DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36838#0185
128 COUNT BALDASSARE CASTIGLIONE
fatigue and toil, more in order to gain some promotion
for him than for myself. For if by God's grace I can
give myself tip to a quiet life, I shall not be worse oft,
nor will any regard me as otherwise than an honourable
man, seeing the life that I have led till now. So I
hope to be able to effect this much, that through my
exertions Jeronimo may attain through his own deeds
to some worthy place ; and this does not seem to me a
bad beginning, as things are. He need not take any
further orders, nor deprive himself of liberty, nor
sacrifice the half of that property to which he has
succeeded, but can lead a free life in Rome, with good
hope of future greatness, if, as I trust, his acts
deserve it and Fortune proves kind. This is my advice.
I hope that it agrees with your wishes and his own A
Both Madonna Euigia and Jeronimo, as might be
expected, responded gratefully to Baldassare's sugges-
tions, and the boy asked nothing better than to join
his elder brother in Rome. ' Indeed, I think/ wrote
Castiglione in another letter,' that this ought to satisfy
him fully; and if he had nothing else in view, the
prospect of holding office in this great court would
be no small attraction. Then he who risks nothing
gains nothing ; and the fact of being in Rome need
not hinder his studies, for this is the fount of all
learned men. . . .' For the present, however, all
that Jeronimo himself could do was to visit Mon-
signore Sigismondo occasionally and remain in his
company, which would not only have the good effect
of interesting the future Cardinal in him, but would
at the same time help the boy to put aside his own
shyness and timidity. Then, as soon as ever the
Pope's pleasure was announced and Sigismondo was
created Cardinal, Baldassare promised to write to him
on his brother's behalf and procure a letter of recom-
i Serassi, i. 17.
fatigue and toil, more in order to gain some promotion
for him than for myself. For if by God's grace I can
give myself tip to a quiet life, I shall not be worse oft,
nor will any regard me as otherwise than an honourable
man, seeing the life that I have led till now. So I
hope to be able to effect this much, that through my
exertions Jeronimo may attain through his own deeds
to some worthy place ; and this does not seem to me a
bad beginning, as things are. He need not take any
further orders, nor deprive himself of liberty, nor
sacrifice the half of that property to which he has
succeeded, but can lead a free life in Rome, with good
hope of future greatness, if, as I trust, his acts
deserve it and Fortune proves kind. This is my advice.
I hope that it agrees with your wishes and his own A
Both Madonna Euigia and Jeronimo, as might be
expected, responded gratefully to Baldassare's sugges-
tions, and the boy asked nothing better than to join
his elder brother in Rome. ' Indeed, I think/ wrote
Castiglione in another letter,' that this ought to satisfy
him fully; and if he had nothing else in view, the
prospect of holding office in this great court would
be no small attraction. Then he who risks nothing
gains nothing ; and the fact of being in Rome need
not hinder his studies, for this is the fount of all
learned men. . . .' For the present, however, all
that Jeronimo himself could do was to visit Mon-
signore Sigismondo occasionally and remain in his
company, which would not only have the good effect
of interesting the future Cardinal in him, but would
at the same time help the boy to put aside his own
shyness and timidity. Then, as soon as ever the
Pope's pleasure was announced and Sigismondo was
created Cardinal, Baldassare promised to write to him
on his brother's behalf and procure a letter of recom-
i Serassi, i. 17.