The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-02
Dukes and Poets in Ferrara.

we nave lately QlTeCteu attention u
two interesting volumes respectively en-
titled Beatrice dEste" and isabella
d'Este," by Mrs. ADY Julia Cartwright.
In which the author had a good deal to
say about the history Of Ferrara during the
earlier portion Of the reign Of creole l.,
the father OF the princcsses named. We
are indebted to Mr. EDMUND D. GARDNER
for much more important book, en-
bodying a great deal Of independent re-
search, Dukes and Poets in Ferrdrd E. p.
Dutton d Coz. This is patient and fruit
full study in the poetry, religion and politics
OF the fifteenth and early sixteenth century.
It was originally tho authors intention,
he tells us, to include in one volume the
whole history Of Ferrara, down to the dew
olution Of the Duchy to the Holy Sec.
The wealth Of material at his disposal,
however, published and unpublished, has
proved far too great to be dealt with ade-
quately In a single volume, although that
before US contains nearly six hundred pages.
In the present book Mr.. Gardner deals with
the political and literary history Of Ferrara.
from the epoch Immediately preceding
the times of Borso and creole l., down to
the dispersal OF what may be called the
Herculean circle in the year 1903 1879.
That is to say, the section OF Ferrarese
history here treated begins with Leonello
Este and Borso, the first Duke. and covers
the whole reign Of creole l. 1t discusses
Savonarola, Ariosto. Boiardo and their
contemporaries, and ends with the opening
years Of the reign Of Alfonso l. The author
fingers In some detail over Ercole's relations
with Savonarola and other mystical men,
! bers, men and women. Of the Dominican
! Order. As he reads the character Of this
interesting figure among the sovereigns OF
the early Renaissance, it was sincere but
somewhat Intellectual mysticism which con-
stituted the leading motive in Ercole's
life. There were many Italian princes
Of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
who. in their general foreign and domestic
policy, followed a line of conduct analog GUS
to his; there was on the other hand, no other
who strove so diligently to establish rela-
tions with the unseen world
1t was, of course, Ariosto who raised
Ferrara to a worldwide importance in the
history Of European literature. Although.
however, the youth and early manhood OF
Ferrara's supreme poet fall under the
epoch considered in the book before us.
Mr.. Gardner has here merely written Of him
cursorily. In a second volume. which we
are told is already well in hand. but which
will be in the form of an entirely indepen-
dent work, the life and achievements of
Arosto will be portrayed in full. The
portrayal will naturally include the ad-
ventures and romantic reign of Alfonso I.
The author intends also. he says, In a smaller
book to deal separately with the painters
of the Ferrarese school. He hopes ulti-
;nately to complete the history of Ferrara
with n volume dealing with creole ii. and
Alfonso H.; the Protestant Duchess, Renata;
Torquato Tasso; the enforced surrender of
he Duchy to Pope Clement VIII, and the
expulsion Of the last Duke. Cesare d'Este.
The most interesting chapter of this work
is that which is devoted to Matteo Maria
Boiardo who is recognized as the greatest
Of Italian poets after Dante, Arosto and
Tasso. Matteo Boardo was born in 1884
apparently In the Castle of Scandiano
where his grandfather kept splendid court.
The greater part of the poets boyhood was
passed in Ferrara and its neighborhood.
1t was not until February AGO. on the
death of his uncle, that Matteo himself
then 20 years old, came forward as feudal
lord, Count of Scandiano and Casalgrande
de seems to have passed the next eight or
nine years OF his life mainly at Scandiano
in the midst OF the scenery he loved, hunt
ing and entertaining, and much engaged in
a controversy with the Commune of Reggie
about the use of the waters of the Secchia
For some years following 1882 Boardo
was frequent visitor to Modena and in
January, 1889, was summoned to Ferrara
to form part Of the escort Of the Emperor
Frederick This appears to have been
bright and peaceful epoch in Boiardo's
life. To it belong his first two works; the
Latin eclogues, or Pastoralia; the Italian
lyrics. or Canzoniere.
According to Mr.. Gardner, who has made
a study of them, the ten Pastoralia, the SUBJ
jects Of which are partly amorous, partly
political and heroic, evince a closer imita-
ton OF Virgils Eologues than is to be found
in the Latin poetry Of Dante or Petrarch
The CanZoniere, that come next in the
chronological order OF Boiardos COM
positions. is pronounced for its rhythmic
variety and lyrical beauty the finest COL
lection Of love poems written by any Italian
during the fifteenth century. Tho object
OF Boiardo's admiration was undoubtedly
a real woman, but the love which the poems
set forth is mainly Of the most chivalrous
and ideal description, The lyrics are
divided into three books The first deals
with the poets joys of love; the second,
with his sorrows in the third, old desires
are overcome, and he gradually passes
out OF the amorous prison house into an
other field, They consist Of sonnets var
ious kinds Of canzon. different forms OF
madrigals and other lyrics Of peculiar
metrical structure, some Of them of great
originality. Mr.. Gardner points out that
these poems show comparatively little
OF the frigid conventions and mannerisms
OF the Petrarchists, but are for the most
part fresh and musical. For so learned
a poet and one 30 stepped in classicism.
SO in touch with the humanists, Boiardo's
use OF mythology is refreshingly sparing.
A new epoch in Boiardo's life and work
begins with the accession OF his friend
krcole l., to the throne Of Ferrara in l47I.
Twelve years later he had finished the first
and second books Of his great poem, Or
lando Innamorato, which he probably read
aloud, as he proceeded, canto by canto,
to the Duke and the courtly gatherings
at the capital. Subsequently, Boiardo
wrote nine cantos of the third part OF his
Orlando, but the poem was destined to be
cut short, together with the authors life
and Italy's liberty, in 1894 Unfinished