'At last the Muses rose,' etc.—P. 22.
About the age of Hugh Capet, founder of the third race of French kings, the poets of Provence were in high reputation; a sort of strolling bards or rhapsodists, who went about the courts of princes and noblemen, entertaining them at festivals with music and poetry. They attempted both the epic, ode, and satire; and abounded in a wild and fantastic vein of fable, partly allegorical, and partly founded on traditionary legends of the Saracen wars. These were the rudiments of Italian poetry. But their taste and composition must have been extremely barbarous, as we may judge by those who followed the turn of their fable in much politer times; such as Boiardo, Bernardo, Tasso, Ariosto, etc.
ENDNOTE M.
'Valclusa.'—P. 22.
The famous retreat of Francisco Petrarcha, the father of Italian poetry, and his mistress, Laura, a lady of Avignon.
ENDNOTE N.
'Arno.'—P. 22.
The river which runs by Florence, the birth-place of Dante and
Boccaccio.
ENDNOTE O.
'Parthenopé.'—P. 23.