one.”  The student then inquired in what estimation he held poets, to which he answered that he held the poets themselves in but little esteem; but as to their art, that he esteemed greatly.  His hearer inquiring further what he meant by that, Rodaja said that among the innumerable poets, by courtesy so called, the number of good ones was so small as scarcely to count at all, and that as the bad were not true poets, he could not admire them:  but that he admired and even reverenced greatly the art of poetry, which does in fact comprise every other in itself, since it avails itself of all things, and purifies and beautifies all things, bringing its own marvellous productions to light for the advantage, the delectation, and the wonder of the world, which it fills with its benefits.  He added further, “I know thoroughly to what extent, and for what qualities, we ought to estimate the good poet, since I perfectly well remember those verses of Ovid, wherein he says:—­

    “’Cura ducum fuerunt olim regumque poetae,
      Praemiaque antiqui magna tulere chori. 
    Sanctaque majestas, et erat venerabile nomen
      Vatibus; et largae saepe dabantur opes.’

And still less do I forget the high quality of the poets whom Plato calls the interpreters of the Gods, while Ovid says of them—­

    “‘Est deus in nobis; agitante calescimus illo.’

And again—­

    “‘At sacri vates et divum cura vocamur.’

“These things are said of good poets; but, as respects the bad ones—­the gabbling pretenders—­what can we say, save only that they are the idiocy and the arrogance of the world.

“Who is there that has not seen one of this sort when he is longing to bring forth some sonnet to the ears of his neighbours?  How he goes round and round them with—­’Will your worships excuse me if I read you a little sonnet, which I made one night on a certain occasion; for it appears to me, although indeed it be worth nothing, to have yet a certain something—­a je ne scai quoi of pretty, and pleasing.’  Then shall he twist his lips, and arch his eyebrows, and make a thousand antics, diving into his pockets meanwhile and bringing out half a hundred scraps of paper, greasy and torn, as if he had made a good million of sonnets; he then recites that which he proffered to the company, reading it in a chanting and affected voice.

“If, perchance, those who hear him, whether because of their knowledge or their ignorance, should fail to commend him, he says, ’Either your worships have not listened to the verses, or I have not been able to read them properly, for indeed and in truth they deserve to be heard;’ and he begins, as before, to recite his poem, with new gestures and varied pauses.