Their Ancestors 98
1493. Bernardo Tasso appointed Secretary of State to Ferrante
Sanseverino, Prince of Salerno 99
His Marriage with Portia Rossi 100
1544. (11th of March.) Torquato Tasso, his Birth 101
Bernardo Tasso joins his Patron in the War 102
Infancy of Torquato 103
Return of Bernardo from the War 103
1552. The Prince of Salerno and his Adherents declared Rebels 104
Bernardo, his Exile 104
Torquato Tasso, his Separation from his Mother; Lines written
by him on this Occasion 105
He and Cowper compared 107
1556. Death of his Mother 108
Torquato Tasso at Rome with his Father 108
Is implicated in his reputed Treason 109
His Letter to Vittoria Colonna on the Marriage of his Sister
Cornelia 110
Letter of Bernardo to his Daughter 110
Bernardo flies to Ravenna 111
He is invited to Pesaro 111
Vicissitudes of Bernardo Tasso 112
Torquato Tasso, his Studies 114
Boileau 115
"Joan of Arc" 117
"Curiosities of Literature" 118
Torquato translates his Father's Poems and Letters 118
"Amadigi" 119
Torquato Tasso studies Jurisprudence at Padua 122
His "Rinaldo" 122
Epic Poetry 125
"Gerusalemme Liberata" 126
Torquato leaves the Study of the Law, and repairs to Bologna 127
He returns to Padua and establishes the Degli Eterei 128
His "Discourses on Heroic Poetry" 130
1564. He visits his Father at Mantua 130
His Illness 131
1569. Bernardo Tasso, his Death 131
Torquato Tasso appointed one of the personal Attendants
Cardinal D'Este 131
Zoilus 131
1565. Torquato Tasso at Ferrara, in the Service of Cardinal Luigi 132
Marriage of Alfonso Duke of Ferrara 132
Death of Pope Pius IV. 133
Torquato becomes acquainted with Lucretia and Leonora
Este 133
A quotation from his "Aminta" 134
1568. Marriage of the Princess Anna of Este with the Duke
Guise 136
Marriage of Lucretia D'Este with the Prince of Urbino 136
Torquato Tasso accompanies the Cardinal Luigi, as Legate,
the Court of France 138
Two or three Anecdotes related of him 139
1572. Arrival of Tasso at Rome 140
His Reception by Pope Pius V. 140
Admitted into the Service of the Duke Alfonso 140
His "Aminta" 141
His "Torindo" and "Torrismondo" 143
His Illness 144
His Escape to Rome, with the Duke Alfonso's Consent 146
He returns to Ferrara 146
An Incident occurs to him which establishes him a Hero 147
His Malady 148
Is confined as a Lunatic by the Duke Alfonso 148
Efforts of the Duke to calm his Mind 149
His Love for the Princess Leonora 149
He visits his Sister 150
1579. Committed as a Lunatic to St Anne's Hospital 152
His Letter to Scipio Gonzaga 152
1581. Death of the Princess Leonora 156
Its Effect on Tasso 156
1586. Liberation of Tasso 157
His Controversy with the Della Cruscan Academy 158
His last Work, "Sette Giornate" 158
He recovers his Mother's Dowry 158
The Pope grants him a Pension 158
Manso, his Account of his Interview with Tasso during
Time he supposed he was visited by a Spirit 159
1594. (25th of April.) Death of Tasso 161
His Works 161