The Portland daily press., 1869-11-03

CORTLAND. a
Wednesday Morning, November 8, 1869,
The Admirable Crichton.

| FhOM APPLEION JOUkNAl.
Toward the close of the sixteenth century,
young Scotsman travelled on the continent,
who possessed such wonderful proficiency in
science, literature, and gentlemanly accom-
| pllshments, that he acquired the name of "The
| admirable Crichton" He is reputed to have
been acquainted with twelve languages, to
have mastered the whole circle of sciences, to
have been an accomplished orator, and to
have possessed extraordinary skill in painting,
drawing, riding, fencing, dancing, singing, and
PLAYING on musical instruments. In addition
to all these marvellous accomplishments, he
possessed remarkable strength, and in physi-
cal beauty was new AdOnis. In the use of
the sword or spear he was unapproachable.
AT Paris, he is said to have entered tourna-
ment and won all the honors and, later, to
have highly distinguished himself during his
two years service in the civil wars of France.
According to Sir Thomas Urquhart's roman
tic narrative, he rendered himself very con-
spicuous by his valiant encounter with
fierce Italian gentleman, who had recently
slain three antagonists. Crichton is said to
have challenged this redoubtable champion,
and, after many efforts of skill, to have
brought the matter to this conclusion: "His
right loot did beat the cadence of the blow
that pierced the belly of this Italian, whose
heart and throat being hit with the two ior-
| mer strokes, these three franch bouts given in
upon the back of others; besides that, if lines
were imagined drawn from the hand that liv-
cred them, TO the places which were marked
by them, they would represent perfect isos-
celes triangle, with perpendicular from the
top angle, cutting the basis in the middle"
There is, no doubt, large admixture of
fable in the records oil this extraordinary mau
and the query naturally arises, whether
something has not been preserved by which
posterity may judge OF his capacity. 1t hap
pens there is one point upon which we may
Judge of his abilities. He was as celebrated
for his proficiency in the poetic art as for his
historical powers and his profound aequain-
tance with almost every branch of knowledge.
-Four Latin odes and few prose fragments of
his productions have been preserved, which
are printed in the appendix to his Life, writ
ten by Mr.. Tyter. What indications of ex-
traordinary genius are to be discovered in
these precious relics, our readers shall have
the opportunity of deciding for themselves.
by the translation which we present OF the
"Ode to Lorenzo Massa," it will be seen that
it has no pretension TO poetic fire. Crichton's
bioerapher has indeed pronounced it to be
"a little lyric poem, which, for classic elegance,
might do honor to any age OF modern Latin
poetry and the late Lord Woodhouselee has
called it "a beautiful specimen Of the lyric
style of writing" But. however willing to
acquiesce in the decision of these critics, we
have been unable to discover in this ode any
been supposed necessary TO prompt such high
| eulogiums. 1t appears merely common
| place copy of verses, neatly enough expressed,
addressed to great man, in order to bespeak
his favor. In the original Latin-the use of
which language, with its dignified and sono-
rous flow, has acquired the fame of inspir ton
for many meagre grammarian-the want Of
the ''liviDg power" OF poetry is not so easily
detected, so much attention is required to as
certain, in the first place, the accuracy OF the
rhythm and the degree of felicity displayed in
the use of idiOmatic expressions. 1t Is the
characteristic of a certain species Of spurious
wit that it cannot be transferred to another
language; and perhaps no bad criterion of
general excellence is, whether it will bear
translation. Brought to this test, the Ode to
Massa is found greatly deficient; but it is
worth perusing for the satisfaction OF know
| ing exactly what are the true literary merits
| of the man who has been elevated into so
| lofty reputation.
The ode is such that it will be none the
worse for few words to explain the occasion
of it. ''Soon after his arrival in Venice, in
$780," says his biographer, "Crichton was
publicly introduced to the doge and the senate,
in whose presence he made an ordtion, OF
which the eloquence was so brilliant and the
| manner of delivery so perfectly graceful, that,
| in the words of ImpeTials, he was esteemed
prodigy of Nature. He afterward disputed
npoL different subjects of theology, philosophy,
and the mathematics, before the most eminent
professors OF the city, and an immense con-
course of people, who, attracted by the high
reputation which he had acquired, now flock
ed from all quarters to hear him, A great and
general impression seems to have been made
at Venice by his uncommon learning, his ea-
gaging manners, and various accomplish
ments." 1t appears to have been after these
public displays of his talent that he addressed
the ode to Lorenzo Massa, Secretary to the
Venetian Republic, as, in the sixth stanza,
there is an allusion to the favorable reception
he met with from the Cactus, or assembly,
that attended his disputations, and to the nu-
merous friends that these procured him. 1t
was to bespeak the favor of the secretary as
an individual patron, that the following ode
was written: