1565-1635.
Alessandro Tassoni was born at Modena, in 1565, of a noble and ancient
family. He was so unfortunate as to lose both parents in early
childhood; nor had he any near relative to watch over his tender years
and guard his interests. In consequence, scarcely had he emerged from
boyhood, than his inheritance was attacked by lawsuits, and he was
involved in the most annoying struggles with private enemies, while long
and painful illnesses unfitted him to cope with these evils. Still a
love of knowledge rose above the multiplied disasters that beset him,
and from his earliest years he was a student. He learnt the Greek and
Latin languages under Lazzaro Labadini, a learned and worthy man, but
somewhat of the Dominie Sampson species: simple-hearted and abstracted,
he was exposed to ridiculous mistakes; and his pupil records in his
celebrated poem, how, when a servant informed him of the death of a cow,
he sent to the apothecary's shop for drugs to cure her.[46] While yet
under this master's tuition, he wrote a Latin poem named Errico, which
displayed an extraordinary smoothness of versification and command of
language. At the age of eighteen he took the degree of doctor of laws,
and in 1585 he entered the university of Bologna, where he continued
five years, applying himself to philosophy, under the most celebrated
masters. He afterwards studied jurisprudence at Ferrara, and acquired a
reputation for his learning and critical acumen.
It was not till past thirty years of age that he appears to have
seriously entered on the task of bettering his moderate fortunes.
[Sidenote: 1597.
Ætat.
32.]
He visited Rome, and entered the service of cardinal Colonna. He
accompanied his patron to Spain, and two years after was sent by him to
Rome, to obtain permission from pope Clement VIII. to accept the
viceroyalty of Aragon. Succeeding in his mission, Tassoni returned to
the cardinal. It was during these journeys that he amused himself by
composing his "Considerations on Petrarch," which afterwards occasioned
so much controversy. The cardinal sent him again to Rome to manage his
affairs there; but a few years after, for some reason, with which we are
unacquainted, Tassoni quitted his service.
Restored to independence, he visited Naples, and then took up his abode
at Rome. He now published his "Considerations on Petrarch," and his
"Thoughts on various Subjects," which exposed him to the attacks of the
literati of Italy. Tassoni was of a bold and original turn of mind; he
hated literary prejudices, and loved to set himself against received
opinions, merely because they were supported by the greater number. Thus
he attacked Homer, Aristotle, and Petrarch. He was singularly acute in
discovering minor defects, and his sarcastic and witty talent rendered
his criticisms doubly poignant. He was attacked for his publications and
he replied with a mixture of humour and bitterness peculiarly galling.
He had thus become well known in Italy, when his reputation was raised
to its highest pinnacle by the "Secchia Rapita," or Stolen Bucket, a
serio-comic or mock-heroic poem, the first of the kind that had
appeared. A work of this nature is adapted only to the very region in
which it is composed; and even then, there are certain minds which never
relish travesti. How much more is Hudibras spoken of than read, and to
how many, except in select and peculiar passages, does it prove heavy
and tedious. To an English reader the "Secchia Rapita" must appear
greatly inferior to the work of Butler; it is coarser and more
long-winded; besides that the rhymes, the wrenching and transformation
of language, the vulgarisms and idioms fall coldly on the ears of those,
who have not been habituated from infancy to their use or abuse.
The "Secchia Rapita" is founded on those petty wars between two towns,
so common in Italy in the 14th and 15th centuries. The people of Modena
had, in 1325, discomfited the Bolognese at Zoppolino, and the vanquished
fled with such precipitation, that their pursuers entered their town
with them. The Modenese were driven out again, but carried off, as token
of their triumph, the bucket belonging to the public well of the city.
The Bolognese made an expedition to recover it, and this forms the basis
of the poem. The plebeian names of the "unwashed artificers" who compose
the several armies, their ridiculous proceedings, their combats, mocking
those of belted knights, are all infinitely relished by the Italians.
