The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-13
NEW BOOKS.
A Renaissance Princess.

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Italian life in the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries. has devoted two volumes to lie
Of Isabella Este, Marchioness OF Mantua,
whom she regards as the greatest lady OF
the Renaissance. Whether this title be de-
served or no, 1t is certain that the subject OF
this biography was an illustrious person, on
the SCORE not only Of birth, rank and rela-
,ionships, but OF character. intellect and
embellishments. Born in 1874, child OF
Duke Ercole OF Ferrara by daughter OF
King Ferrante OF Naples she married, when
not quite 1e, francesca Gonzaga, MARQUIS
Of Mantua. Her brother, Alfonso, married
L,icreza Borgia, and her sister, Beatrice,
,.,.ma the wife OF Lodovtco Sforza. SUBJ
seouently Duke OF Milan. She was also
connected with the reigning families OF
t'rbino and Bologna. Her own married life
was short--it lasted only six years. But,
for four decades afterward, she played an
important part in the history OF her time,
and made the little Court Of Mantua famous
in the eyes Of Europe. She saved the petty
State Of the Gonzagas from falling prey to
the designs OF Cesar Borgia. or to the VEN
ceance of two French monarchs, Louis XII.
and Francis I. At the same time. she helped
her brother, Duke Alfonso of Ferrara, to
preserve his duchy from absorption In the
Papal dominions, an absorption at which
both julius II. and Leo X. aimed by differ
ant means. Before she died, in 1880, she saw
her eldest son raised by the Emperor Charles
V. to the rank OF Duke and Cardinals
hat bestowed upon her second son by Pope
Clement VII.
1t is as patron of art and letters that
Juakollo lfEafa haef Ioearyaa rarponhrnnpa
From this point OF view Mrs. Ady would
class her with Lorenzo del Medici and Lodo-
vico Sforza. In her letters, more than two
thousand Of which are eXtant, we hear
great deal of the painters and scuptors who
were her contemporaries. There are, 1t
seems, as many as forty letters on the SUBJ
iect of single picture painted by Giovanni
Bellini. and no fewer than ffty-three on
painting intrusted to Perugino. The works
of Mantegna and Costa. of MlchelanRelo
and Correggio adorned her rooms. Man.
tegna, Costa, Santi and Francia all painted
portraits Of her, which, however. have
persisted. Her features live, nevertheless,
in a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci
in medal Of Cristoforo's and In Titian's
famous picture at Vienna. Aldo Manuzio
printed Virgils and Petrarchs for her use,
while Lorenzo da Pavia made for her must
cal instruments Of unrivalled beauty and
sweetness. viols and organs Of exquisite
shape and tone, lutes Of inlaid ivory and
ebony. the richest brocades and rarest gems
the finest gold and silver work. the choicest
majolica and most delicately tinted glass
found place In her cdmerini. Her studios
and villas were enriched with the rarest an
tiques from the Eternal City and the Isles OF
Greece. Poets and prose writer's gave her
more praise than they awarded to any Of
her contemporaries. Bembo celebrated
her charms and virtues, and Ariosto paid her
a magnificent tribute in his 'Orlando.'
Numberless were the songs and lays offered
by minor bards at the shrine Of this Mar
chesa. whom they proclaimed Ia prima
donna del Monde.
From a photogravure Of the portrait by
Titan, which is prefixed to the second Of these
volumes, it is clear that Isabella d'Este
was beautiful woman. She inherited the
regular features Of her mother, who. as we
have said was daughter OF King Ferrante
Of Naples, but, unlike her sister Beatrice.
she had fair hair and white skin. Accord
ing to chronicler who spent many years in
her service, her eyes were black and spark
ling. her hair yellow and her complexion
one Of dazzling brillancy. Another con-
temporary describes the ripping golden
hair that flowed in thick masses over her
shoulders, and records that, although only
of middle height, she was remarkable for
the dignity OF her carriage and the stately
grace Of her head and neck.
When her marriage to Francisco Con-
zaga was talked OF, the envoy Of Mantua
reported that the gifts Of her mind were
even more striking than those Of her person.
Like other princesses Of her day, she re-
ceved classical education, and. in after
years, was reputed to speak the Latin tongue
better than any woman Of her age. She
knew the Eclogues of Virgil and the Epistles
of Cicero by heart. Neither had feminine
accomplishments been overlooked in her
upbringing. She learned to dance from
her babyhood, and two bone needles and one
gold needle for Madonna Isabella's embroid-
cry are found among the entries in the
household accounts Of the Este family. At
an early age she showed signs Of the musical
tastes for which she was afterward dis
tinguished: she had a beautiful voice, and
accompanied herself on the Lutte with ex-
quisite skill There was. in fine, no feminine
accomplishment which she did not possess.
nor was there any Of the fine arts as to
which she was not connoisseur.
From what has been said, it is obvious
that the subject of this biography was a
type of the Italian great ladies Of her time.
Her own conduct was blameless as a wife
and mother, as daughter and sister, she
was beyond reproach Her judgments, how
ever, conformed to the standard of her own
time, and her diplomacy followed the prnci-
MA . IL oht Tn hnr ia RI irt,
In her noble aims and generous ambitions,
in the doubtful methods by which she strove
to attain her ends. and in her easy federation
Of vice and falsehood. Isabella d Este was
the child OF her age. Especially by her
radiant vitality and keen enjoyment Of liv-
ing, by her wide culture and worship Of
beauty, did she personify the Renaissance.
NJ. W. H.
Real Workers for Temperance.