ose fictitious beings of objects of worship by
the majestic people his ancestors--had omitted also some
uncharacteristic particulars, and had not on some occasions forgotten
that truth is the soul of passion, he would have left his Readers little
to regret. I do not mean to say that higher and nobler thoughts may not
be found in sepulchral inscriptions than his contain; but he understood
his work, the principles upon which he composed are just. The Reader of
the _Friend_ has had proofs of this: one shall be given of his mixed
manner, exemplifying some of the points in which he has erred.

O Lelius beauteous flower of gentleness,
The fair Anglaia's friend above all friends:
O darling of the fascinating Loves
By what dire envy moved did Death uproot
Thy days e'er yet full blown, and what ill chance
Hath robbed Savona of her noblest grace?
She weeps for thee and shall for ever weep,
And if the fountain of her tears should fail
She would implore Sabete to supply
Her need: Sabete, sympathizing stream,
Who on his margin saw thee close thine eyes
On the chaste bosom of thy Lady dear,
Ah, what do riches, what does youth avail?
Dust are our hopes, I weeping did inscribe
In bitterness thy monument, and pray
Of every gentle spirit bitterly
To read the record with as copious tears.

This epitaph is not without some tender thoughts, but a comparison of it
with the one upon the youthful Pozzobonelli (see _Friend_, No....) will
more clearly shew that Chiabrera has here neglected to ascertain whether
the passions expressed were in kind and degree a dispensation of reason,
or at least commodities issued under her licence and authority.

The epitaphs of Chiabrera are twenty-nine in number, all of them save
two probably little known at this day in their own country and scarcely
at all beyond the limits of it; and the Reader is generally made
acquainted with the moral and intellectual excellence which
distinguished them by a brief history of the course of their lives or a
selection of events and circumstances, and thus they are individualized;
but in the two other instances, namely those of Tasso and Raphael, he
enters into no particulars, but contents himself with four lines
expressing one sentiment upon the principle laid down in the former part
of this discourse, where the subject of an epitaph is a man of prime
note.

Torquato Tasso rests within this tomb: