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by his countrymen, even those amongst them supposed to be the least likely to be moved with veneration for him, is recorded. When governor of Garfagnana, an appointment conferred on him by the Duke Alphonso d'Este, after the death of the Cardinal Ippolito, he found that province beset by rebellious men, who had taken up arms against their sovereign, and leagued with the brigands and smugglers who had long infested the neighbourhood. Having one day occasion to pass through a wood, followed only by a few attendants, he encountered a formidable number of armed men, who, to his great surprise, and no less satisfaction, permitted him and his attendants to pass them unmolested; the captain of the band merely demanding of one of the servitors the name of his master. No sooner had he learned that it was Ariosto, than he followed him, to the no slight alarm of the poet, who, however, drew up and awaited his pursuer; who approached him with every demonstration of profound respect, and offered his apologies for having, through ignorance of who he was, suffered him to pass his troop without paying him the homage so justly due to his merit.

Another example of his extraordinary popularity is told, which occurred also while he was governor of Garfagnana. Having one morning, in a fit of abstraction, wandered forth from the castle in his robe-de-chambre and slippers, he was not conscious of his imprudence, till, at a considerable distance from any habitation, he found himself made a prisoner by a troop of banditti, who were proceeding to use violence towards him, .when one of the lawless band, recollecting the face of Ariosto, informed his companions. The captain of the brigands* saluted him in the most respectful terms, assuring him that the author of the "Orlando Furioso," had nothing to fear, and insisted on escorting the poet in safety to the castle; expatiating while they pursued the route, on the various fine passages of that poem, with many of which the men displayed an intimate acquaintance, and loading its author with praise.

PADUA.-There is something in the solitude and silence of this place that pleases me. It seems to respire the repose, I will not call it dulness, peculiar to towns containing universities; and the inhabitants have in their air and manner a gravity that harmonises well with the character of the town. Two rivers

* Pacchione.

flow through Padua, which not only beautify but add to its healthiness.

The Paduans attribute the foundation of their town to Antenor, and resent as an insult any doubt on this point.

Whether regarded for its ancient origin,-an origin of which even Tacitus relates that its natives were so proud, and which Virgil notices in his Eneid, i. 242, or for having founded its splendid neighbour, Venice, Padua must always be viewed with interest. Allied with Rome in the glorious days of the imperial city, it was, like her, preyed on by the barbarian hordes who invaded Italy, and was compelled to bow to the yoke of her enslavers. Leagued in after years with the states of Mantua, Ferrara, Verona, and Vicenza, it shared the fate common to all republics, that of frequently groaning beneath a tyranny, under the name of liberty, more despotic than is to be encountered in most monarchical governments.

Here dwelt James Carrara, one of the rulers of Padua, but, like his son Francis, better remembered as the friend of Petrarch, and as having encouraged the revival of literature.

Padua has long been distinguished for her love of science, and for her university. But in addition to that celebrated college, not less than seven academies were established, among the members of which were reckoned Alessandro Piccolomini, Benedetto, Varchi and Sperone Speroni, Guarini and Torquato Tasso.

One of these academies, that to which Guarini and Tasso belonged, was founded by Scipio Gonzague, who afterwards became cardinal. Another was composed wholly of the noblesse, who applied themselves solely to acquiring the science of chivalry, and feats of arms; pursuits which, unlike those of the other academies, have left no trace behind, and only serve to induce comparisons between the tastes of the two classes, little creditable to the aristocracy of Padua.

The circumstance of Gianvicenzo Pinelli having fixed his residence at Padua, contributed not a little to the encouragement and development of science and literature here. Devoted to both, he collected around him, and aided all who were calculated to advance them, and spared neither trouble nor expense in the formation of a library, the stores of which were ever open to those who wished to consult them. It would be difficult to imagine a life more rationally, usefully, and agreeably spent, than that of Gianvicenzo Pinelli, surrounded by savants and

students, who found beneath his roof the most valuable books, the rarest manuscripts, the best astronomical and mathematical instruments, and a friend ever ready to advance the interests of science and literature, and of those who cultivated either.

This noble library, collected with such pains and trouble, was unhappily dispersed; for having bequeathed it to Naples, his native city, three vessels were laden with the valuable freight, which was to be delivered to his heirs at that place. One of them was captured by the corsairs, who, ignorant of the worth of their prize, threw the greater portion of the books overboard; while the rest were scattered on the coast of Fermo, where the fishermen employed them for stopping the holes in their boats, or for other ignoble purposes. Luckily, the bishop of Fermo discovered this fact, and used every effort to collect the remaining portion, which he shipped for Naples; where they were afterwards sold for a very large sum to the Cardinal Borromeo, nephew to the saintly and celebrated Archbishop of Milan of that name. I quote one of my favourite writers, Ginguéné, on this subject, and from memory, not having seen his admirable Histoire Littéraire d'Italie," for a long time.

