CHAPTER VII. THUS far, the weight of evidence is clearly against Tasso's perfect sanity; and, if the testimony stopped here, though not absolutely conclusive, the presumption of, at least, occasional and partial alienation of mind, could hardly be resisted. But it is a peculiarity of his melancholy and mysterious story that the truth seems ever at hand yet perpetually escapes us. Scarcely can the impartial inquirer begin to fix a belief deduced from one train of circumstances, before totally repugnant facts disturb or destroy it. This only can be safely affirmed at present : that TASSO, having suffered many injuries, some of them wounding him deeply, and, being conscious of faults which he feared had been discovered, became gloomy aud suspicious, laboring under frequent agitation and excitement. Constant anxiety and the conflict of violent passions may not, perhaps, have actually unset tled his reason; but no man, in his sober senses could adopt such language and conduct, and Some of his con expect to be thought sane. temporaries and those nearest to his time, maintained the opinion that his madness was feigned, and others, who thought it real, attributed it to his love for the Princess. SCIPIO GENTILI, who, in 1584, published in England, where he then resided, a Latin translation of the first two books of the Jerusalem, imputes to that cause the distraction and imprisonment of TASSO.* MILTON, who, when in Italy, must have often conversed with MANSO about his illustrious friend, seems to have adopted his sentiments respecting the origin of TORQUATO'S malady.t MURATORI relates, that he heard in his youth from FRANCESCO CARETTA of Modena, an elève of the celebrated ALESSANDRO TASSONI, contemporary with TASSO, a story which was current at the time to this effect: that the poet being one day at court, near ALPHONSO and his sisters, and, having occasion to come closer to * See the Latin Hendecasyllables, prefixed to his translation + See his Latin Epigram to Leonora Baroni. the PRINCESS LEONORA for the purpose of replying to some question which she asked him, was suddenly so transported by a more than poetic enthusiasm, that he kissed her. Whereupon, the DUKE, like a wise prince, said, turning to his courtiers, "See! what a heavy misfortune has befallen a great genius, who in a moment has become mad," and thus, exempting him from more serious punishment, caused him to be taken to the hospital of SANT' ANNA, devoted to the cure of the insane.* A tale so marvellous, if not utterly untrue, must be greatly exaggerated. Yet, as early as TASSONI'S time, it had a wide circulation. SCIPIO ERRICO, in his comedy entitled "The Revolt of Parnassus," first published at MesSINA in 1625, only thirty years after Tasso's death, evidently alludes to it in the scene where CESARE CAPORALI presents the poet to CAL LIOPE. "CAPORALI. Signor Torquato, salute her. "TASSO. I submit myself to the absolute dominion of so great a personage. * See the letter of Muratori to Apostolo Zeno. Lettere, tom. iv., p. 217, ed. di Pisa. "CALLIOPE. Not so near, brother! You have a certain fervor that hurries you suddenly to kissing." It may be remarked, that the learned and candid MURATORI, who heard this story from CARETTA, neither wholly discredits, nor implicitly believes it. There is no good reason for abandoning his prudent reserve, and it may, therefore, be held "not proved." In matters so secret and delicate, however, the extremes of credulity and scepticism are both to be avoided; and it is well to remember, that though RUMOR seldom tells the simple truth, she sometimes hints where it may be found. The poet's affection for LEONORA is no longer doubtful. Its supposed influence on his reason is, at all events, no invention of yesterday. Eliot, in his Orthoepeia Gallica, speaks of the circumstance with great naïveté. "This youth," says he, "fell mad for the love of an Italian lass, descended of a great house, when I was in Italy."* QUADRIO's version is, that Tasso, fearing his * J. Eliot, Orthoepeia Gallica. London, 1593. love was discovered, feigned madness to escape the horrible punishment that otherwise awaited him; and BARUFFALDI expresses his belief that the poet's infirmity was simulated, “for reasons of no small moment.”+ Within fifteen years after his death, a dialogue was printed at Ferrara, entitled, "THE WISE MADMAN, or TASSO," in which his phrensy is treated as a disguise.‡ ALESSANDRO, the son of Cavalier GUARINI, already mentioned, was the author, and few could have better opportunities of hearing the truth. CASONI, whose work was published in 1626, affirms that the melancholy of Tasso disturbed only his fancy, leaving his intellect untroubled.§ * Storia e ragione d'ogni Poesia Milano, 1741, vol. ii., p. 266. + Baruffaldi, Storia di Ferrara, lit. v., p. 234. A copy of the original edition of Vittorio Baldini, 1610, is in my possession. Tasso is made to say: "Quel gran Romano, liberator della patria, cacciator de' tiranni, padre della libertà per amor de' suoi cittadini, s'infinse pazzo, ed io di franetico hò preso nome e sembianza per quella carità che porto a tutti gli huomini virtuosi,” etc., p. 47, 48. See also p. 49. S Vita di Torquato Tasso, Venezia, 1626. |