“Galeotto fu il libro e chi lo scrisse,”
and then added with a shudder of horror that trembled in her voice:—
“Quel giorno più non vi leggemmo avante.”
Besides Madame Ristori, Sig. Salvini, Sig. Rossi, and Sig. Gottinelli, recited. They are considered the first actors in Italy, but I cannot say that they pleased me. Like those of Hamlet, “they imitated humanity so abominably.” Their countrymen however applauded them the more, the more they “overstepped the modesty of nature;” “strutted and bellowed, and sawed the air with their hands.” But the cheers which were so liberally bestowed upon these recitations, became most enthusiastic whenever the words could be interpreted so as to allude to the great political events and ideas of the day. At the words:—
“Infin che ’l Veltro,
Verrà, che la farà morir di doglia.”
Infer. Canto 1.
And at those,
“Vieni a veder la tua Roma, che piagne,
Vedova, sola, e dì e notte chiama: