The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-11-27
SRlettR0 StOrp.
BEATRICE CENCI.
A Beautiful and Aristocratic Roman
Maiden-A!SadfStorY Of Degener-
ate and Licentions Italy.

Italy has always been prolific of
wonderful women. Numa Pompli-
US worshiping at the rural shrine of
Egeria, and Mime. De Stael, envolv-
ing the creation of Corinne, are two
incidents separated by centuries Of
time and a long succession Of extra
ordinary events, yet plainly indica-
tive Of a marked characteristic of
the land of purple skies and fascinat-
ing history. Italian atmosphere
favors the highest development of the
singularities of feminine nature. The
line of wonderful women has been
almost unbroken for nearly three
thousand years. Under a rude re-
public and under a powerful empire,
under polytheism and under Christi
anity, in a blaze of political glory
and in the-depths of social degrade
ton, Italian femininity has always
been the same; presenting to the
imagination most charming pictures,
and to the reason most perplexing
puzzles. History associated with
Italy, becomes a romance; -associa-
ted with Italian woman, it becomes
fascination.
Thus, with the story of the Cenci.
1t has enraptured the printer, the
poet, the historian and the novelist.
IGuido aided himself to immortaliz-
ing the beauty of Beatrice; Shelley
lpaid his tribute IN tragedy, a fond
Iapology for one whose story had
lcaptivated him, and Gherfazzi has
lgarlanded her memory with some of
his most enchanting word bouquets.
Historians have warped facts in or,
der to preserve her, and travellers
have made the scene of her crimes a
Ishrine of martyred innocence. Byron
lalone was just. His genius was al
ways true, and never more accurate
than when he told Shelley that the
tale of horror, upon which he had
founded his tragedy, was essentially
undramatic," because none of the
actors command full sympathy. The
fate of DeCustine's drama and Shell
ley's tragedy justlies ByrOn's criti-
icism.
The painter, however, is the one
to whom the heroine of this tale Of
horror is largely indebted for her
popularity. Few old paintings have
been copied as often as Guido's por-
trait of Beatrice Cenci. Since the
days of chromos the face is familiar
to all. Shelley speaks of the original
protrait as "a just representation OF
one of the loveliest specimens of the
workmanship of nature" Guido
represents her with her head bound
with folds Of white drapery, from
which her golden hair escapes and
falls about her neck. The head
dress is historical, although the ira
dition that accepted by Shelley, that
the artist painted the. portrait from
nature, denying the Imprisonment
of the original, is not true. Guide
Reni did not remove to Rome until
some years had elapsed after the
death of Beatrice. The portrait
therefore is ideal in part at least, al
though probably not unlike the orig
inal, since the artist may have beer
guided in his representation by tht
description of persons who had seer
her.
The story of Beatrice Cenci has
been told by various writers, ant
varied judgments have been passed
upon her. She was condemned anC
suffered death for the murder Of he,
father, yet she has never been want
ing Of defenders. To some she ha
appeared an angel of beauty and in
nocence, while others have been con
tent to urge a sufficient provocatiol
to justify the act of killing. Ghuer
razzi is one Of the former andShellel
one of the latter. The novelist in
sists upon her entire innocence anC
beauty, while the dramatist main
tains bis plet by supposing that tn
daughter commits parricide to pre-
vent her fathers incestuous purposes
Neither construction is true. o
late years, the records of the tria
have been consulted, and the fact
gathered therefrom are sufficient t.
guide the intelligent inquirer to
fair judgment. 1t is the purpose G
this article to tell this wonderfr
story briefly and as truthfully as pos
sible at this time.
The Cenci family was one of tn
4oldest and most aristocratic familie
of modern Rome. It's head durin
the latter part of the sixteenth Ger
ltury was Count Francisco Cenci, th
father of Beatrice. Whatever difel
ence of opinion may exist in refel
ence to the daughter, there is non
in reference to the father. He wa
depraved and demoniacal beyon
anything that we can comprehend
these days. He was q man of gres
will and talent, but all his abilit
! was directed to the commission {
crimes. At that time the laws {
4 ancient Rome, giving to the fatht
the complete power over the rest
! the family, were still practically
force, at least so far as the nobilit
were concerned. Count Cenci exc
i cised the authority of this parent
idepotism in the cruelest mann