inal or translated; and in 1608, a translation of the Life of Galeacius Caracciolo, marquis of Vico, an Italian nobleman, who was converted by the celebrated reformer
, an English poet, was the son
of the rev. William Crashaw, a divine of some note in his
day, and preacher at the Temple church, London. He
published several volumes on points controverted between
the Roman catholics and protestants, either original or
translated; and in 1608, a translation of the Life of Galeacius Caracciolo, marquis of Vico, an Italian nobleman,
who was converted by the celebrated reformer Peter
Martyr, and forsook all that rank, family, and wealth
could yield, for the quiet enjoyment of the reformed religion. Mr. Crashaw also translated a supposed poem of
St. Bernard’s, entitled “The Complaint or Dialogue between the Soule and the Bodie of a damned man,
” Manual for true Catholics, or a handfull or rather a heartfull of holy Meditations
and Prayers.
” All these show him to have been a zealous
protestant; but, like his son, somewhat tinctured with a
love of mystic poetry and personification.
accidentally discovered by an intelligent poet, Dino, it was sent to the marquis Marcello Marespina, an Italian nobleman, by whom Dante was then protected. The marquis
His fame rests on his “Divina Commedia,
” unquestionably a great and singular, but very unequal work. At
what time, or in what place, he wrote it, his numerous
commentators seem unable to determine. The life of
Dante, in which we have principally followed Mr. Boyd,
in the preliminary matter to his excellent translation, is
after all not the life of a poet, nqr does it furnish the information we naturally look for in order to enable us to
trace the progress of genius. Boccaccio asserts, that he
began the “Commedia
” in his thirty-eighth year, and
had finished seven cantos of his “Inferno
” before his
exile, and that in the plunder of his house, on that event,
the beginning of his poem was fortunately preserved, but
remained for some time neglected, till, its merit being accidentally discovered by an intelligent poet, Dino, it was
sent to the marquis Marcello Marespina, an Italian nobleman, by whom Dante was then protected. The marquis
restored these lost papers to the poet, and intreated him
to proceed in the work, which opened in so promising a
manner. To this accident we are probably indebted for
the poem of Dante, which he must have continued under
all the disadvantages of an unfortunate and agitated life.
It does not appear at what time he completed it: perhaps
before he quitted Verona, as he dedicated the “Paradeso
”
to his Veronese patron. The critics are not agreed why
he called this poem “Commedia.
”
, an Italian nobleman, celebrated for his love of letters, and the
, an Italian nobleman, celebrated for his love of letters, and the library he formed, and well compared by Thuanus to Pomponius Atticus, was born at Naples, in 1533, the son of a noble Genoese. After having received an excellent education, he went and settled at Padua, at the age of twenty-four, and early in life began to form his library, which he collected from all parts with incredible diligence. Lipsius, Jos. Scaliger, Sigonius, Pancirollus, Pithou, and all the most learned men of his time, corresponded with him, and have celebrated him for erudition. His whole mind was occupied with the love of knowledge, which embraced history, medals, antiquities, natural history, and botany; and it is said, that in forty -three years he never was out of Padua, except twice, one of which times his removal was occasioned by the plague. He died in 1601. At his death, his library was removed to his heirs at Naples, in 130 cases, fourteen of which were full of manuscripts. Two hundred volumes were retained by the republic of Venice, as treating of affairs pertaining to that state. In 1790, this noble library, augmented considerably by the descendants of this Pinelli, was purchased by Messrs. Edwards and llobson, two eminent booksellers, and sold by auction in London; and thus in a few weeks was dissipated, what it had been the labour of near two centuries to collect.
general principle of the American revolution, that he never could be forced to talk on the subject. An Italian nobleman, who visited him after the peace, had often
Much has been said by the American biographers of Washington, concerning his magnanimity during the ravages of a civil war, in which he acted so conspicuous a part; but, on the other hand, two instances have been mentioned in which he is thought to have been deficient in this great quality of a hero. Granting (it has been said) that duty required him to execute, as a spy, the accomplished major Andre, true magnanimity would have prevented him from insultingly erecting, in the view of that unfortunate officer, the gallows on which he was to be hung, several days before his execution. And when earl Cornwallis was overpowered by numbers, and obliged at York-town to surrender to the united armies of America and France, a magnanimous conqueror would not have claimed, contrary to the usage of civilized war, the sword from the hands of that gallant nobleman. On these two occasions, and on some others, the conduct of Washington agreed so ill with his general character, that he has been supposed to be influenced by the leaders of the French army. Cue thing is certain, that he was so little pleased either with his own conduct on particular occasions, or with the general principle of the American revolution, that he never could be forced to talk on the subject. An Italian nobleman, who visited him after the peace, had often attempted, in vain, to turn the conversation to the events of the war. At length he thought he had found a favourable opportunity of effecting his purpose; they were riding together over the scene of an action where Washington’s conduct had been the subject of no small animadversion.