��« These two editions were taken off in a few days: and the Venice editor in his turn gave another edition from a copy still more correct; which was also rapidly sold: and all this without even consulting the author, who made the delight, and raised the curiosity of all Italy. At length a young Ferraraise, attached to the Court, and intimately connected with Tasso, undertook to publish an edition superior to all the rest; having the opportunity of consulting the original corrected by the author; and of even conferring, in cases of doubt, with Tasso himself. This edition appeared at Ferrara in June 1581; was dedicated to Duke Alphonso; and presented to the Prince expressly in the name of the unhappy poet. It was done in so much haste, as to be full of incorrectnesses, which yet did not prevent as rapid a sale as the others had had. This was followed by another from the same editor, July 1581; the first, according to Fontanini, which can be regarded as good and correct. This was followed three months afterwards by an edition at Parma, 1581; which has served for the rule and model of all subsequent editions. It is true then that in this one year there appeared seven editions in Italy; and that there appeared six more in the course of the six following months. "In the midst of this glory," says Ginguine, "amid the sound of these eulogies; amid the applauses which echoed from all parts, while editors and printers enriched themselves with the fruit of his labours, the poor Tasso languished in an hard captivity, neglected, despised, sick; and without even the necessaries for the accommodations of life. The ministers of the Duke's will added without doubt to the severity of his orders, instead of softening them. The little that they gave him, they seemed to study to give after the time that he had either a want, or a desire for them. That which was still more insupportable in his prison was, to be incessantly turned from his studies by the dismal cries with which the hospital resounded; and by noises, capable, as he says himself, of depriving of sense and reason men the most wise and sane." The deplorable bard prayed incessantly that these useless rigours might be softened; and tried to persuade himself that Duke Alphonso was ignorant of them. Perhaps he was ignorant of them! But could even his indifference, and want of enquiry, in such a case, be excusable? And how could he support the idea of retaining in chains him, who at this moment made his name, and the glory of his house, resound through Italy and all Europe? How could he refrain from running to break those chains, while he read in the edition, which had just been dedicated to him, this sublime and touching invocation: "Thou magnanimous Alphonso, Thou who sustainest me under the fury of fortune, and who guidest to the port a stranger, wandering, agitated, almost engulphed amid rocks and waves, receive with smiles this work, which I consecrate as a votary at thy altar." And yet he it was; it was this hard and unpitying Alphonso, who had sunk him in this gulph, and held him plunged in it! "At length his restraint was a little relaxed--apartments were allowed him sufficiently large to walk in: which in the two past years had not been the case. These were obtained by the solicitations of Scipio de Gonzague, and the Prince of Mantua, Scipio's nephew; who had come to Ferrara, and visited him in his prison. This visit and happy **v*v+�*v**ཉྩེ**v》 པཉྩ་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་་ result, reanimated the hopes of Tasso: and he flattered himself he should be free in a few days: but his patience had yet long trials to undergo." &c. "The year following passed in the same manner. The Muses were his sole resources when his health permitted him to labour; his studies were only interrupted by the visits which men of literature flocking from all parts of Italy paid to him: in which interviews the Maniac of St. Anne commanded admiration by his wisdom, his spirit, and his knowledge." &c. "The year 1583 again held the same melancholy course. But at last the entreaties of the Cardinal Albano; of the Duchess of Mantua; and of many other persons of great credit with the Duke, were so pressing, that one day he sent for Tasso, and told him that he should be liberated in a little time."--" He permitted him to go out from time to time in the company of only one person. Tasso could thus frequent many of the most distinguished houses of Ferrara: and could taste one of the pleasures which he most loved, that of animated conversation upon subjects of literature; moral philosophy; and sometimes gallantry: and we find in many dialogues composed by him at this epoch, traces of these interesting conversations. During the Carnival of this year, two of his friends carried him to see the Masquerades, a sort of amusement, of which he had been always fond. He saw again with pleasure the Tilts, the Tourneys, and a multitude of Knights, diversely and richly armed, combating with an union of grace and valour, under the eyes of numerous assemblages of ladies magnificently dressed. But before the end of this year these slight alleviations were all taken from him without his being able to guess the cause; and he fell into the same solitudes; the same privations; and the same despair as before." 'Alphonso at length consented to release the poet at the instance of Vincent Gonzague, Prince of Mantua, who became security for him; and took him back to his own court at Mantua with him." - "Scarce escaped from his hard treatment, and the sufferings of his long and unjust captivity, a prey at the same time to physical evils, which cast new sorrows on his moral faculties; he yet forgot both the persecutions which he had endured, and |