The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1867-02-28
Sctsctea Miscellany.
BEATRICE CENCl.

Beatrice Cenci seem scarcely to be-
long to history. The mind connects her
with the poet and the artist. Shelley
and Guido seem to have given her i'm.
mortality aud to have been historians.
The stern facts Of reality are thrust aside.
and the ideal romance we read IN the
wondrous face on the walls of the Bar
barini palace is fit embodiment of the
beautiful, noble and resigned victim
drawn by the inspired hand of the Eng
lish poet.
The life Of Beatrice contains elements
sufficient on which to found romance.
She was beautiful, Of noble birth, young,
and she suffered death,
The intervening circumstances of her
life history writes with sterner pen,
and tradition-the impartial tradition Of
her cotemporaries-proves that there
were darker shades in her character,
and that she was, no matter by what in
centives brought to it, the murderer Of
her father
In the sixteenth century, Rome, after
n long succession Of depraved POpes,
had grown to be the most lawless and
depraved city in Europe. The ancient
vices of the Caesars, he lawless violence
OF the Borgias, were united in the man
ners of those times. The Roman Pom
tiff governed only the poor and wretch
ed, who were but slaves and beggars,
whilst every noble in the holy city held
a court of his own, obeying no will hut
his own, submitting to no authority, and
prepared to resist all invasion Of his
prerogative, having an army of retainers
about him who shared his fortunes and
fought his battles without scrupie or
anxiety as to the justice of the quarrel.
Amongst the mobiles of that day in
Rome, the most conspicuous for lawless
violence, extravaganza and debauchery,
was Nicola Cenci, His cruelties had
startled even the scared imagination of
all accustomed to lawless deeds. Young
girls were ssnatched from their homes.
carried into the Cehci palace and never
heard of again Peaceful citizens were
arrested by the followers of the Cenci
AMI robbed of their money, glad to es,
cape with life, whilst the usurers and
jewelers. were often compelled to save
their lives by forced contributions to the
fierce and relentless nobleman.
This Nicola Cenci was one of the
hahdsomest men Of his day. He had
married in early life, and was the father
of numerous family, the two youngest
children being Beatrice his only daugh-
ter, and Bernardo, but year younger
than his sister.
Notwithstanding his evil reputation
and his being advanced il years, Nicola
Cenci. when he became a widOwer,
found a young and beautiful woman,
who consented to be his wife, @
Donna Lucreza was, however, not
the woman to have undertaken such a
task. She possessed the Italian listess.
ness and love OF luxury, bat no energy.
She was vouptuous without passion, aud
had married Nicola without one serious
reflection OF what her fate would be, ex
ceptiug that she would lead listless
and idle life,
She elder sons of the Cenci had all
followed in their fathers footsteps, faith
tul to the lessons he had given them
Often they were away from the palace
returning to it with some wretched vic
TIM whose cries TIN He'd all who heard
them, but who dared not interfere
Scenes Of horrible violence and blood
- WDg r eesG-1 -.ss 90 Elre