[Footnote 36:  The inkstand which Shelley saw at Ferrara (Essays and Letters, p. 149) could not have been this; probably his eye was caught by a wrong one.  Doubts also, after what we know of the tricks practised upon visitors of Stratford-upon-Avon, may unfortunately be entertained of the “plain old wooden piece of furniture,” the arm-chair.  Shelley describes the handwriting of Ariosto as “a small, firm, and pointed character, expressing, as he should say, a strong and keen, but circumscribed energy of mind.”  Every one of Shelley s words is always worth consideration; but handwritings are surely equivocal testimonies of character; they depend so much on education, on times and seasons and moods, conscious and unconscious wills, &c.  What would be said by an autographist to the strange old, ungraceful, slovenly handwriting of Shakspeare?]

[Footnote 37:  See vol. i. of the present work, pp. 30, 202, and 216.]

[Footnote 38:  Baruffaldi, 1807; p. 105.]

[Footnote 39: 

    “In casa mia mi sa meglio una rapa
  Ch’io cuoca, e cotta s’ un stecco m’ inforco,
  E mondo, e spargo poi di aceto e sapa,

  Che all’altrui mensa tordo, starno, o porco
  Selvaggio.”]

[Footnote 40:  “Chi vuole andare,” &c. Satira iv.]

[Footnote 41: 

“Se Nicoletto o Fra Martin fan segno
D’ infedele o d’ cretico, ne accuso
Il saper troppo, e men con lor mi sdegno: 

Perche salendo lo intelletto in suso
Per veder Dio, non de’ parerci strano
Se talor cade giu cieco e confuso.”

Satira vi.

This satire was addressed to Bembo.  The cardinal is said to have asked a visitor from Germany whether Brother Martin really believed what he preached; and to have expressed the greatest astonishment when told that he did.  Cardinals were then what augurs were in the time of Cicero—­wondering that they did not burst out a-laughing in one another’s faces.  This was bad; but inquisitors are a million times worse.  By the Nicoletto here mentioned by Ariosto in company with Luther, we are to understand (according to the conjecture of Molini) a Paduan professor of the name of Niccolo Vernia, who was accused of holding the Pantheistic opinions of Averroes.]

[Footnote 42:  Take a specimen of this leap-frog versification from the prologue to the Cassaria:—­

  “Questa commedia, ch’oggi recitatavi
  Sara, se nol sapete, e la Cassaria,
  Ch’un altra volta, gia vent’anni passano,
  Veder si fece sopra questi pulpiti,
  Ed allora assai piacque a tutto il popolo,
  Ma non ne riposto gia degno premio,
  Che data in preda a gl’importuni ed avidi
  Stampator fu,” &c.

This through five comedies in five acts!]

[Footnote 43:  In the verses entitled Bacchi Statua.]

[Footnote 44:  Essays and Letters, ut sup. vol. ii. p. 125.]