I. IT may, perhaps, be thought, from the nature of my under- SECT. taking, that I should have commenced with the Sofonisba of Galeotto del Carretto, Marquis of Savona, which was presented, by the author, to Isabella d' Este Gonzaga, Marchioness of Mantua, in the year 1502, and which Signor Signorelli says, "fu la prima tragedia scritta nel nostro volgare idioma.” But though it should be admitted, that the Sofo I. SECT. nisba of Galeotto was the first tragedy written in the Italian language, it ought to be observed, that it probably owed its birth to the success of Mussato in the same department of literature, or to the author's knowledge of the meditated innovation of Lorenzo de' Medici; and it is the business of history, however humbly employed, to push her enquiries to the fountain head.* But though Signor Signorelli opens his account of the rise and progress of Italian tragedy with this drama, he seems to hesitate, afterwards, in regard to its right to the honorable distinction which he bestows upon it. “E verseggiata," says he, "in ottava rima ed ha qualche debolezza e varj difetti, ma non è però indegna di esser chiamata tragedia." Angelo Ingegneri (a) speaks less favourably of this drama. The scene, he observes, is shifted from Carthage to Rome, and from Rome to Egypt, with a magic celerity; and the fable, he adds, is divided into fifteen or twenty acts, with "una rarità d' esempio maravigliosa." But the author of the Parnaso Espanolo would expunge this piece from the list of Italian tragedies, contemptuously denominating it, a species of allegorical dialogue. Without attempting to reconcile those jarring opinions, or to determine the class of dramas to which this piece properly belongs, I shall proceed to observe, on the authority of Signor Signorelli, that a few years after it was pre (a) Difc. poes. rappresent, p.43• sented I. sented to Isabella, it was printed in Venice, (b) with the SECT. Palazzo e Tempio d' Amore, (c) a comedy, by the same author.. Though Galeotto del Carretto has little claim to our admiration or regard, as a tragic poet, he shares our esteem and respect; and we follow him with pleasure to his castle of Finaro, at the foot of the Appenines, in the fertile plains of Piedmont. After sheltering himself, for some time, from the storms of faction, in the court of Guglielmo, Marquis of Monferrato, he retired to this castle to indulge in "letter'd ease." And here he died in 1530. Befides the works already mentioned, Galeotto wrote two comedies, entitled, Le Nozze di Psiche e di Cupidine, and I sei contenti: he also published occasional Rime. The Sofonisba of Galeotto was succeeded, in the year 1508, (d) by la Pamphila of Antonio da Pistoia, a tragedy founded (b) Stor. de teat. tom. iii. p, 103. It is to be regretted that Signor Signorelli does not mention the particular edition to which he alludes. The earliest that has met my observation, is that of Giolito, 1546. If this drama was, at any time, published with the Tempio d'Amore› it must have been subsequent to the year 1524, as the first edition of that comedy appeared at Venice in that year, (per Nicolo Zopino), without the Sofonisba. (c) This comedy is written in various measures, and crowded with forty two interlocutors! The frontispiece to the first edition (Ven. 1524), is a wooden print of a concert, consisting of eight performers, each of whom plays on a different instrument.. (d) Ven. per Manfredo Bono de Monteferrato. Another edition was published in Ven. per Melchion Sessa, 1516. And Crescimbeni notices a third in Ven. per Zorzi di Rusconi, 1518. The two first lie before me; but I have never seen the third, The Pamphila is not noticed either by Fontanini, Riccoboni, or Baretti; and, though Crescimbeni mentions the title, he C 2 seems I. SECT. founded upon the story of Gismonda and Guiscardo. In this rude drama, the fable and all the incidents of Boccaccio's novel(e) are closely followed; but the scene is shifted from Salerno to Thebes, and Greek names are given to the dramatis personæ. The author, who seems to have had some regard to the Greek model, (f) neither strictly observes, nor grossly violates the unities. And, at the end of each act, a chorus appears; but as it neither takes a part in the dialogue, nor always consists of the same persons, we may conclude it was not stationary. In the first chorus, beginning Ogni cosa vince amore, the god of love is introduced, boasting of the wonderful effects of his potent art; four syrens form the second; the three fates take a part in the third; and the fourth is led by Atropos. In the choruses the measure is not uniform; but the argument, and all the dialogue of the drama, are clothed in terza rima. The following scene from the fifth act, will afford the reader an idea of the author's style and manner. seems to have been ignorant of the subject; for he asserts, that Girolamo Razzi was the first "a trattarlo tragicamente," in his Gismonda, which did not appear till 1569. (e) Decam. Giorn. iv. Nov. 1. Due praise is bestowed on this affecting story in Novella di M. Lionardo d' Arrezzo, subjoined to Novelle, et di bel parlar gentile, (Fior. nella stamperia dei Giunti, 1572); and another tale, drawn from Grecian history, related "per l' opposito," says the author. (ƒ) Perhaps I should have said the Roman model, as the Pamphila is divided into acts; a practice which did not prevail on the Greek stage, and of which the Romans are said to be the inventors. DEMETRIO Tardo ahyme adueduto mi sono De la mia crudelta: fussio degiuno Che |