[361] This limitation, it may be observed, does not necessarily apply to all literary forms.  It may, I think, reasonably be maintained that the form of the drama, for instance, is essentially conditioned by the psychological relation of author to audience, through the medium of actual representation, and that this relation is equivalent to, or at least capable of forming the basis of, a theory of drama.  I am aware that such an abstract view as this finds little favour with the majority of modern critics, but while myself doubtful as to its practical value, I do not see that it involves any critical absurdity.

[362] This impulse can certainly be traced in some of the eclogues, and still more markedly in the purely lyrical verse of a pastoral sort.  But the cross influences are too complex to be recapitulated here.

[363] The influence of the Latin eclogue of the renaissance was undoubtedly also direct, but though widespread it was hardly vital, and its importance, as compared with that of the vernacular tradition, may be not inadequately measured by the relative importance of the chief exponents of either, Googe and Spenser.

[364] Especially the allusions to religions controversy.  The romance was, of course, highly topical in Spain, but, waiving the rather debatable point of Sidney’s allusive intentions, it never appears to have been generally so regarded in this country.

[365] Possibly I ought to add a fourth, the masques at court; but their influence in large measure duplicated that of the Italian drama, and cannot be distinguished from it.

[366] See Rossi, p. 175, note 1.

[367] Ferrara, Caraffo, 1588, p. 50.  Rossi, 175^{1}.  Carducci, 59.

[368] Discorso, Padova, Meieto, 1587; Rossi, 175^{1}.

[369] Apologia contro l’autor del Verato, Padova, Meietti, 1590.

[370] Il Verato secondo, Firenze, Giunti, 1593, pp. 206-7; Carducci, 59-60.

[371] I make no pretence at having myself examined all the texts mentioned in the following discussion.  Many, indeed, are only to be found in out-of-the-way provincial libraries in Italy, and have, I believe, never been examined by any one but Carducci himself.  The references in my notes equally testify my indebtedness to Rossi’s monograph; indeed, my whole treatment of the subject is based on his work.

[372] I shall endeavour to note the various verse-forms employed, as the evidence is often of use in determining the question of development.  It may, however, be very easily misleading if unduly pressed, as by Carducci.  In general, the terza rima may be taken as pointing to the influence of Sannazzaro’s Arcadia; ottava rima, courtly or rustic, to that of Poliziano’s Orfeo and Giostra and Lorenzo de’ Medici’s Nencia respectively; the endecasillabi sciolti, or blank verse, to that of the regular drama.  Of the free measures, endecasillabi e settinari, of the later plays I shall have to speak more in detail hereafter.