New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-09
COSSA, the IT4LIAN POET
vi,s Bye,rs,er In The Philadelphia telegraph
:. S. WILLIAMS.

Miss Brctrsier IN The Philadelphia Telegraph.
friend of COssa's. whom knew intimately. told
me this interesting story which is most character
istic When COssa returned from south America
some fifteen years ago, he landed at Ciylta Ncccha
almost pcnnIless and was Obliged To walk TO Rome.
He reached the cty al II o'clock at night. Inc
moon was Mt It's full. lie adored his mother home
sickness for her and Rome had brought him back TO
Italy; but much as he lOugcd 10 see her. lie Conld
NOT resist taking first a look at old familiar places
where. IN his pOvcrty-strckcn, rebeous boyhood
he had dreamed aud planted poetic seed ia us
ynuug brain. so he turned away from the Street
that led to tie twisting, turtuOus ia Govcrno
Vrccho in which stands tho poor little house where
he was born-iust opposite the Chicsa Nu9ya OF St.
Filippo III Neri--and exclaimed, No! ! must see
the Coliseum by this inll noon. And there he
dragged his iraVeI worn. hungry body, ana sat on
the stones. and wandered through the vast arches
until near daybrrak. forgetting fatigue, every
thing IN his enjoyment OF The grand ola rum. III
was so good 30 see it once more he SAID, after
ALI my long, unhappy years OF absence:
- In to a YEAR or two ne has been n teacher of
grammar in one Of tho technical schools, Mt only
$500 year. He was always poor. us WORKS
were inst beginning to bring MN u niue income
when ne died. There never was "A poet, however,
who had lcss wants than CoSsa. 10 could describe
Injuries bring before YOU -lch banquet III glow
ing words, had an Imagination as NoluptuouS ~
Clcopatra, aud yet the mans life for the most part
was rude and severe He vas entirely independent
Of personal comfort. bare. ineegant bedroom
was all he needed. He craved no eegancIesi his
fancy created finer ones than money could buy.
He lived in n world OF gorgeous dreams lou
would never have taken CoSsa tor u poet OF man OF
nelcgant, and even coarse and vulgar at hrHt
sif ut; his month chin and neck were heavy anu
bulllikc; his nose, too. was bad ne nISllIIls,
however. very sensitive, open and trembling;
ana If you looked closer at him yon found that ne
had splendid eyes-cyes that are so Roman briiIlahI
and yet emotional AMI tender; MS iorcheau anu
head were truly lconine.
Ny friend, who was great deal with Cossl,
especially thesr last hNc or six years mas oleh ou
me of the poets obstinate taclturnty, his origin
alty freedom from aiiectatlon. snphShy OF
nature, loyalty, and Kindness OF heart. TIC was
forever Eliminating and his lace had constant
preoccupicd expression. lie had no system oil
study or work He wrote in any placc-n bed at
"A fraliorid or even in u crowd. lie mutiercd ms
line verses IA he walked aud was fofevefthnking
of his plays lie surprised NJ us success oul
was sensitive about criticism, ana was always
aiming higher with the irmest faith and most
absolute passion for his work. .
Cossa's friends adOrcd hun. other distinguished
Italian play-writcrs admired his works WITHOUT
envy. Notwithstanding ms tIctuInity. ne was
BON cdmdrdde The gayest. most brilliant Literary
men in Rome liked to be in his company, although
he often sat isolated IN his drcanugs ana they gol
few words from his lips The Cafe vale ne"c tne
VALID Theatre. for sOme years since CoNSas aHe
began To make n noise. his headquarters.
Thcrr he regncd q silent sovereign. IL was rem
devious of critics musicians, actors writer's Icau-
ing singers and clever, witty takers. MANY Hnc
passage m Cos,n's PLAYS have been written at the
Cane Vale tables. While his friends ABOUT MN
were mIghlng testing smoking ana drinking CoSSa
has often pushed the glasses aside moppeu up tnc
spilled wine spread out blt OF crumpled paper
which hc drew from hls pocket or Shabby ho'o-
book, and sCrIbblcd hastily, with stump OF u
wooden lead pencil. some magnificent passage or
SOME sketch Of striking. vigorous scene. MS
friends paid itlc heed, and their presence ala not
disturb HIM.
One night he was with my friend lat a carnVal
rcglion, or masked ball. at tho Roman Ioliteama'
one of those mad merry Roman spectaces blazing
aud roaring with fierce, iiciy fun ahd iroc' III was
Shroye Tuesday HdreH GrGsso,-Just on inc
stroke Of midnight: Ash Wednesday. sackcIoth ana
ashes stood on the threshold. Tho naskers were
in their maddest moods. The orchestra plaYod
dizzy waltzrs. Clowns, harlcquinS, anu ted
demons dashed into the crowd like sklilu aero
bats. The dancers whlrled III strange confusion.
Co,sa and B. were in pdicO box. Tho Two
men looked silently down on the frantic crowu'
B. made some remarks; Cossa remained mute;
he was deaf to all words of conversation; ne Ralru
for some time with eyes that also looked inward,
on the noisy strange scene. Suddenly lie are" out
bt of paper from his pocket put It up against the
wall of the palco and with the everlasting pencil
stump which he wet with his tongue from time 10
time wrote rapidly. After he had finished CoSsa
handed tho paper tc r. without saying word
IL was the fine passage IN Cleopatra, describing
the spendor and yoluptuousnosS oil the Egyp,lhn
court ; word for word IA il was aiterward prlnleu,
nothing not oven q comma. changed; u reius noW
lust rs the poet wrote II to the herce beat Oh S
nIyaI tambourincs Carnival waltzes anu the shrL
nT vol maSkrrS