(Lodovico), the famous Italian poet, and author of Orlando Furioso, was born at the castle of Reggio in Lombardy in 1474. His father, who was major-domo to duke Hercules, lived to the extent of his fortune, so left but little at his death. Ariosto, from his childhood, shewed great marks of genius, especially in poetry; and wrote a comedy in verse on the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, which his brothers and sisters played. His father being utterly unlearned, and rather regarding profit than his son's inclination, compelled him to study the civil law, in which having plodded some years to no purpose, he quitted it for more pleasing studies; yet often lamented, as Ovid and Petrarch did before him, and our own Milton since *, *See his Letter that his father banished him from the mutes. At the tin poem, age of 24, Ariosto lost his father, and found himself perplexed with family-affairs. However, in about five years he was, for his good parts, taken into the service of Don Hippolito, cardinal of Este. At this time he had written nothing but a few sonnets; but now he resolved to make a poem, and chose Bayardo's Orlando Innamorato for a groundwork. However, he was prevented writing for a great many years, and was chosen as a fit person to go on an embassy to Pope Julio II. where he gave such satisfaction, that he was sent again, underwent many dangers and difficulties, and at his return was highly favoured. Then, at his leisure, he again applied himself to his poem: but, soon after, he incurred the cardinal's displeasure for refusing to accompany him into Hungary; by which he was so dis- couraged, that he deferred writing for 14 years, even till the cardinal's death. After that, he finished by degrees, in great perfection, that which he began with great expectation. Duke Alfonso offered him great promotions if he would serve him; but, preferring liberty to grandeur, he refused this and other great offers from princes and cardinals, particularly from Leo X. from all whom he received notwithstanding great precepts. The duke of Ferrara delighted so much in his comedies, of which he wrote five, that he built a stage on purpose to have them played in his court, and enabled our poet to build himself a house in Ferrara, with a pleasant garden, where he used to compose his poems, which were highly esteemed by all the princes in Italy, who sent him many presents; but he said, "he would not sell his liberty for the best cardinal's hat in Rome." It was but a small, though convenient house: being asked, why he had not built it in a more magnificent manner, since he had given such noble de- scriptions of sumptuous palaces, beautiful porticos, and pleasant fountains, in his Orlando Furioso? He re- plied, that words were cheaper laid together than stones. Upon the door was the following inscrip- tion:

Pervia, sed apta nati, sed nulli obnoxia, sed non Sordida, porta mea fed tamen arc, demus.

Which Mr Harrington thus translates:

This house is small, but fit for me, but hurtful unto none; But yet not fluttish, as you see, yet paid for with mine own.

In his diet he was temperate, and so careless of dain- ties, that he was fit to have lived in the world when they fed upon acorns. Whether he was ever married, is uncertain. He kept company with one Alexandria, to whom, it was reported, he was married privately, and a lady Genevera, whom he filly mentions in the 24th book of his Orlando, as poets are apt to intermix with their fictions some real amours of their own. He was urged to go ambassador to pope Clement, but would by no means accept this embassy. He translated the Menecmi of Plautus: and all his own comedies were so esteemed, that they were frequently acted by per- sons of the first quality; and when his Lena was first represented, Ferdinand of Este, afterwards Marquis of Maffa, so far honoured the piece as to speak the pro- logue. He began one of his comedies in his father's lifetime, when the following incident shews the re- markable talent he had for poetry. His father one day rebuked him sharply, charging him with some great fault; but all the while he returned him no answer. Soon after, his brother began on the same subject; but he easily refuted him, and, with strong arguments, justified his own behaviour. "Why then," said his bro- ther, did you not satisfy my father?" "In truth," said Lodovico, I was thinking of a part in my comedy, and methought my father's speech to me was so suit- ed to the part of an old man chiding his son, that I forgot I was concerned in it myself, and considered it only to make it part of my play." It is also reported of Ariosto, that, coming by a potter's shop, he heard him singing a stave out of his Orlando, with so bad a grace, that, out of all patience, he broke with his stick several of his pots. The potter, in a pitiful tone,