The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-04-25

The TRUE LUCaEzrA BoRGIA.--In conclud-
in, this brief account of this princess, must
beg leave to record a few Of The many things
said in her praise by the learned and trust.
worthy men who were er intimate friends.
Bemho, in dcdicating to her his romance
:" Asolani," takes occasion to term her a
Princess Of peerless character, of excellent
endowments both OF heart and person, who
Preferred rather TO improve her mind with
study than spend her time in the adornment
o. her body with the trivial embellishments
OF dress, TO the end that her mind might
excel in knowledge that Of all other women.
aS hcr person did by its symmetry and grace
Al the historians Of FelTara mention her
with respect. Libanori calls her ian ex-
ceiicnt lady and beautiful princess. en-
dowed with rare qualities of mind and heart,
esteemed by all as the light of her time and
the treasure Of her age" Capello saws she
was ga most amiabie and good woman"
Still greater is the praise Of Cavicco, who, in
dedicating to her one Of his works, places
her as superior III excellence to the famous
and virtuouS Isabella dEste, who was con-
Sidercd in point of rank and goodness the
first woman iii 1Eaiy Of her time AsSurcdly,
ii there lad been the lcas. suspicion that
LucrcZia had been the infamous monster
which the Neapolitan poets represented her,
these writers would rather have dWelt in their
compliments Oh her learning and personal
attraction than eNtolled her modeSty, virtue,
and charity; for to do so in that case would
have been 10. venture too fur in the field of
hitter satire. But it is to Ariosto that L,,-
crezia owes the highest and most lasting
testimonials OF her virtues. This immortal
poet. in an cpithaam,nn on the occasion Of
her marriage with Alfonso d'Estc, repre-
>ents her as '.rivaling in dccorun of man.
ner> and beauty all that had yet been seen in
former times In the torty-scc0nd book OF
his great poem, the 'trlando f'llrio>o," he
raises Il temple OF female excellence, the
inches Of which are occupied by the most
mcritoriolls Of Italian women. Among these,
Ariosto places LucrcZia Borgia rs the first
and most prominent.
Rome should prefer 10 the Lucrc%a of
antiquity the modern aS we'll i'll nodesty Is
in beauty
The Doge of Venice. on learning the sad
| news Of her death, thus feclingly condoleS
| with her hcrc;Wed lord: "Sir," ne writes,
IL have this day learnt the news Of the
| death OF the lady your wife. Believe me,
| my lord. could not be more afflicted if
| had lost one Of my own beloved daughters.
| But we must both console ourselves in re-
HltlnDeTlnS tllll tUt Virtues iIu l'lcll vi tHlS
! lady will not fail to- receive their reward"
Aldo Manuzio. the great printer, a man Of
unimpcachable character, yelacity, and re-
spectabilty, incapable of base fallery, thus
addresses to Lucrezia Borgia the first edition
of the works Of the Strozzi: "Madonna,
your chief desire i'll life has ever been to
stand above all, approved of by God, and to
be useful-your most ardent wish, not to live
in vain. and when you quit this world, to
leave behind you Il monument in the heart Of
grateful generations" He then proceeded to
cnumcrltc he" virtues, Justice, lDcrality, and
amiabi!ity. But think that my readers will
now conclude, with Roscoe that "if Lucrez:a
Borgia were guilty of the crimes Of which
She stands accused, the prostitution Of her
pancoyri>ts is greater than her own: but If
such degradation such men lis Aldo Manuzio,
Bcmbo, Cayiceo, and ArioSto, were incapa-
blc." And we may safely affirm that the lla-
yitiollS and abomimaIlc heroine of the mod
crn stage has nothing whatever in common
with the respectable and honorcd Donna Lii
crczi;t Borgia, Duchess Of Fcrrara.-" Donna
Lucrceia Borgid,' by Mchard BOyie DAIRY.