TORQUATO TASSO.
Tasso's Relation to his Age--Balbi on that Period--The Life of
Bernardo Tasso--Torquato's Boyhood--Sorrento, Naples, Rome,
Urbino--His first Glimpse of the Court--Student Life at Padua and
Bologna--The _Rinaldo_--Dialogues on Epic Poetry--Enters the
Service of Cardinal d'Este--The Court of Ferrara--Alfonso II. and
the Princesses--Problem of Tasso's Love--Goes to France with
Cardinal d'Este--Enters the Service of Duke Alfonso--The
_Aminta_--Tasso at Urbino--Return to Ferrara--Revision of the
_Gerusalemme_--Jealousies at Court--Tasso's Sense of His own
Importance--Plans a Change from Ferrara to Florence--First Symptoms
of Mental Disorder--Persecutions of the Ferrarese Courtiers--Tasso
confined as a Semi-madman--Goes with Duke Alfonso to
Belriguardo--Flies in Disguise from Ferrara to Sorrento--Returns to
Court Life at Ferrara--Problem of his Madness--Flies again--Mantua,
Venice, Urbino, Turin--Returns once more to Ferrara--Alfonso's
Third Marriage--Tasso's Discontent--Imprisoned for Seven Years in
the Madhouse of S. Anna--Character of Tasso--Character of Duke
Alfonso--Nature of the Poet's Malady--His Course of Life in
Prison--Released at the Intercession of Vincenzo Gonzaga--Goes to
Mantua--The _Torrismondo_--An Odyssey of Nine Years--Death at Sant
Onofrio in Rome--Constantini's Sonnet