orty-two
years of age, are points to be considered; but the fact that she died in
February, 1581, and that Tasso remained in confinement for five years
longer, is a stronger argument against the truth of the legend. She was
a beautiful woman, his patroness and benefactress, and the theme of
sonnets and canzoni; but it was not for her "sweet sake" that Tasso lost
either his wits or his liberty.]

[183] Compare--

"I speak not, I trace not, I breathe not thy name."

[184] {148}[Compare the following lines from the canzone entitled, "La
Prima di Tre Sorelle Scritte a Madaroa Leonora d'Este ... 1567:"--

"E certo il primo di che'l bel sereno
Delia tua fronte agli occhi miei s'offerse
E vidi armato spaziarvi Amore,
Se non che riverenza allor converse,
E Meraviglia in fredda selce il seno,
Ivi peria con doppia morte il core;
Ma parte degli strali, e dell' ardore
Sentii pur anco entro 'l gelato marmo."]

[185] {149}[Ariosto (_Sat._ 7, Terz. 53) complains that his father
chased him "not with spurs only, but with darts and lances, to turn over
old texts," etc.; but Tasso was a studious and dutiful boy, and, though
he finally deserted the law for poetry, and "crossed" his father's
wishes and intentions, he took his own course reluctantly, and without
any breach of decorum. But, perhaps, the following translations from the
_Rinaldo,_ which Black supplies in his footnotes (i. 41. 97), suggested
this picture of a "poetic child" at variance with the authorities:--

"Now hasting thence a verdant mead he found,
Where flowers of fragrant smell adorned the ground;
Sweet was the scene, and here from human eyes
Apart he sits, and thus he speaks mid sighs."

Canto I. stanza xviii.

"Thus have I sung in youth's aspiring days
Rinaldo's pleasing plains and martial praise:
While other studies slowly I pursued
Ere twice revolved nine annual suns I viewed;
Ungrateful studies, whence oppressed I groaned,
A burden to myself and to the world unknown.

* * * * *

But this first-fruit of new awakened powers!
Dear offspring of a few short studious hours!
Thou infant volume child of fancy born
Where Brenta's waves the sunny meads adorn."

Canto XII. stanza xc.]

[bh] {150}_My mind like theirs a