The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-08-28
TIE TRUE IUcREzIA BoRG1A.
An Excellent Lady and q Beautiful
Princess.
[From the Galaxy for May.l

From the Galaxy for May.l
All The historians of Ferrara mention her
with respect. Libanorl calls her tan excellent
lady and O beautiful princess, endowed With
rare qualities of mind and heart, esteemed by
ali as the light of her time and the treasure of
her age" Capello says she was "a most amla-
bic and good woman" Still greater Is the
praise Of Caviceo, who, In dedicating to her
one of his works. places her as superior in ex-
cellence to the famous and vlrtuous Isabella
d'Este, who was considered In point Of rank
and goodness the first woman iu Italy OF her
time. Assuredly, if there had been the least
suspicion that Lucrezla had been the Infamous
monster which the NeapoliLan poets repre-
sented her. these writers would rather have
dwelt in their compliments on her learning
and personal attractions than eXtolled ner
modesty, virtue. and charity; for TO do 30 In
that case would have been TO venture too far
In the field Of bitter satire. But 1t Is to Arlosto
that Lucrezia ives the highest and most last
ing testimonials of her virtues. This lmmor-
tai poet ia an epithalamium on the occasion OF
her marriage with Alfonso dEste, represents
her as 'rivallng In decorum OF manners and
beauty all that had yet been seen In former
times" In The fOrty-second book Of his great
poem, the ''Orlando Fnrioso," he raises tenn
ple of female excellence, The inches OF w1lch
are occupied by the most merltorious of ltallan
womrn Among these, hriosto places LucIe-
zla Borgla as the first and most promlnent.
.sRome should prefer to the Ltcrezla OF an-
tiquity The modern, as we'll In modesty as in
beauty" 49,, ,od
The Doge OF Venice. on learning the N saa
news of her dealh, thus feelingly conooies .,T
with her bereaved lord: "Sir," ne writes, II
have this day learnt the news OIL tne uea.n w. u
the lady YOUR vile Believe me. my ioro, I
conld not be more afflicted If bad losC QUE VI
nv own beloved daughters. But we uhSe
both console ourselves in remembering CnaI
the virtues and piety oil this lady will LOT lall
to receive their reward"
Aldo Manuzi0, the great printer, y man oi
nnlmpeachable character, Veraclty ana II :
speclability, Incapable OF base fattery, thns
addresses to LucreZla Borgla the hrst edition
of the works of the Strozzl: madonna, your
chief desire in life has ever been TO stand
above oil, approved of by God, and to be use
tul-your most ardent wish not to live In vain.
and, when you quit this world, to leave behind
YOU a monument In the heart of grateful gene
ra,ions." He proceeded to enumerate her VII:
tines, Justice, liberality and amiability. But l
think that my readers will now concluGe, VIII
Roscoe, that ''if Lucrezla Borgla were guilty
of the crimes OF which she now stands accused,
the prostitution of her panegyrists is greater
than her own; but Of such degradation, sucn
men as Aldo Manuzlo. Bembo, Caviceo and
Ariosto were Incapable" And we may safely
affirm that the hagitious and abomina0le
heroine of the modern stage mas notnlng
whatever in common with the respectable and
honored Donna Lucreza Borgia, Duchess OF
Ferrara.