio Brandolini, of a noble Florentine family, and when very young was afflicted with a defluxion in his eyes terminating in total blindness—a misfortune which acquired for him the name of Lippus, and which he beautifully deplores in a sonnet written when very young to Lorenzo de' Medici.

Risguarda alla mia cuca adolescenza,
Che in tenebrosa vita piango e scrivo
Com' uom che per via luce l'abbandona.

The fame of Aurelio's extraordinary talent soon reached the ears of Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, who at that time was making every exertion to attract men of letters, and particularly Italians, to his court. By this prince he was prevailed upon to leave Italy, and he seems to have enjoyed some lucrative employment in the University of Buda, founded by that prince. After the death of Matthias, he returned to Florence, and entered into the religious order of the Augustines, in which he became a distinguished preacher. Although blind, many cities in Italy witnessed the display of his talents from the pulpit, and the numerous testimonies of his contemporaries furnish abundant evidence of his success. His talent, however, in extemporaneous versification obtained for him a much greater celebrity than his oratorical powers, and from the account which Matteo Bosso sends of him from Verona [198] to one Girolamo Campagnola, a citizen of Padua, he seems to have possessed the power of treating the most intricate and difficult subjects with consummate ability.

"If I might be allowed the expression, (says Bosso), he yields not on the lute to Amphion or Apollo. Certainly he is superior to the most celebrated poets: their productions are the result of much labour and meditation, while in his recitations music and composition unite in instantaneous combination. It would be difficult for you to conceive the fertility of his imagination, the retentiveness of his memory, or the extraordinary felicity with which he adjusts the most elegant language to his beautiful conceptions. We read of Cyrus that he was able to recite the name of every soldier in his army; of Cineas, that the day after his arrival at Rome, ambassador from King Pyrrhus, he addressed by their own names all the senators and equestrians of that city; of Mithridates, that he spoke the language of twenty-two nations under his dominion: but surely all this bears no comparison to the wonderful powers of Brandolini. Before an immense concourse of the nobles and learned men, he versified with his lute in his hand upon every subject, and in every species of poetic metre which might be proposed. Being at length requested to celebrate the illustrious men to whom this city has given birth, he without a moment's hesitation and without pause or interruption, sang the praises of Catullus, Cornelius Nepos, and Pliny the Ancient, the pride and glory of Verona. But what is still more surprising, he ran over the natural history of Pliny, dividing it into thirty-seven books, and without passing over a single chapter or omitting any fact worthy of observation."

Brandolini's erudition, combined with his wonderful facility in displaying it, had rendered his name famous throughout Italy, and his acquaintance was courted by the most learned men and greatest princes of his age. At the express solicitation of that prince, he lived for some time at the Court of Ferdinand the Second, King of Naples, which city he afterwards left, and on his return to Rome, died of the plague in 1497.

The account which Bosso gives of Brandolini appears, indeed, to border on romance; and had we not indisputable proofs, in the writings of that poet, of his extensive learning and acquirements it would be difficult to believe so marvellous a tale. But to affect incredulity at this point and still proceed to the history of the next Improvisatore would be trifling with our readers.

Silvio Antoniano was born at Rome, in 1540, of an obscure family of Abruzzo. He made rapid progress in the studies which the scantiness of his parents' means enabled him to pursue, and at ten years of age could make verses upon any subject proposed; which though pronounced impromptu, were not surpassed by poems of more elaborate preparation. On one occasion, at the table of the Cardinal of Pisa, Alexander Farnese taking a nosegay presented it to Silvio, desiring him to transfer it to him among the company, who, in his opinion, was most likely to be Pope. The youth, with a handsome eulogium, presented it to the Cardinal of Medicis. This Cardinal, who did afterwards actually become pope, under the title of Pius IV. was inclined to be displeased, supposing the whole a premeditated contrivance to amuse the company at his expense. The guests protested against this misinterpretation of the occurrence; and as the Cardinal still continued incredulous on the subject of the youth's ability, they requested him to make the experiment himself, and propose a subject for Silvio's amplification. Strada tells us, that while considering what theme to propose, [199] the clock in the hall happened to strike, and on the clock Silvio was desired to descant for the satisfaction of the Cardinal. The task was executed to the astonishment of the party, and the great increase of Silvio's reputation. The Duke of Ferrara, coming to Rome to congratulate Marcellus the Second on his being raised to the pontificate, was so charmed with the genius of Antoniano, that he carried him with him to Ferrara, and provided able masters to instruct him in all the sciences. He soon became acquainted with the literati of that city, and particularly with Ricci, whose letters concerning Silvio evince the warmest admiration and regard. It was at a fête champêtre given by Ricci, that Silvio displayed to most advantage his powers of extemporaneous versification, and we have the account of it from Ricci himself in a letter written to a friend of his, and to be found in his works:—

"After dinner," says Ricci, "Silvio sang and accompanied himself upon the lyre. He descanted upon the charms of social intercourse, and took occasion to praise the beauty of my villa, and the excellent system of cultivation which prevailed around it. Observing one of my guests anxious to leave the table, and hurrying to a house not far distant where his mistress lived, I whispered the circumstance to Silvio, who touched upon the lover's impatience with such exquisite humour and expression, that we were all amused beyond description. After some little conversation, Silvio resumed his lyre and continued to versify upon indifferent subjects. While still singing, a nightingale, attracted by the sweetness of his lyre, perched on a tree near the house, and when Silvio discontinued, relieved his silence by the enchanting melody of its notes, and seemed as if it had come to contest the palm of music with the Improvisitore. Silvio took the hint, and accommodating his verses to the occasion, complimented the little warbler in a strain of elegance and simplicity, which extorted applause from the most insensible of hearers."

