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Hereditary Genius
235
time he was engaged in political life. “Paradise Lost” and “Regained” were not
written till after that period. D. aet. 66. “Paradise Lost” did not become
famous till long after the poet's death.
F. A man of considerable musical genius, whose chants are still in use.
B. A judge, whose creed, politics, and character were the opposite of those of the
poet's, and whose abilities were far inferior.
Praed, Mackworth; a man of a thoroughly poetic disposition,
though of more
elegance than force.
[3 n.] Sir George Young, Bart., and his brothers; an able family of scholars.
Racine, Jean; French dramatist, and author of other writings. Orphan aet. 4; received
aet. 16 into a school attached to Port Royal, where he made astonishing
progress, but he soon broke quite away from the ideas and studies of that
place, and devoted himself to works of imagination and to writing verses; for
this he was severely reprimanded.
S. Louis; was a poet by nature, but never pursued poetry to his full desire, on
account of remonstrances. He had high gifts; d. aet. 70.
Tasso, Torquato; Italian poet; was exceedingly precocious. His father said of him,
aet. 16, that he showed himself worthy of his mother. Aet. 17 he had written
“Rinaldo;” d. aet. 51, just after his release from a cruel imprisonment for seven
years, and on the eve of his intended coronation at the Capitol as prince of
poets.
[f.] Porzia di Rossi was a gifted woman in every respect.
F. Bernardo Tasso, poet, author of “l'Amadiji,” &c.; orator. He was left in
embarrassed circumstances in his youth, and for a long time led a wandering
and necessitous life.
Vega, Lope de; Spanish poet of extraordinary fertility. He wrote 497 plays, and
much other matter besides. He was very precocious. He ran away from home,
and afterwards entered the army. He made a considerable fortune by his pen; d.
aet. 73.
S. A natural son by Marcela; aet. 14 made some figure as a poet, but, entering the
navy, lost his life in a battle when still quite young.
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