Page:The Book of the Courtier.djvu/473

 THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE COURTIER ises them ease in attaining what they desire) call it beauty : but in truth it is disguised immodesty, unworthy a name so honoured and so sacred." Messer Pietro Bembo was silent, and those gentlemen still urged him to speak further of this love and of the mode of enjoy- ing beauty truly; and he at last said: " Methinks I have shown clearly enough that old men can love more happily than young, which was my thesis; therefore it does not become me to go further." Count Ludovico replied: " You have better shown the unhappiness of youths than the happiness of old men, whom as yet you have not taught what road to follow in this love of theirs, but have only told them to be guided by reason; and by many it is thought impossible for, love to abide with reason." 6i — Bembo still sought to put an end to his discourse, but my lady Duchess begged him to speak; and he began anew thus: " Too unhappy would human nature be, if our soul (wherein such ardent desire can spring up easily) were forced to feed it solely upon that which is common to her with the beasts, and could not direct it to that other nobler part which is peculiar to herself Therefore, since so indeed it pleases you, I have no wish to avoid discoursing upon this noble subject. And as I feel myself unworthy to speak of Love's most sacred mysteries, I pray him so to inspire my thought and tongue that I may be able to show this excellent Courtier how to love beyond the manner of the vulgar crowd; and since from boyhood up I have dedicated my whole life to him, so now also may my words comport with this intent and with his praise. " I say, then, that as in youth human nature is so greatly prone to sense, the Courtier may be allowed to love sensually while he is young. But if afterwards in maturer years he chances still to be kindled with this amourous desire, he must be very wary and take care not to deceive himself by allowing himself to be led into those calamities which in the young merit more compassion than blame, and, on the contrary, in the old more blame than compassion. 62.—" Therefore when the gracious aspect of some fair woman 297