No. XXV. ed to Crichton. Vincenzo, however, had some bad qualities; he was exceedingly expensive, and was fond of gambling.* In a letter of Cardinal Ossat, dated 8th October, 1584, he says, " Le prince de Mantoue avec la princesse, sa femme [a daughter of the Grand Duke,] est a Florence, et sera a Florence jusques a Nöel, tant pour ce que le Grand Duc desire le traiter le plus longuement qu'il pourra, et se le gagner et faire sien de plus en plus, qu'aussi pour ce que le dit Prince n'est guere bien avec le Duc son pere, d'autant qu'il veut depenser trop, et le Duc son pere veut qu'il depense peu." Finally, Possevino after extolling the munificence, hilarity, courtesy, religion, or rather superstition of this prince, of which last he gives some very striking instances, adds, that he was blamed by some as vengeful and passionate, and as not observing moderation or propriety in his generosity.† It has been asserted by different writers, that Crichton was appointed tutor of the prince of Mantua. Dempster says, that he was Principis Mantuani juventuti praepositus, but this is not alleged by the other two eulogists, Imperialis and Urquhart, nor do I think it at all probable. Vincenzo was born 21st September, 1562, and in 1580, at least a year before Crichton went to Mantua, was married to a daughter of Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma. This marriage, however, was dissolved after a few months, naturali impedimento uxoris, contractas nuptias dirimente, and in 1584, Vincenzo was again married to Leonora, daughter of Francis, Grand Duke of Tuscany, and sister of Mary de' Medici, afterwards wife of Henry IV. of France. There is a curious story on the subject of this marriage, in Possevino, [p. 782.] If we compare the age of Crichton, with that of Vincenzo; if we reflect "In oltre cessò di vivere nel dì 18 di Febbraio 1612, Vincenzo Gonzaga Duca di Mantova, Principe che non iscarseggiava di mente, ma che spezialmente fu portato dal suo naturale alla giovalità e all' allegria, gran giocatore, grande scialacquator del danaro, sempre involto fra il lusso, e gli amori, sempre in lieti passatempi o di festi, o di balli, o di Musiche, o di Commedie." Muratori, Annali d'Italia, vol. XI. p. 38. + Quidam vindictae nimium, ideoque in abrupta tractum interdum opinantur; cupiebantque munificentiae modum, tempus, locum esse. Gonzague familia, p. 844. 1626, folio. I learn from this work, that it was by the influence of Duke William of Mantua, who had pardoned Scipio Gonzaga, that the latter was made a Cardinal. See above, p. 191. that the latter had been a considerable time married before he saw the young No. XXV. Scotsman; if we contemplate the sage character of Duke William of Mantua, who would never have entrusted the forming of his son to a young adventurer of twenty-two, we shall be led to conclude that Crichton was not tutor to Vincenzo, during the short time of their acquaintance. It is much more probable, that, from the admiration of the prince for literary persons, it was he who invited Crichton to Mantua, that they were bottle companions, and that some unfortunate quarrel was the cause of our young countryman's death. The biographers of Crichton, do not dwell with horror on → Since the preceding sheets were printed, I have by the assistance of the same Honourable friend, from whom I received the translation, at p. 416, discovered the original; which is valuable, as fixing with accuracy the year of Crichton's birth, and the day of his death. The conjectural reasoning which I have used, however, is not altogether superfluous, since it confirms the typographical correctness of the number XXII. in the passage. It is to be found at page 217, of the ninth volume of the folio Aldine collection of Cicero's works, and serves as a Dedication to the Timaeus of Cicero. Memoriae Vel mortuum enim Te laudari, par est, Jacobe Critoni, quem importuna mors nobis abripuit. Qu Venetijs, IV. Non. Nov. M.D.XXCIII. The translator, at p. 416, seems to have considered vi, as a part of the word vitam, left by incor- No. XXV. the atrocity of the prince, and if we were to believe Sir Thomas Urquhart, Crichton would have been the injurious person. The account of Sir Thomas, as has been seen, is absurd and ridiculous in the highest degree, but it may be taken in some measure as evidence of the general feeling which was entertained in his time with regard to the action of Vincenzo. I have not been able to detect any thing in the epistles of Tasso, which can enable me to throw light on this subject. In a letter from Mantua, 22d October, 1586, he entreats Scipio Gonzaga to use his influence with the prince in his favour, a common thing with the poet, who often sought recommendations to his best friends, from persons who were less dear to them than himself. "I write, (says he,) as I am accustomed, to your Lordship, with little diligence, since I am more encouraged by the affection you bear me, than disheartened by your judgement. My letters to you will not be of the number of those which they are going to print; this one, at least, I hope shall be kept secret, as I would not that it were known that any spur or stimulus is necessary to the benignity or liberality of the Prince. I do not mention clemency, because I recollect I was forbid to speak of it." It is doubtful whether the advice