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 ��It is impossible to deny to such little sallies the power of the Florentines, who do not permit their verses to be ever written down though they often deserve it, because, as they express it, cosi se perderebbe la poca gloria x.

As for translations, we used to make him sometimes run off with one or two in a good humour. He was praising this song of Metastasio,

Deh, se placer mi vuoi,

Lascia i sospetti tuoij

No-," 1 - mi turbar conquesto

Molesto dubitar* :

Chi ciecamente crede,

Impegna a serbar fedej

Chi sempre inganno aspetta,

Alletta ad ingannar.

Should you like it in English (said he) thus?'

Would you hope to gain my heart, Bid your teizing doubts depart ; He who blindly trusts, will find Faith from every generous mind: He who still expects deceit, Only teaches how to cheat.

Mr. Baretti coaxed him likewise one day at Streatham out of a translation of Emirena's speech to the false courtier Aquileius 3, and it is probably printed before now, as I think two or three people took copies ; but perhaps it has slipt their memories.

Ah! tu in corte invecchiasti, e giurerei Che fra i pochi non set tenace ancora

1 Mrs. Piozzi says in her Journey they were once registered by the pen.'

through Italy, i. 239 : * The whole 2 ' Non mi stancar con questo

secret of improvisation seems to Molesto-dubitar.'

consist in this that extempore verses La Clemenza di Tito, Act I. sc. 2.

are never written down, and one 3 Aquilio. The speech is in Meta-

may easily conceive that much may stasio's Adrtano, Act ii. sc. i. It

go off well with a good voice in was first inserted in a later edition

singing which no one would read if than that of 1748.

DeW

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