"E tu pendevi allor su quella selva
Siccome or fai, che tutta la rischiari."
XV. "Il Sogno" is a very trifling production, with a few lines worthy of its author, but too insignificant to deserve translation.
XVI. "La Vita Solitaria." The second paragraph contains the finest poetical illustration I know of what Schopenhauer calls "Willensfreie Anschauen," and is in our poet's noblest style; the concluding apostrophe to the Moon is very animated, but the poem is disjointed and incoherent, and each paragraph would make a separate poem.
XVII. "Consalvo." If we were to judge from internal evidence alone, we should say that this production was the work of a feeble and unskilful imitator of our poet; so indifferent in execution as to be almost a parody on his manner. Hysterical, exaggerated, and heavy, it offers not one spark of his genius. Here, for once, Montefredini's unsparing severity is in the right place; I have therefore omitted it in my translation.
XVIII. "Alla Sua Donna." This poem was the tenth in the first edition of the "Canti." I do not know, why the poet removed it to its present place in the edition of 1837. It is eminently beautiful, and written throughout in the author's happiest style. As the expression of a yearning towards a superhuman ideal, it is peerless. There is nothing more sublime in Petrarch.
XIX. "Al Conte Carlo Pepoli." This epistle is somewhat Horation in diction, with some beautiful thoughts and charming verses, but not so characteristic of the author as to be essential to a translation. It might have been written by a less distinguished poet than Leopardi. It is, however, a proof of his great variety of style.
XX. "Il Risorgimento" is the pearl of this collection.
"Credei ch'ai tutto fossero
In me, sul fier degl 'anni,
Mancati i dolci affanni
Della mia prima età:
I dolci affanni, i teneri
Moti del cor profondo,
Qualunque cosa al mondo
Grato il sentir ci fa."
What melody and sweetness of style! How richly h e describes his gloom, and how vividly his revival to the joys of life!
"Meco ritorna a vivere
La piaggia, il bosco, il monte;
Parla al mio core il fonte,
Meco favella il mar."