of Scipio was a general one, as Tasso had greatly offended the Duke of Ferrara, by complaining that he designed to take away his life, or whether it was a particular injunction, not to speak in this manner of the prince of Mantua, lest it might awaken distressing recollections. I am inclined, however, to believe that the former is the truth. Towards the end of 1582, the Messagiero, of Tasso, was first published by the Giunti, and inscribed to the Prince of Mantua. Unfortunately the dedication is not dated, otherwise if it was written towards the close of that year, it would be almost decisive against the murder of Crichton. On the seventh and eighth of September 1582, Tasso was visited by Aldus Manutius, and as the death of our young countryman happened only two months before, it would no doubt form one of their topics of conversation. Now, in this dedication Tasso thus addresses Vincenzo. "But should it not be your pleasure to pre *Nè stimo, che le lettere, che io le scrivo, saranno fra quelle che vogliano stampare, o questa almeno, la quale vorrei che stesse occulta in modo, che mai non si risapesse che alla benignità del Signor Principe fossero stati necessarii sproni, o stimoli: della clemenza non parlo, perchè mi ricordo, che mi fu vietato il ragionarne. Opere, vol. X. y. 64. serve the Messenger in life, still it would be more agreeable to see him expire under your name than living under that of another, even with the hope of eternity. Let your highness, however, reflect, if it be suitable to your grandeur to allow that to perish unjustly, or at least rigorously, which has repaired under the shade of your favour."* Tasso wrote his dedications with great delicacy, and he would never have used a metaphor, which could not fail to awaken the most painful reflections in the mind of Vincenzo, and which to the public would seem a keenly envenomed satire. It would be easy for me to adduce several passages of a like nature, which might seem, in some degree, to clear the prince of Mantua, from the charge of having committed this dreadful crime. None of these, however, is decisive, or is such as at all to balance the direct evidence, and it is necessary for me to apologise to my reader, for detaining him so long on a subject, remotely connected with any general principle, and upon which I can come to no clear result. My object has been, since I could not satisfy, to awaken curiosity. Something perhaps might be done in this country to throw light on the family and education of Crichton, and I am hopeful that some Italian, who has a better opportunity than we have of examining the writings of his countrymen, and especially the manuscripts in the different libraries of Italy will develope this subject, and enable us to come to some certain conclusion. The great relative, and indeed absolute extension of this volume, reduces me to the awkward necessity of suppressing Nos. XXVI. XXX. XXXI. XXXIII. XXXIV. and XXXVII. of this Appendix, which, however, were by no means essential to the illustration of the Life of Tasso-three of these Nos, were Italian lellers. No. XXVII.-P. 77. LETTER OF CONDOLENCE FROM GUARINI, TO THE DUCHESS No. XXV. Coloro, che stimano in questo mondo essere alcuna sincera felicità vivono No. XXVII. * Consideri nondimeno Vostra Altezza, s'alla sua grandezza si conviene di lasciar perire ingiustamente, o almeno rigorosamente chi sotto l'ombra del suo favor s'è riparato. Opere, vol. IX, p. 436. No. XXVII. infelicimente felici. Et però quanto prima un'animo ben composto si libera da queste non conosciute miserie, in grazia di Dio, con immortal memoria della sua vita, et soddisfazzione di chi rimane, tanto, a me pare, che più felice stimar si debbia. Si come senz'alcun fallo giudico essere intervenuto di Madama Lionora Eccellentissima, che Dio habbia in gloria, sorella di V. A. della quale io non dubbito punto che sì come l'amore e'l sangue l'havria fatta pianger per morta, così la prudenza, et la fede, non la faccia credere, et consolarsi che viva. Piaccia à sua Divina Maestà di aggiungere alla vita di lei quegli anni, che ha scemati alla Illustrissima Sorella, non per chè io stimi propria felicità di V. A. il vivere lungamente; ma perchè lungamente felici non possiam' vivere noi senza lei: La quale supplico humilmente à perdonarmi l'arditezza di quest'ufficio, poich'egli viene accompagnato dalla mia tanto certa et tanto naturale divozione verso l'A. V. Alla quale fo humilissima ri verenza. No. XXVIII.-P. 92. No. XXVIII. ADDITIONAL REMARKS ON THE CONFINEMENT OF TASSO. I have examined in the text the hypothesis which attributes the imprisonment of Tasso to his love for Leonora, and have shown that it rests upon no solid foundation. In fact, my only doubt now is whether Tasso was treated with unjustifiable harshness by Alphonso, and should this book reach a second edition, I shall soften one or two unguarded expressions, which, in conformity with other writers who have spoken of Tasso, I have used on the cruelty of the Duke of Ferrara. That this prince was greatly irritated with the poet, on account of his design to enter into the service of the Medici, is evident from the deep impression this seems to have made on Tasso's mind.* As soon, however, as he saw the latter's afflicted state, he "shewed him, we * See above, vol. I. pp. 317, 319. II. pp. 399, 404. |