Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-05-18
The True Luoreyia Bofgia

IN conclading Ibis bricf nccoant
NJ This princess, must beg lcayo
a. record n few uf the many things
snid IN her praise by the learned
and trustworthy men who wcrc her
intimate friends" "cmbo, in dcdi.
eating to her his romance "Asolani," "
takes Ofcasion to term her "a Prin-
cess of peerless character, OF excel
lent oDdow mcnts both Of heart aud
person, who preferred rather TO i'm
provo her mind with study than
spend her time in tho adornmcnt
Of her body with the trivial cmbcl.
ishmcnts of dress, to tho end that
her mind might excel in knowledge
that Of all other women, as her per.
son did by its symmetry and grace.
All tho historians Of Fci rara
mention her with respect. Liba-
nori calls her "an excellent lady
and beautiful princess, endowed
with rare qualities of mind and
heart, esteemed by all as the light
of her time and tho treasure Of her
age" Bapcllo says she was ~
most amiablc and good woman"
Still greater is the praise of Cavicco,
who, in dodicating to her one of his
works, places her as superior in OK
cellcnco to the famous and virtuous
Isabella d Este, who was considered
in point of rank and goodness the
first woman in Italy of her time.
Assurcdly, if there had been tho
least suspicion that Lucrezia had
boon tho infamous monster which
tho Neapolitan poets represented
her, ..hcse writer's would rather
have dwclt in tneir compliments en-
her learning and personal nttrac-
tions than eXtolled her modcsty,
virtuc, and charity for TO do so in
that case would have been to ven
ture too far in tho field Of bitter sa-
tire. But it is to Ariosto that Lu-
crezia owes the highest and most
lasting testimonials Of her virtues.
This immortal poet, in an epitha-
lamium on tho occasion of her mar
riago with Alfonso dEstc, repre-.
scnts her rs "rivallng in dccorum
of manner and beauty all that hal
yet been seen in former times" In
tho forty second book of his great
poem, the "Orlando Furioso," he
raised a temple of female excellence,
the inches of which are occupied
by tho most mcritorious of Italian
women. Among these, Ariosto pla-
COS Lucrczia Borgia as the first and
most prominent.
"Romc should refer to the Lucre-
xia of antiquity, tho modern, as
well in modesty as in beauty
The dodge of Venice, on learning
the sad news of her death, thus
feclingly condolcs with her bcrcav-
cd lord: :"Sir," he writes, 81 have
this day learnt the news Of tho
death of tho lady your wife. Be-
love me, my lord, | could not be
more afflicted if / had lost ono Of
my own beloved daughters. But
We must both console ourselves in
remembering that the virtues and
picty of this lady will not fail to
receive their reward"
Aldo Manuxio, the great printer,
u man of unimpoachiblo character,
veracity, and responsibility, inca.
pablo Of base fattery, thus address
ses to Lucrczia Borgia tho first
edition of the works Of Strozzi:
"Madonna, your chief desire in life
has ever been to stand above all,
approved of by God, and to be use
ful-your most ardent wish, not to
live in vain, and when you quit
this world, to leave behind you
monument in the heart of grateful
generations" He then proceeded
to cnumcrate her virtues, justice,
libcrality and umiability But
think that my readers will now
conclude, with Roscoe, that ait Lu.
crczia Borgia were guilty of tho
crimes of which she stands accused,
tho prostitution of her pancgJ rists
is greater than her own; but of
such degradation such men as Aldo
Manuzio, Bcmbo, CaviccO, and
Ariosto were incapable" And wo
may safely affirm that the flagitious
and abomlnab!c heroine of the mod
ern stage has nothing whatever in
common with the respectable and
honored Donna Iucrezia BOrgia
Duchess of Fcrrara --.Hay Gatdry.