July 30. Read the Gemelle Capovane by Ansaldo Ceba. This story is also improbable and disgusting; the language humble, familiar, and sometimes elegant, so as to remind one of the second-rate play-writers of Shakspeare's age. 31 and August 1. Read the Solimano of Prospero Bonarelli. There is in this play a crowd of incidents and characters, and a barbaric splendour of diction, that reminds one of Dryden. The manner in which the Diviner discloses the past and future of her life to the queen (that is, by means of a book full of figures employed in the several parts they are to act, among which that of the queen herself is introduced), has something in it very novel and striking. It is in the last scene of the first act. The smile of the tyrant is finely described : Giunto il Prence, e con lui La Principessa al regio aspetto avanti, Act v. sc. 1. It is something like Homer's Juno, who frowned with her brow and smiled with her lips. 2 and 3. Read the Alcippo of Ansaldo Ceba. The fable not well chosen: Alcippo suffers without any fault the language resembling that of the Gemelle Capovane. : 4. Read the Aristodemo of Carlo de' Dottori. Monti in his tragedy of the same name has borrowed much from this. The story is in Pausanias, book iv., c. 9, &c. Dottori's play is full of incidents, and represents the facts which lead to the death of the two daughters of Aristodemo. Monti describes little more than his remorse, which amounts to madness. Dottori has choruses, and is too lyrical in the style of his dialogue. Monti has no choruses, and is scarcely figurative enough in his language for tragedy, though he is more so than Alfieri, who appears to be much over-rated in the present day. Aug. 5. Read the Cleopatra of Cardinal Delfino. This tragedy is too full of moral reflections, and the choruses have nothing to do with the business of the story. Yet there is some pathos in the description of Cleopatra's death. 6. Read the Edipus Tyrannus of Sophocles in the Italian translation of Giustiniano; a fine, and, as far as I have compared it with the original, an accurate translation. 23. Read the second book of the Elegies of Tibullus. Some of these are either corrupted in the text, or much in want of notes: the first is perspicuous and beautiful, particularly towards the conclusion, than which I scarcely know anything more poetical. TO THE REV. THOMAS PRICE. Kensington Gravel Pits, February 20, 1814. MY DEAR PRICE, I suppose you are so much engaged in the practical illustration of your favourite adage*, où Awïov ἔσται τῷ κινήσαντι, that you will not have much time for looking over this scrawl. First then, let me apologise for sending you my book by the coach, for which I had given orders to the printer before I got your letter desiring me to send it with the others to Baker at Tamworth. Then let me thank you for speaking to him and to his brethren at Lichfield, to all of whom, as well as to Beilby and Lloyd at Birmingham (in consequence of a communication with them through Kennedy) I have sent copies and if you chance to visit their shops, I will further thank you if you will inquire whether they have received them. : I delivered in person your present to Mrs. Mapleton, but my modesty would not let me suffer her to open the packet till I had made my escape. I have heard of Huggins, the translator of Ariosto, but did not recollect that he had left a translation of Dante in manuscript. I do not think his Ariosto is much esteemed. There was a version of the Inferno, in blank verse, anonymous, but said, in * Answering to our proverb, "A rolling stone gathers no moss." the Gentleman's Magazine, to be the production of a Mr. Rogers, F.R.S., published in 1782. I have picked it up, and will give you a sample or two of it. Canto i., ver. 1— "When in the middle stage of life, I found How I came in it I can't well explain, Canto iii., ver. 1— "Through me you to the doleful city go : Through me you go where is eternal grief : Ye, who here enter, to return despair." Canto xxxi., ver. 55— "Above the bank (which served to conceal Like breeches all the parts below the waist)." Canto ix., ver. 68, 9. Two good lines "As through the water from a serpent glide The frogs pursued, and huddle to the shore." An offer has lately been made me by Mr. Champagné of the vicarage of Datchet, about two miles from Windsor; and had it been compatible with Kingsbury I should probably have taken it, though only 601. a year. The latter living is indeed something of a log about my neck, as, being above value in the King's books, it is not tenable with another more than forty miles distant from it. Do you know what Mr. Fox's living is, and whether the value of it is more than equivalent to that of Kingsbury? If you have an opportunity, pray speak to him on these points with a view to an exchange, which might possibly be to our mutual advantage. Jane is much better than she was, though not yet quite stout again. We all look forward with pleasure to the prospect of our meeting at Beveré this summer. Perhaps by that time you will have discovered for me what the ensign of the ancient Britons really was. Believe me, with our kindest remembrances to all the little aboriginals in your house, as well as to the lady at the head of it, Saxon, Saxo-Norman, Dane, or whatever nation she be of, Yours truly, H. F. CARY. Little notice appears to have been taken of the translation of Dante: a contributor to the Gentleman's Magazine bestowed on it the highest praise, while a writer in the Critical Review censured it as strongly. My father, however, was not one to be affected by such praise or such censure. The favour |