So far Ricci, whose testimony some of our readers will be inclined to class with that of Matteo Bosso, and charitably suppose that the inspiration of the Improvisatori had communicated itself to their friends, and that when they wrote their accounts, they considered themselves entitled to the licence of poetry.

The next Improvisatore of whom we have any detailed account, is Bernardino Perfetti, who was born at Sienna in 1680, and whether we consider the testimonies of his contemporaries, or the honours by which his talents were rewarded, seems to have surpassed any of his predecessors. He was of a noble family and educated with great care and attention. The old saying, "Poeta nascitur, non fit," was strictly exemplified in him; for at the age of seven years he had composed some very passable sonnets and given proofs of his talents in improvisation, by occasional effusions, which, though not excellent, were still of a nature to create astonishment and admiration. About this time there lived in Sienna an Improvisatore named Benedetto Bindi, who enjoyed some local reputation, and was esteemed in that city for the elegance of his taste and the gracefulness of his elocution. On his recitations Perfetti was a constant attendant, and soon became enchanted with his art, and emulous of sharing the applause which he saw so lavishly bestowed. His first attempts were made in the presence of a few friends on whose judgment he could depend, and they unanimously advised the cultivation of a talent, the seeds of which appeared so plentifully sown by nature. On their recommendation he sat himself [200] down to a regular course of study, and convinced of the necessity of informing himself upon every subject, he resolved to be ignorant of nothing which he had time or opportunity to learn. The Abbé Fabroni says, that in his time there were several who declared that they never knew him to hesitate on a single subject, and particularly mentions an occasion, on which he elucidated a very intricate and difficult theological question, in extemporaneous verse, in so masterly a manner as to extort applause from many very eminent divines who were present. During his recitals he seemed transported by a supernatural energy; his gesture was so violent and his agitation so strong, as to leave him in a state of languor and exhaustion, from which he was with difficulty recovered. He could seldom conclude an argument without seeking refreshment in cooling draughts; and after an extraordinary effort sleep was for some nights a stranger to his pillow. Most Improvisatori consider it absolutely necessary to recite their effusions with a certain degree of rapidity, but with Perfetti words crowded so thick as to render it hardly possible for the person who accompanied on the guitar to follow him. The honour which had been almost miraculously rescued from pollution by Baraballo, was reserved for Perfetti, and the examination which preceded his coronation, furnished abundant evidence of the extent of his acquirements. He had gone to Rome in the suite of Princess Violante of Bavaria, during the pontificate of Benedict the Fourteenth. This Pope, by no means an enthusiastic admirer of poetry himself, had received from all quarters so many assurances of the powers of Perfetti, that he resolved to subject him to a public examination. The questions appointed for this contest were confined to no particular science, but embraced a wide range in theology, physics, mathematics, jurisprudence, morals, poetry, medicine, &c. on all of which subjects he dilated in extemporaneous verse with such wonderful accuracy and ease, that it was unanimously decreed by the judges, who were sworn to well and truly try the Improvisatore, "Cæteras a Perfectio semper omnes illo autem die se ipsum a sese superatum." On the day appointed for the coronation, Perfetti seated in a magnificent chariot, drawn by six beautiful horses, and accompanied by an immense concourse of spectators, proceeded to the Capitol. He was received there by Maria Frangapani, senator of Rome, and president on this occasion, who, on placing the laurel-wreath upon his head, addressed him in the following words:—"Eximium hoc poeticæ laudis decus quod tuo capiti impono sub felicissimis auspiciis, D.N. Benedictæ Papæ 14, Eques egregie, sit publici non minus erga te studii argumentum quam obsequentissimi animi erga amplissimam et plane regiam benevolentiam quâ decoraris." The title of Roman Citizen was on this occasion conferred upon Perfetti; he was permitted to bear in addition to his family arms a crown of laurel; medals bearing his effigy were distributed at Rome, and the citizens of Sienna sent a deputation to compliment him and thank his Holiness for the honours he had received. But in the midst of so great a reputation, nothing was so remarkable as the unexampled modesty of Perfetti, who, though he enjoyed the highest distinction, never suffered a word to escape his lips indicative of a consciousness of superiority. On one occasion being complimented in the most flattering terms on his talent by Clement the [201] XIth, he is said to have replied. "Hoc quicquid est Dei munus est qui ut Balaam jumentam loquentem fecit, ita me poetam facere voluit; haud multum possumus, beatissime pater, in his gloriari quae ab alio accepimus." This accomplished poet was carried off by an apoplectic fit in 1747. All ranks of people crowded to his funeral, and over his tomb a large wreath of laurel was suspended.

