xpressing, as he should say, a strong and keen, but
circumscribed energy of mind." Every one of Shelley s words is always
worth consideration; but handwritings are surely equivocal testimonies
of character; they depend so much on education, on times and seasons and
moods, conscious and unconscious wills, &c. What would be said by an
autographist to the strange old, ungraceful, slovenly handwriting of
Shakspeare?]

[Footnote 37: See vol. i. of the present work, pp. 30, 202, and 216.]

[Footnote 38: Baruffaldi, 1807; p. 105.]

[Footnote 39:

"In casa mia mi sa meglio una rapa
Ch'io cuoca, e cotta s' un stecco m' inforco,
E mondo, e spargo poi di aceto e sapa,

Che all'altrui mensa tordo, starno, o porco
Selvaggio."]

[Footnote 40: "Chi vuole andare," &c. _Satira_ iv.]

[Footnote 41:

"Se Nicoletto o Fra Martin fan segno
D' infedele o d' cretico, ne accuso
Il saper troppo, e men con lor mi sdegno:

Perche salendo lo intelletto in suso
Per veder Dio, non de' parerci strano
Se talor cade giu cieco e confuso."

_Satira_ vi.

This satire was addressed to Bembo. The cardinal is said to have asked
a visitor from Germany whether Brother Martin really believed what he
preached; and to have expressed the greatest astonishment when told
that he did. Cardinals were then what augurs were in the time of
Cicero--wondering that they did not burst out a-laughing in one another's
faces. This was bad; but inquisitors are a million times worse. By the
Nicoletto here mentioned by Ariosto in company with Luther, we are to
understand (according to the conjecture of Molini) a Paduan professor of
the name of Niccolo Vernia, who was accused of holding the Pantheistic
opinions of Averroes.]

[Footnote 42: Take a specimen of this leap-frog versification from the
prologue to the _Cassaria_:--

"Questa commedia, ch'oggi _recitatavi_
Sara, se nol sapete, e la _Cassaria_,
Ch'un altra volta, gia vent'anni _passano_,
Veder si fece sopra questi _pulpiti_,
Ed allora assai piacque a tutto il _popolo_,
Ma non ne riposto gia degno _premio_,
Che data in preda a gl'importuni ed _avidi_
Stampator fu," &c.

This through five comedies in five acts!]

[Footnote 43: In the verses entitled _Bacchi Statua_.]

[Footnote 44: Essays and Letters, _ut sup._ vol. ii. p. 125.]

[Footnote 45:

"Le lacrime scendean tra gigli e rose,
La dove