s! A friendship of the closest
and most enduring description ensued between them; and although a
certain air of mystery always surrounded the story of their mutual
attachment, there is no reason whatever to suppose that it partook in
the slightest degree of a dishonorable character.

Instead of finding his passion for the Countess an obstacle to literary
glory and useful occupations, as had always been the case previously
with him, when under the influence of similar emotions, he found that it
incited and spurred him on to every good work, and accordingly he
abandoned himself, without restraint, to its indulgence. That he might
have no inducement to return to his own country, he determined to
dissolve every tie that united him to it, and with that intent made an
absolute donation for life of the whole of his estates, both in fee and
freehold, to his natural heir, his sister Giulia, wife of the Count di
Cumiana. He merely stipulated for an annual pension, and a certain sum
in ready money, the whole amounting to about one-half of the value of
his property. The negotiations were finally brought to a conclusion in
November, 1778. He also sold his furniture and plate which he had left
in Turin; and, unfortunately for himself, invested almost the whole of
the money he now found himself possessed of in French life annuities. At
one period of the negotiations he was in great fear lest he should lose
every thing, and revolved in his mind what profession he should adopt in
case he should be left penniless.

"The art that presented itself to me as the best for gaining a living
by, was that of a horse-breaker, in which I consider myself a
proficient. It is certainly one of the least servile, and it appeared to
me to be more compatible than any other with that of a poet, for it is
much easier to write tragedies in a stable than in a court."

He now commenced living in the simplest style, dismissed all his
servants, save one; sold or gave away all his horses, and wore the
plainest clothing. He continued his studies without intermission, and by
the beginning of 1782 had nearly finished the whole of the twelve
tragedies which he had from the first made up his mind to write, and not
to exceed. These were entitled respectively _Filippo_, _Polinice_,
_Antigone_, _Agamennone_, _Oreste_, _Don Garzia_, _Virginia_, _La
Congiura de' Pazzi_, _Maria Stuarda_, _Ottavia_, _Timoleone_ and
_Rosmunda_.--Happening, however, to read the _Merope_ of M