[196] It has sometimes been supposed that the Baldini edition, Ferrara, 1590, was the earlier, but Guarini’s letter is conclusive.

[197] Of this edition the British Museum possesses a magnificent copy on large and thick paper, bearing on the title-page the inscription:  ’Al Ser^{mo}.  Principe di Vinegia Marin Grimani,’ showing that it was the presentation copy to the Doge at the time of publication.  Another copy on large but not on thick paper is in my own possession, and has on the title-page the remains of a similar inscription beginning apparently ’All Ill^{mo} et R^{mo}...’  I rather suspect it of being the copy presented to the ecclesiastic, whoever he was, who represented the Congregation of the Index at Venice.  Innumerable editions followed; I have notes of no less than fifty during the half-century succeeding publication, i.e. 1590-1639.

[198] The authorship of the notes is placed beyond doubt by a letter of Guarini’s, otherwise it might have been doubted whether even he could have been guilty of the fulsome self-laudation they contain.  On the controversy see Rossi, pp. 238-43.

[199] Certain modern writers have shown themselves worthy descendants of the criticaster of Vicenza by insisting that the play should properly be called the Pastorella fida.  Guarini was weak enough to reply to Malacreta’s carpings in his notes, and thereby exposed himself to similar attacks from posterity.

[200] The absurdity lies of course in the commanding merit ascribed to the piece.  As Saintsbury has pointed out in his History of Criticism, had Aristotle known the romantic drama of the renaissance, the Poetics would have been largely another work.

[201] Summo evidently thought that Pescetti’s defence at least was the work of Guarini himself.  There is no evidence that this was so, but Rossi considers it not improbable that Guarini at least directed the labours of his supporters.

[202] It is unnecessary to enter into any further discussion of these plays.  The following titles, however, quoted by Stiefel in his review of Rossi, may be mentioned.  Scipione Dionisio, Amore cortese, 1570 (?) (not the Alessandro Dionisio whose ecloga, entitled Amorosi sospiri, with intermezzos of a mythological character, was printed in 1599); Niccolo degli Angeli, Ligurino, 1574 (so Allacci, Drammaturgia, 1755; the only edition in the British Museum is dated 1594; Venus and Silenus are among the characters, and the prologue is spoken by ’Tempo’); Cesare della Valle, Filide, 1579; Giovanni Fratta, La Nigella, 1580; Cristoforo Castelletti, Amarilli, 1580 (which edition, though given by Allacci, appears to be now unknown, as is also the date of composition; a second edition appeared in 1582; the prologue was spoken by ’Apollo in habito pastorale,’ and Ongaro contributed a commendatory sonnet); Giovanni Donato Cuchetti, La Pazzia, 1581; Pietro Cresci, Tirena, 1584; Alessandro Mirari, Mauriziano, 1584; Dionisio Rondinelli, Galizia, 1583 (his Pastor vedovo was printed in 1599, with a prologue spoken by ‘Primavera,’ and an echo scene).