ultural produce, wine, baskets and game.

The name Castelsarrasin appears in the 13th century, when the village of
Villelongue was replaced by the present bastide. Castrum Cerrucium,
Castel-sur-Azine (from the neighbouring stream, Azine) and Castellum
Sarracenum are suggested derivations, no one of which can be adopted
with certainty.

CASTI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA (1721-1803), Italian poet, was born of humble
parents at Montefiascone, in the states of the church, in 1721. He rose
to the dignity of canon in the cathedral of his native place, but gave
up his chance of church preferment to satisfy his gay and restless
spirit by visiting most of the capitals of Europe. In 1782, on the death
of Metastasio, he was appointed _Poeta Cesario_, or poet-laureate of
Austria, in which capacity he applied himself with great success to the
opera bouffe; but in 1796 he resigned this post, in order that he might
not be hampered by political relations; and he spent the close of his
life as a private gentleman at Paris, where he died in 1803. Casti is
best known as the author of the _Novelle galanti_, and of _Gli Animali
parlanti_, a poetical allegory, over which he spent eight years
(1794-1802), and which, notwithstanding its tedious length, excited so
much interest that it was translated into French, German and Spanish,
and (very freely and with additions) into English, in W.S. Rose's _Court
and Parliament of Beasts_ (Lond., 1819). Written during the time of the
Revolution in France, it was intended to exhibit the feelings and hopes
of the people and the defects and absurdities of various political
systems. The _Novelle Galanti_ is a series of poetical tales, in the
_ottava rima_--a metre largely used by Italian poets for that class of
compositions. The sole merit of these poems consists in the harmony and
purity of the style, and the liveliness and sarcastic power of many
passages. They are, however, characterized by the grossest
licentiousness; and there is no originality of plot--that, according to
the custom of Italian novelists, being taken from classical mythology or
other ancient legends. Among the other works of Casti is the _Poema
Tartaro_, a mock-heroic satire on the court of Catherine II., with which
he was personally acquainted.

CASTIGLIONE, BALDASSARE (1478-1529), Italian diplomatist and man of
letters, was born at Casanatico near Mantua, and was educated at Milan
under the famous professors Merula and Chalcondyl