DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.71557#0127
POETRY OF MICHAEL ANGELO.
107
CHAPTER VIL
POETRY OF MICHAEL ANGELO. -ITS DISTINGUISHING CHARAC3
TERISTICS. -THE POETRY OF HIS LATTER DAYS.-HIS FRIEND-
SHIP WITH VITTORIA COLONNA, AND SONNETS ADDRESSED TO
THAT LADY.
The poetry of Michael Angelo is deeply interesting
from the light which it reflects upon his character
and opinions, as well as from its intrinsic beauties.
It chiefly consists of small poems, some of which
are light, airy effusions of sportive fancy, whilst
the greater part are of a graver character, and
are replete, like his art, with original and lofty
thought, and pure and noble sentiment, conveyed
in language concise, vigorous, and elegant.
"I mentioned Michael Angelo's poetry" (says
Mr. Wordsworth, in one of his letters)" to you some
time ago; it is the most difficult to construe I ever
met with, but just what you would expect from
such a man, showing abundantly how conversant
his soul was with great things. There is a mistake
in the world concerning the Italian language; the
poetry of Dante and Michael Angelo proves, that
if there be little majesty and strength in Italian
verse, the fault is in the authors, and not in the
tongue. I can translate, and have translated, two
books of Ariosto, at the rate, nearly, of one hun-
107
CHAPTER VIL
POETRY OF MICHAEL ANGELO. -ITS DISTINGUISHING CHARAC3
TERISTICS. -THE POETRY OF HIS LATTER DAYS.-HIS FRIEND-
SHIP WITH VITTORIA COLONNA, AND SONNETS ADDRESSED TO
THAT LADY.
The poetry of Michael Angelo is deeply interesting
from the light which it reflects upon his character
and opinions, as well as from its intrinsic beauties.
It chiefly consists of small poems, some of which
are light, airy effusions of sportive fancy, whilst
the greater part are of a graver character, and
are replete, like his art, with original and lofty
thought, and pure and noble sentiment, conveyed
in language concise, vigorous, and elegant.
"I mentioned Michael Angelo's poetry" (says
Mr. Wordsworth, in one of his letters)" to you some
time ago; it is the most difficult to construe I ever
met with, but just what you would expect from
such a man, showing abundantly how conversant
his soul was with great things. There is a mistake
in the world concerning the Italian language; the
poetry of Dante and Michael Angelo proves, that
if there be little majesty and strength in Italian
verse, the fault is in the authors, and not in the
tongue. I can translate, and have translated, two
books of Ariosto, at the rate, nearly, of one hun-