Tassoni is praised also for the various fancy he displays in
individualising the combatants, their combats, and the modes by which
they die, as well as for the dignity with which he invests the really
noble personages who take a part in the warfare. There are episodes
also, some more dignified, others more burlesque even than the main
subject of the poem; the gods and goddesses take part, and the kings of
Naples and Savoy are brought in on either side. The chief satire of the
poem falls on an unfortunate count di Culagna, under which name Tassoni
held up to ridicule count Paolo Brusantini, a noble of Ferrara, who had
provoked him by instigating a violent and infamous attack on one of his
works. Tassoni was unable to avenge himself openly, as Brusantini was a
favourite of his prince, but vowed future vengeance, and writing to a
friend he exclaims, "If God lends me life, he shall learn, in one way or
another, that he has furnished a work to the devil." The count di
Culagna falls in love with the Amazon of the poem, and resolves to
poison his wife: he makes a confidant of one Titta, a Romagnole, a
courtier of the papal court, who was in fact the lover of the countess,
and betrays to her the murderous design. The lady accordingly deceives
her husband, changes her soup plate with him, and then flies to the tent
of Titta. The count's physician, however, who had been applied to for
poison, has only furnished physic, and Culagna recovers. He hears of the
infidelity of his wife, and defies Titta to mortal combat. Titta is not
brave, but Culagna is trebly a coward. When his challenge is accepted,
he takes to his bed, makes his will, and declares that he is going to
die. His friends cannot inspire him with any valour, but his doctor, by
administering three or four large cups of wine, imparts the necessary
courage. The opponents meet; Titta's spear strikes the throat and chest
of the count, who falls to the ground, and is carried to his tent, to
bed, while Titta exults in his overthrow and death. The surgeon visits
Culagna's wound; but, to the surprise of all, the skin even is not
scratched: "Yet I saw something red," cries the count, "it was assuredly
my blood!" On this they examine him with more attention, and discover a
red riband hanging from his throat to his girdle. The blow of Titta
disordering his dress, had exposed this unfortunate silk of sanguineous
hue to the eyes of the frightened combatant, who at once believed that
he had received a mortal wound. Now, perceiving how he had been
deceived, the count thanked God most fervently, and, in his artless,
pious gratitude, pardoned his friend and his wife all the injuries they
had done him. Such is the outline of the principal episode of the
"Secchia Rapita," which concludes by a peace brought about by the pope's
legate; the bucket remaining, however, with the Modenese; and there it
probably is to this day. Goldoni saw it, in 1730, suspended by an iron
chain from the belfry of the cathedral.
This poem was hailed with rapture, even in manuscript: for some time,
indeed, it was only known thus, and numerous copies were made at the
price of eight crowns each. As Tassoni had not spared his countrymen or
his contemporaries, great obstacles were thrown in the way of its
publication; and even when printed at Venice and Padua, no edition was
really on sale till 1622, when it was published at Paris, under the
inspection of Marini.
Tassoni's slender fortunes meanwhile did not permit him to preserve his
independence: he accepted the offers of Charles Emanuel, duke of Savoy;
but scarcely had he entered on his new service, than a series of
persecutions was commenced against him, which ended by his taking refuge
in private life.
[Sidenote: 1625.
Ætat.
50.]
Again free from all slavery, disgusted by the inconstancy of men and the
intrigues of courts, he took up his abode at Rome, where he had a house
and vineyard, giving himself up to the enjoyment of solitude and study,
and deriving his chief pleasure from hunting and the cultivation of
flowers. Still he was not wholly weaned from the world, nor content to
be neglected: he said that he reminded himself of Fabricius expecting
the dictatorship; and to follow up this truly mock-heroic similitude, he
accepted the offer of cardinal Ludovisio, nephew of pope Gregory XV.,
and entered his service, in which he remained till his patron's death.
He afterwards returned to his native town, and being taken into favour
by its reigning prince, he passed the remnant of his life prosperously,
under the shadow of that fame, which his works, his arduous studies, and
great talents caused to gather thick around him. After a few years spent
in peace and honour, he died on the 5th of April, 1635, in the
seventy-first year of his age.
[Footnote 46: La dove il Labadin, persona accorta,
Fe' il beverone alla sua vacca morta.]