Francesco Quasbrio, in his "Storia d'ogni Poesia," mentions several ladies distinguished for their talents in extemporaneous versification; as, Cecilia Micheli, Giovanni de Santi, Barbara di Corregio; of whom, however, he informs us of little but their names. But the most celebrated of all the Improvisatrici was, Maria Maddalena Fernandez, a native of Pistoia, born in the year 1740. In her infancy she gave the most unequivocal marks of uncommon genius, and at seventeen her acquirements in natural and moral philosophy were very extensive. At twenty she began to display that talent for extempore composition, by which she afterwards acquired so much celebrity. She married a Signor Morelli, a gentleman of Leghorn, but her conduct after marriage became extremely licentious, which however does not seem to have diminished the estimation in which she was held. The Emperor Francis I. offered her the place of female poet-laureat at his Court, which she accepted, and went to Vienna in 1765. At Vienna she wrote an epic poem and some volumes of lyric poetry, both of which she dedicated to the Empress Maria Theresa. She attracted the enthusiastic admiration of Metastasio, and very much propagated the taste for Italian poetry in the Austrian capital. In 1771, she settled at Rome, became a member "dell' Academia degl' Arcadi" under the name of "Corilla Olimpica," and for several years continued to charm the inhabitants of that city by her talents in improvisation. When Pius the VIth was raised to the Pontificate, he determined that she should be solemnly crowned, and an account of the ceremony may be found in a small work printed at Parma in 1779.* Twelve members of the Arcadi were selected to pronounce upon the merits of this tenth Muse, and three several days were allotted for the public exhibition of her poetical powers. The subjects on which she was expected to improvisare, were Sacred History, Metaphysics, Epic Poetry, Legislation, Eloquence, Mythology, and the Fine Arts. Among the examiners, appear a prince, an archbishop, the Pope's physician, abati, avocati, all of high rank in criticism and letters. These successively appointed subjects required, besides a readiness in all the measures of Italian poetry, reading and knowledge of almost every kind; and in every trial she acquitted herself to the astonishment and satisfaction of all the principal residents at Rome, among whom was his late Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester. Innumerable sonnets, canzoni, canzonette, terza rima, ottava, &c. written upon this occasion, will be found in the narrative above referred to, of enthusiastic homage paid to female genius and acquirements. This renowned lady was no less [202] celebrated for her personal than her poetical charms. Her taste and talent as a musician, were likewise conspicuous. She sang her own poetry to simple tunes, and often accompanied herself on the violin, which she rested on her lap. At Florence, in 1770, she was accompanied on that instrument by Nardini, the well-known pupil of Tartini. Towards the close of 1780, she left Rome with the intention of passing the remainder of her days in retirement at Florence, nor did she practice her art much longer, conscious that youth and beauty had added charms to her performance which she could no longer hope to create. She died at Florence in 1800. Out readers may be here tempted to complain, that we have confined ourselves to a general account of the lives of the Improvisatori, and of the honours and reputation they have enjoyed, without giving any specimens of their productions. A little consideration, however, will convince them, that even were their poems of a nature to withstand the keen glance of deliberate criticism, the rapidity with which they are uttered would prevent the possibility of their collection. Poured forth at the impulse of the moment, and under the influence of an excitement over which the will can have but little control, the distinguishing characters of extempore compositions are rather bold and nervous figures, than correctness or precision. The very attempt to subject them to any but metrical restriction would require an intensity and coolness of consideration which is quite foreign to the spirit of an Improvisatore. The few who have aspired to immortality by giving stability to their imaginations, have uniformly failed in the attempt; but most of them have prudently abstained from the hazardous enterprize of publication. Improvisation is a talent rather natural than acquired, and is by no means so common in Italy as has been supposed. Among the peasantry, indeed, who breathed the pure and animating atmosphere of the north of Italy, before the ravages of the late war and the brutifyng influence of German dulness had destroyed the energies of that interesting people, Improvisatori of merit might frequently be met; and it was no uncommon incident to a journey through Piedmont or the Venetian States to be overtaken by one who sang the legends of his native hills. But now-a-days these enlivening historians, the very soul of whose poetry was a wildness like that of their mountain breezes, have been hushed by the Austrian authorities, who fear that in the fervour of their own emotions, they might be led to contrast the happiness which their traditionary tales pourtray, with the oppression under which

Yoked with the brutes and fettered to the soil,
they are now condemned to consume.

*The first line only of this poem has been preserved.

Infelix Europa diu quassata tumultu
Bellorum, &c.

*The Italian title of this Narrative is "Atti della solenne Coronazione tutta in Campidoglio della insigne poetissa D'na Maria Maddalena Fernandez Morelli, Pistoise, tra gli Arcadi, Corilla Olimpica," published at Parma by Bodoni, 1779.

Notes:

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