altogether ignorant of the
existence of such an institution in their city. I had considerable
difficulty in finding out the locality. The furniture of the
apartment is exceedingly curious, and is meant to indicate the object
of the Academy, which--as its name literally translated, _of the_ bran
or _chaff_, signifies--is to sift the fine flour of the language from
the corrupt bran that has gathered around it. The chairs are made in
imitation of a baker's basket, turned bottom upwards and painted red.
On the wall behind each chair is suspended a shovel, with the name of
its owner painted upon it, along with a group of flowers in allusion
to the famous motto of the Academy, "Il piu bel fior ne coglie," "It
plucks the fairest flower." On the table, during my visit, there was a
model of a flour-dressing machine and some meal sacks; while several
printed sheets of a new edition of the Italian Dictionary, which the
members were engaged in publishing at the time, with manuscript
corrections, were scattered about. At present the Academy, besides
doing this important work, occasionally holds public sessions; but it
is an effete institution, that has little more than an archaeological
interest. It was very different, however, in the sixteenth century.
Then, in point of numbers and reputation, it was the outstanding
literary academy of Italy, and occupied the commanding position from
which the all-powerful humanists of the previous age had been driven
by the counter reformation. It is chiefly, however, by its attacks
upon Tasso that it is now known to fame.

No sooner was the _Gerusalemme_ published than comparisons began to be
instituted between it and the _Orlando Furioso_ of Ariosto. This
latter poem was then in the zenith of its reputation; it was regarded
as the supreme standard of literary excellence, and it was slavishly
imitated by all the inferior poets of Italy. It was inevitable,
therefore, that the two works should be compared together. But as well
might the _AEneid_ of Virgil be compared with the _Metamorphoses_ of
Ovid. The _Orlando Furioso_ is a romantic poem in the manner of Ovid,
whereas the _Gerusalemme Liberata_ is an epic poem in the manner of
Homer and Virgil. No Italian poet previous to Tasso had written an
epic; and Tasso himself distinctly avowed that he had chosen that form
of poetry deliberately; not only as being more congenial to his own
mind, but also that he might avoid following in the steps of Ariost