New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-28

stvyo oorrasnond,pg with The most ll1stri0us men
of oil not;,rs md treating the society which re-
ceived and feared him with caprice ana in'oio'oo
which nowadays would not be tolerated for week
in n prince of royal blood The secret OF Aroseos
success VIVA n combination of knowledge OF the
world In which he lived, of satircal W.T. anu u
absolute unscrupulousness. He know the society
in which he WAS: and knew it from within ana
from below, He had as lackey served the lowest
PURPOSES of the greatest men of his day. lie con-
oeyed the scheme of making all such men leaf LIE
tongue and his pen he "tried 1t on" ana no SUE
ceeded. He fawned and fiattered ne raueu anu
stung; and grent men bought his iiattery anu h''
silence. He was as gross IN lie rs Doh''i"u,
foul IN mouth Ihersitosj anu ne ihahaB1u "
shock and outraae even tho outward sense OF de-
cency of his day; but he was ingenious ei'ousi, ~
win his way back again to his old position. Ills
published letters fill six bulky vOlumes ana thoso
addressed to him four more and his correspondents
ranoed downward from the Doge Of Venice, the
King Of France, 6hd Titan and Michael Angelo,
and syen Vittorin Colunna. His house WAS 30
thronCed by those who sought his favor that he was
obliged at times TO seek retirement. The Sultan
solyman. the pirate Barbarossa, the Pope ana the
Emperor were among his tributaries. Tho Empress
gave him golden collar worth four huncred
crowns; the Infante of Spain and Francis l. maze
him still more valuable and distinguished presents
Medals were struck In his honor-in honor OF ,his
foul mouthed lying e0n OF n common harlo1i on
ono of these he il sfyledby his own contrVance OF
ooursc-" Divus P. Aretinus Flagellum Prncipium
tho divine Piotro Arentlno the scourge OF princess
On another he ia seated upon throne, with noble
clients laying precious vases Mt his teot. lhiS 10
what Aretino was as man his services to Iltera
ture were his defiance 'Of purlsTs and pedants and
prammarians and rhetoriClans lie openly e'oWeu
his ignorance of the learned languages; he even
declared thnt he hardly understood the structure
of his mother-tongne. Vagabond rs he was, lie
made himself the efficient apostle OF nature llo
preached simplicity and directness, ana aDo'ea ''
self hood. Ii Is far better he said, 10 uflnA
ont OF ope's own wooden cup than another's golden
eohletp He did not fear TO meet In controversy or
to attack tho most learned OF his time; and
suoh was his natural yigor and spirit such his dex
terity In tho use of language that he was always
able TO hold his own. For pedants, people who set
themselves mp on what they knew about the writ
ines Of Others and rested upon that he felt and e1-
pressed the most pitilcss sCOrn and contempt. lie
wrote poems aud comedies and dialogues which are
all coarse and commonplace in tone, but which are
distinguished by veracty, acumen, prolific Vigor,
animal spirits and outspohenness. Among nation
Of indecent men and army of indecent writer's,
he " as eminent for indecengy
4 We must CURLY cluse presentation and onr
appreciation of Mr.. SymondssvaluabIe and lnstruc-
two work, passing over in silence much that we had
marked for hearty approval, and little upon
which We might have dispensed! some unwilling
censurc Mr.. Symonds has mastered his subject;
he has treated 10 comprehrnsiyely, although with
notable iulness OF detail his criticisms are distn-
pushed by cnlmness and penetration. and by a con-
slant sympathy with what IL manly and sweet aud
generous. HIS ideal is high one; and therefore.
IA he - eminrntly conscientious he IL obliged to
temper his admiration constantly with protest and
with warning. lie sees the lack OF seriousness and
enrnestncs.. OF depth of feeling and elevation of
thought in all Italian literature Of the renaissance
period and he says 30 plainly. No complaint
be made that he magnies small things or con-
ceas foul ones. lie presents the trpth asitis
His work Is the worthy prUduct of distinguished
talent and many years Of study, and while IL must
10 valued highly rs a book of authority and of ref
erencc upon its subject IL will also be read with
lively pleasure as n collection Of critical md his
torical essays.
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