[407] I may preserve here an impromptu Greek distich of Mezzofanti’s, addressed to Cavedoni on the publication of his “Memoir on the antiquities of the Museum of Modena,” which, although commonplace enough in sentiment, at least illustrates his curious facility of versification.
“Εις Kαιλεστινον Kαυεδόνιον.
Μνήματα τῶν πάλαι ἄνθρwπων σοφὸς ὅσσ’ ἀναφαίνεις,
Ἔκ χρόνος ὂυ πέρθει· σὄν δὲ κλέος θαλέθει.”
It was an impromptu in the literal sense of the word, being thrown off without a moment’s thought, and in the midst of a group of friends. His friend Ferrucci rendered it into the following Latin distich.
Celestino Cavedonio.
Omnia que prudens aperis monumenta priorum
Ævo intacta manent: hinc tibi fama viget.
[408] “L’Eneide di Virgilio, recata in versi Italiani, da Annibale Caro,” 2 vols. folio. It was printed by De Romanis. The duchess was the Lady Elizabeth Hervey, daughter of the episcopal Earl of Bristol; and after the death of her first husband, Mr. Forster, had married the Duke of Devonshire. She is the true heroine of Gibbon’s ludicrous love-scene at Lausanne, described by Lord Brougham, but by him related of Mademoiselle Susan Curchod, afterwards Madame Necker. See an article in the Biographie Universelle, (lxii, p. 452,) by the Chevalier Artand de Montor; also “Critical and Miscellaneous Essays, (vol. i., p. 64,) by an Octogenarian,” (the late Mr. James Roche, of Cork, the J. R. of the Gentleman’s Magazine, and a frequent contributor to the Dublin Review, and other periodicals)—a repertory of curious literary and personal anecdotes, as well of solid and valuable information.
[409] This is probably the Grammar of the Mahratta language, published by the Propaganda, in 1778. The name is sometimes latinized in this form. Adelung, I., 220.