The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-20

! narrative Ii an entertaining piece OF book
making. She evinces a genuine and con-
tagious sympathy for her characters when
they deserve It, and she writes In lively
and pleasing way.
The lady who forms the subject OF this
narrative was Beatrice, the second daughter
OF Duke Hercules OF Ferrara, by Leonora
| Of Aragon, daughter Of Ferrante. King OF
Naples She was born in l&7s, and died
in 1897 Brief as her span was, she lived
long enough to be acclaimed az one Of the
most charming women in Italy, collapsed
only by her elder sister. Isabella. who was
destined to become the most celebrated
wife Of Lodovico Sforza. called II Moro,
reigned during six years over the most
splendid Court Of Italy. The fascination
OF her personality, the important part
which she played in political life at critical
juncture in Italian history, her love OF
music and poetry. and the admirable taste
which she inherited combined to make
her singularly attractive. and the interest
which she inspires Is deepened by the
pathos OF her sudden and early death. Mrs
Ady points out in an introduction that II in
Isabella Este we have the supreme repre-
sentative Of Renaissance culture in It's
highest and most intellectual phase, we
should recognize in Beatrice the type Of
the new-found joy in life. the intoxicating
rapture in the keen sense of existence
that was the heritage OF her generation
and found expression in the words OF a CON-
temporary novelist, Bandello, when, with
his last breath, he babe his comrades to
live joyously-.V ivete lieti!" In the book
before Vs we are made to see this bride Of
sixteen summers flinging herself with pas
sionate delight into every amusement,
singing gay songs with her courtiers, danc-
ing and hunting through the livelong day,
outstripping all her companions in the
chase and laughing in the face Of danger.
We see her holding her court in the famous
CASTILLO Of Porta Giovia, or in the summer
palaces Of vigevano and Cussago. In the
golden days when Milan was called the
New Athens. when Leonardo and Bramante
decorated palaces or arranged masque-
rades at the Dukes bidding, when Gaspare
Visconti wrote sonnets in illuminated books
and Lorenzo da Pavia constructed organs
or viols AZ perfect and beautiful to see as
to hear, for the pleasure Of the youthful
Duchess Scholars and poets, painters
and writer's gallant soldiers and accom-
plished cavaliers, might all be seen at
Beatrice's feet, striving how best they
might crafty her fancies and win her
smiles. Young and old were devoted to
her service, from Galeazzo di Sanseverno,
the valiant captain who became her willing
slave and chosen companion, to Niccolo
da Correggio, the all-accomplished gentle
man who laid down pen and sword to de-
sign elaborate devices for his mistress's
new gowns.
The princess is not more amiable and at
tractive than the woman. We read her
merry letters to her husband and sister,
letters sparkling with wit and gayety and
overlooking with simple and natural aifec-
ton. We see her rejoicing with all a young
mothers proud delight over her flrst-born
son, repeating, as mothers will. marvellous
tales OF his size and growth, and framing
tender phrases for his infant lips. We
catch glimpsee of her, too, in sadder moods,
mourning the loss Of her mother, or wounded
by unkindness and neglect. We note how
keenly her proud spirit resents wrong and in
justice, and how, In her turn, she Ia not al
ways careful OF the rights and feelings of
her rivals. Yet, whatever her faults and
mistakes may have been, she is always
kindly and generous, human and lovable
year or two passes, and we see her, roy
ally arrayed in brocade and Jewels standing
up in the great council hall of Venice to
plead her husbands cause before the Doge
and Senate. Later on we find her partici-
pating in her lords councils in court and
at,,,n L.;
or Vigevano, captivating the susceptible
heart Of Charles VIII by her charms and
amazing Kaiser Macmillan by her wisdom
In affairs Of state. Then, suddenly, the
music and dancing. the feasting and trav-
cling cease, and the richly colored and ami
mated pageant is brought to close Bea-
trice dies. without moments warning, in
the flower Of youth and beauty, and the
young duchess is borne to her grave in Santa
Maria dele Grazie. amid the lamentations
OF all Milan. Our author goes on to recall
that, with her death, the whole Milanese
State, the fabric which Lodovico Sforza
had built up at such infinite cost and pains,
crumbled into ruin. Fortune, which until
that hour had smiled kindly on the Moro
and had raised him to gddy heights of
HOW luIucu her Duck upon MIN.
In three short years he had lost every
thing-crown. home and lberty--and was
left to drag out miserable existence in
the dungeons of Berry and Touraine. Milan
and her people became a prey to the out
RACES Of the rude French soldery. The
model Of the great horse which Leonardo
da Vinci had intended to cast in bronze
was broken in pieces by Gascon archers,
and the castella which, In the words of
Castiglone, had once held the finest flower
of the whole world became "a place of
drinking booths and dunghills' The treas
ures OF learning and of art stored up within
its walls were dispersed or DESTROYED by
barbarous hands, and all the brilliant com
pany which had gathered there were scat
tered abroad. Artists and poets, knights
and scholars, were driven out, and went
each his way to seek new homes and other
patrons. For many year. however, the
memory of the young duchess lived in the
hearts of her loyal servants. Castigione
enshrined her name in his pages. Ariosto
celebrated her virtues in the cantos OF his
Orlando Furioso," and far ON in the new
century gray-headed scholars spoke Of
her as ia piu gentil donna dItalia"-the
sweetest lady in all Italy. To this day
in the dim aisles OF the Certosa, tho famous
convent church in Pavia, we may look
on the marble efflgy Of Duchess Beatrice