Page:The Book of the Courtier.djvu/399

 THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE COURTIER BY COUNT BALDESAR CASTIGLIONE TO MESSER ALFONSO ARIOSTO I.— Thinking to write out the discussions that were held on the fourth evening, after those mentioned in the previous Books, among various reflections I feel one bitter thought that strikes my heart, and makes me mindful of human miseries and our deceptive hopes: and how fortune, often in mid-course and some- times near the end, shatters our frail and vain designs, and some- times wrecks them before the haven can be even seen afar. Thus I recall that not long after these discussions took place, importunate death'deprived our court of three very rare gentle- men while they were in the flower of robust health and hope of honour. And of these the first was my lord Gaspar Pallavicino, who being assailed by an acute disease and more than once brought low, although his courage was of such vigour that for a season it held spirit and body together in spite of death, yet ended his natural course far before his time;*"" a very great loss not only to our court and to his friends and family, but to his native land and to all Lombardy. Not long afterwards died messer Cesare Gonzaga, who to all those who had acquaintance with him left a bitter and painful memory of his death ;"° for since nature produces such men as rarely as she does, it seemed only fitting that she should not so soon deprive us of this one: because it certainly may be said that messer Cesare was carried off just when he was beginning to give something more than promise of himself, and to be esteemed as his admirable qualities deserved; for already, by many meri- torious efforts he had given good proof of his worth, which shone forth not only in noble birth, but also in the ornament of letters and of arms, and in every kind of laudable behaviour; so that, by reason of his goodness, capacity, courage and wisdom, there was nothing so great that it might not be expected from him. 243