Et cum el foftene paffion It was not decided, either then or at the clofe of the thirteenth century when Dante wrote, which dialect of the common language was the beft. Dante himself did not deem the dialect of Tufcany the most eligible, and in his writtings made ufe of a great many Lombard, Neapolitan, and Venetian words and expreffions. Ruftigielo, of Pifa, wrote in the year 1299 the travels of Marco Polo, not in his own, but in the Venetian dialect, which already at that time had attained a certain degree of harmony, as appears by the following lines: other Tufcans, who lived alfo at the clofe of the thirteenth century, by their elegant compofitions turned the scale in favour of the Tuscan dialect, and furpaffed all authors who had hitherto written in the common language. If we compare the fonnets of Guirtone d'Arezzo, the poems of Ugolino Ubaldini, and others, which tica Italiana, with the fpecimens are quoted in the Anthologia Pocof the Venetian and Milanefe dialects above cited, we cannot be furprized at the fuperiority which the Tufcan dialect acquired. Dante himself made ufe of no other dialect but that of Tufcany in his fmaller poems and profaic writings, and leems to have repented of his former neglect of his vernacular lan guage. Brunetto Latini and Guirtone d'Arezzo had, above all others, the merit of having imparted gram Qui comenza il prologo del libro chiamado matical correctnefs to the Italian De la intinzione del mondo. Vui Signori Imperadori, Duchi, Marchef, Chonti, e Kavalieri, e tuta zente, quale volete intender e chonoffer le diverfe genarazione de li homeni e del mondo, lezete queflo libro, in lo qual trouverete de' grandiffimi miracholi e diversità dell' Armenia mazore, de Ferfia, e de Tartaria, e de molte altre provinzie fecondo chomo nara, &c. &c. Had the Venetians at that time had more writers like this, their dialect would, undoubtedly, have gained the fuperiority in Italy. But Brunetto Latini Ricco de Varlungo, Dino Fiorentino, Salvino Doni, Ugo da Siena, Guido Novello, Farinata, Degli Uberti, Lambertuccio Frescobaldi, Pannuccio dal Bagno, Guirtone d'Arezzo, and VOL. XLII. language; whilft it owes its energy and precifion to Dante Alighieri. It was, however, fill deftitute of that high degree of fuavity and harmony, by which it at prefent diftinguishes itfelf eminently from all other languages. This peculiar charm it obtained by the exertions of Cino of Piftoja, of his pupil Francefco Petrarca, and John Boccacio. Thefe celebrated authors brought the Tuscan dialect to fuch a charming perfection, that from that time no good author of the other provinces hefitated to prefer it to his Thus the clofe of own dialect the thirteenth and beginning of the fourteenth century form the epocha when the Italian language attained the highest degree of perfection. POETRY. ODE to the NEW YEAR. By H. J. PYE, Efq. Poet Laureat. Performed January 18, at St. James's. I. NCESSANT down the ftream of Time, Speeding through Error's iron clime Loft in the gulf of night profound, eye to mark their shadowy bound, The warlike Chief's illuftrious crown, II. Yet, evanefcent as the fleeting cloud, Driv'n by the wild winds o'er the varying skies, The fhadowy vapours fly before the wind, III. But if the raptur'd train, whom Heaven infpires Tune to heroic worth their golden lyres, The above ftanzas are the first and concluding ones of Mr. Pye's Carmen Seculare The Then fhall th' eternal guerdon wait, Clears the rich tale from Fiction's fpecious grace, Glorious and godlike heirs of fame, With finewy arm, with daring breast, who brave Bifcaya's turbid waters roar; Where by the Gaul's infulted coaft Deftruction wrecks her fcatter'd hoft; By Erin's rocks, Batavia's fand, Hefperia's liberated ftrand, Proudly ye ride, while round each sheltering cape Their proudest boaft to fly, their triumph to escape. XXXII. Spirits of warriors! who of yore, In diftant times, your fhore remote should trace, XXXIII. Sire of the winter drear, Who lead'ft the months in circling dance along, Though unappall'd her laurel'd front defies Ready the ftands for war, nor fhuns the enfanguin'd fray; She cafts Affection's fondeft eye. O! as the era paft faw Anna join Each warrior nation of Britannia's line, So may the aufpicious hours that now ascend, While Ocean's guardian arms around them thrown, The illuftrious age of George, the Monarch Briton born! ODE for his Majefty's BIRTH-DAY, June 4, 1800. By H. J. Pye, STILL the expecting Mufe in vain Reluctant Peace impatient woos, Still cruel War's deftructive train O'er half mankind their vengeance loofe; Rolls in tremendous peal the thund'ring voice of War. II. Yet far from Albion's tranquil fhores The ftorm of defolation roars; And while o'er fair Liguria's vales, Fann'd by Favonius' rapid gales, O'er O'er Alpine heights that proudly rile And hails with duteous voice her George's natal day. Yet though her eye exulting fees To deck his brow whom each, with grateful fmiles, IV. God of our fathers, rife, And through the thund'ring skies Thy vengeance urge, In awful juftice red, Be thy dread arrows sped, But guard our monarch's head, God fave great George! V. Still on our Albion smile, VI, To the loud trumpet's throat, From ev'ry open foe, God guards our king! |