The town has some fine buildings, and the streets, though for the most part narrow, are remarkably clean. The arcades, which line each side of most of the streets, add to the gloominess of their aspect, but render them more picturesque.

The town-hall, or palace of justice, is considered the largest in Europe; the roof is unsupported by columns, pillars, or arches, and its effect is very imposing. In it is a monument to Titus Livius, who was a native of Padua, ornamented with a bust and complimentary inscription, remarkable for the exaggeration not unfrequently to be found in Italy; as regret is expressed that the means of the erectors of the monument permitted them not to form the bust of gold, instead of marble.

A stone coffin, evidently the work of the dark ages, and probably the depository of the bones of some monk, is shown as that of Livy; and the expression of any doubt of the authenticity of the relic gives great offence.

and was

The tomb of Antenor was next pointed out to us, exhibited with no trifling complacency by our guide; who was so proud of it, that I could not bring myself to damp his pleasure by avowing my incredulity as to its being other than some monument erected in the middle ages.

The abbey of St. Giustina next attracted us. Its church, li

brary, and refectory do credit to Palladio; and its interior decorations are at once rich and chaste, a commendation that can rarely be bestowed on Italian churches. The martyrdom of St. Giustina, by Paul Veronese, is a fine picture; but much the contrary is a dead Christ, by some artist whose name I forget.

The Prato della Valle, in front of St. Giustina, from its vast extent adds much to the effect of the building; and the domes, not less than eight in number, give it an oriental air. The Prato della Valle is a large square of grass, intersected with flagged walks, with a small canal surrounding it. On both sides of this canal are placed the statues of the celebrated men who have been educated at Padua; and stone benches, various monuments, and vases, are intermingled with an abundance of trees and flowering shrubs, rendering the place a very agreeable promenade to those who desire the enjoyment of tranquil contemplation, rather than the bustle of busy life.

Nowhere have I seen a town that is more calculated to suit the habits of a grave and reflecting person, than Padua; or where the studies of the occupants of a university were less likely to be interrupted by the seductions of gaiety. The church of St. Antonio, the patron saint of Padua, is an old Gothic building, containing the usual number of shrines, founts, pictures, and other ornaments, and more than the usual number of organs, having no fewer than four.

In this church are preserved the relics of its titular saint, much resorted to by devotees, who purchase small medals inscribed with an image, and blessed by a priest, to which they attach much veneration.

The monument of Bembo pleased me by its simplicity. The cardinal was a true lover of literature and a friend to its votaries, with some of whom, Ariosto among the number, he lived in habits of cordial intimacy. The inscription on the monument is as follows:

Ne cujus ingenii monumenta

Eterna sunt, ejus corporis quoque
Memoria posteritati desideretur ;

and accords well with its unaffected style.

The university is not an extensive building, but exhibits the fine taste of the architect, who contrived in a limited space to introduce an elegance and fitness, often found wanting in larger

edifices. The court, cloister, and galleries bear out this assertion, and reflect great credit on Palladio.

In the vestibule is a statue of Helena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia, celebrated for her various and extraordinary acquirements, and said to have been remarkable for her beauty. This lady is reported to have vied with the inimitable Crichton, in the extent and variety of her accomplishments; and to have emulated Corinne in reciting her own poetical productions. Her piety is said to have been as remarkable as her learning; and her constant practice of it was not impaired by the rare distinction of Doctor of Philosophy of the University, which was conferred on her. It was probably the desire of not endangering her philosophy, that led to her rejection of the numberless suitors who, undismayed by her profound erudition, sought her hand. Whatever may have been the motive, she continued to lead a life of" single blessedness," and shrouded her beauty in the austere guise of a réligieuse, devoting those hours, passed by the generality of her sex in the adornment of their persons or in light amusements, to the study of the learned languages, in which she became an adept, and to the attainment of sciences, seldom sought after, and still more seldom mastered, except by male students.

Padua, so famed for the encouragement it afforded to scientific men, extended also its protection to those of the gentler sex, who devoted themselves to similar pursuits, its ancient academy, the Ricovrati, being alike open to them. How far this protection may tend to increase the happiness or usefulness of women, is a knotty point, which I leave casuists to debate; but at the risk of drawing down on my head the indignation of those of my sex, who think that we should have equal privileges with men, I must confess, that the advantages to be derived from a scientific education, and an admittance to a university, would, in my humble opinion, be more than counterbalanced by the loss of that feminine delicacy and timidity, which constitute the most attractive charms of woman. All that is requisite for us to know, may be acquired in the privacy of our paternal homes; and I should no more think of sending a daughter of mine to an academy, to study abstruse sciences, similar to those taught to men, than I should of having her instructed in those athletic exercises so necessary to be acquired by those, who are born to be our protectors and defenders.

In this university, many celebrated men have been educated.

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