LITMIR.BIZ

      Published by Good Press, 2019

       [email protected]

      EAN 4057664642011

Table of Contents

       PREFACE.

       TO ITALY. (1818.)

       ON DANTE'S MONUMENT, 1818. (THEN UNFINISHED.)

       TO ANGELO MAI, ON HIS DISCOVERY OF THE LOST BOOKS OF CICERO, “DE REPUBLICA.”

       TO HIS SISTER PAOLINA, ON HER APPROACHING MARRIAGE.

       TO A VICTOR IN THE GAME OF PALLONE.

       THE YOUNGER BRUTUS.

       TO THE SPRING. OR OF THE FABLES OF THE ANCIENTS.

       HYMN TO THE PATRIARCHS. OR OF THE BEGINNINGS OF THE HUMAN RACE.

       THE LAST SONG OF SAPPHO.

       FIRST LOVE.

       THE LONELY SPARROW.

       THE INFINITE.

       THE EVENING OF THE HOLIDAY.

       TO THE MOON.

       THE DREAM.

       THE LONELY LIFE.

       CONSALVO.

       TO THE BELOVED.

       TO COUNT CARLO PEPOLI.

       THE RESURRECTION.

       TO SYLVIA.

       RECOLLECTIONS.

       NIGHT SONG OF A WANDERING SHEPHERD IN ASIA.

       CALM AFTER STORM.

       THE VILLAGE SATURDAY NIGHT.

       THE RULING THOUGHT.

       LOVE AND DEATH.

       TO HIMSELF.

       ASPASIA.

       ON AN OLD SEPULCHRAL BAS-RELIEF. WHERE IS SEEN A YOUNG MAIDEN, DEAD, IN THE ACT OF DEPARTING, TAKING LEAVE OF HER FAMILY.

       ON THE PORTRAIT OF A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, CARVED ON HER MONUMENT.

       PALINODIA. TO THE MARQUIS GINO CAPPONI.

       THE SETTING OF THE MOON.

       THE GINESTRA, OR THE FLOWER OF THE WILDERNESS.

       IMITATION.

       SCHERZO.

       FRAGMENTS.

       I.

       II.

PREFACE.

       Table of Contents

      Giacomo Leopardi is a great name in Italy among philosophers and poets, but is quite unknown in this country, and Mr. Townsend has the honor of introducing him, in the most captivating way, to his countrymen. In Germany and France he has excited attention. Translations have been made of his works; essays have been written on his ideas. But in England his name is all but unheard of. Six or seven years ago Mr. Charles Edwards published a translation of the essays and dialogues, but no version of the poems has appeared, so far as I know. Leopardi was substantially a poet—that is to say, he had imagination, sentiment, passion, an intense love of beauty, a powerful impulse towards things ideal. The sad tone of his speculations about the universe and human destiny gave an impression of mournfulness to his lines, but this rather deepened the pathos of his work. In the same breath he sang of love and the grave, and the love was the more eager for its brevity. He had the poetic temperament—sensitive, ardent, aspiring. He possessed the poetic aspect—the broad white brow, the large blue eyes. Some compared him to Byron, but the resemblance was external merely. In ideas, purpose, feeling, he was entirely unlike the Englishman; in the energy and fire of his style only did he somewhat resemble him. Worshippers have even ventured to class him with Dante, a comparison which shows, at least, in what estimation the poet could be held at home, and how largely the patriotic sentiment entered into the conception of poetical compositions, how necessary it was that the singer should be a bard. His verses ranged over a large field. They were philosophic, patriotic, amorous. There are odes, lyrics, satires, songs; many very beautiful and feeling; all noble and earnest. His three poems, “All' Italia,”

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