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ingenuity of the reader will be rarely at fault。
ZANONI。
BOOK I。
THE MUSICIAN。
Due Fontane
Chi di diverso effeto hanno liquore！
〃Ariosto； Orland。 Fur。〃 Canto 1。7。
（Two Founts
That hold a draught of different effects。）
CHAPTER 1。I。
Vergina era
D' alta belta； ma sua belta non cura：
。。。
Di natura； d' amor； de' cieli amici
Le negligenze sue sono artifici。
〃Gerusal。 Lib。；〃 canto ii。 xiv。…xviii。
（She was a virgin of a glorious beauty； but regarded not her
beauty。。。Negligence itself is art in those favoured by Nature； by
love； and by the heavens。）
At Naples； in the latter half of the last century； a worthy
artist named Gaetano Pisani lived and flourished。 He was a
musician of great genius； but not of popular reputation； there
was in all his compositions something capricious and fantastic
which did not please the taste of the Dilettanti of Naples。 He
was fond of unfamiliar subjects into which he introduced airs and
symphonies that excited a kind of terror in those who listened。
The names of his pieces will probably suggest their nature。 I
find； for instance； among his MSS。； these titles： 〃The Feast of
the Harpies；〃 〃The Witches at Benevento；〃 〃The Descent of Orpheus
into Hades；〃 〃The Evil Eye；〃 〃The Eumenides；〃 and many others
that evince a powerful imagination delighting in the fearful and
supernatural； but often relieved by an airy and delicate fancy
with passages of exquisite grace and beauty。 It is true that in
the selection of his subjects from ancient fable； Gaetano Pisani
was much more faithful than his contemporaries to the remote
origin and the early genius of Italian Opera。
That descendant； however effeminate； of the ancient union between
Song and Drama； when； after long obscurity and dethronement； it
regained a punier sceptre； though a gaudier purple； by the banks
of the Etrurian Arno； or amidst the lagunes of Venice； had chosen
all its primary inspirations from the unfamiliar and classic
sources of heathen legend； and Pisani's 〃Descent of Orpheus〃 was
but a bolder； darker； and more scientific repetition of the
〃Euridice〃 which Jacopi Peri set to music at the august nuptials
of Henry of Navarre and Mary of Medicis。* Still； as I have said；
the style of the Neapolitan musician was not on the whole
pleasing to ears grown nice and euphuistic in the more dulcet
melodies of the day； and faults and extravagances easily
discernible； and often to appearance wilful； served the critics
for an excuse for their distaste。 Fortunately； or the poor
musician might have starved； he was not only a composer； but also
an excellent practical performer； especially on the violin； and
by that instrument he earned a decent subsistence as one of the
orchestra at the Great Theatre of San Carlo。 Here formal and
appointed tasks necessarily kept his eccentric fancies in
tolerable check； though it is recorded that no less than five
times he had been deposed from his desk for having shocked the
conoscenti； and thrown the whole band into confusion； by
impromptu variations of so frantic and startling a nature that
one might well have imagined that the harpies or witches who
inspired his compositions had clawed hold of his instrument。
The impossibility； however； to find any one of equal excellence
as a performer （that is to say； in his more lucid and orderly
moments） had forced his reinstalment； and he had now； for the
most part； reconciled himself to the narrow sphere of his
appointed adagios or allegros。 The audience； too； aware of his
propensity； were quick to perceive the least deviation from the
text； and if he wandered for a moment； which might also be
detected by the eye as well as the ear； in some strange
contortion of visage； and some ominous flourish of his bow； a
gentle and admonitory murmur recalled the musician from his
Elysium or his Tartarus to the sober regions of his desk。 Then
he would start as if from a dream； cast a hurried； frightened；
apologetic glance around； and； with a crestfallen； humbled air；
draw his rebellious instrument back to the beaten track of the
glib monotony。 But at home he would make himself amends for this
reluctant drudgery。 And there； grasping the unhappy violin with
ferocious fingers； he would pour forth； often till the morning
rose； strange； wild measures that would startle the early
fisherman on the shore below with a superstitious awe； and make
him cross himself as if mermaid or sprite had wailed no earthly
music in his ear。
（*Orpheus was the favourite hero of early Italian Opera； or
Lyrical Drama。 The Orfeo of Angelo Politiano was produced in
1475。 The Orfeo of Monteverde was performed at Venice in 1667。）
This man's appearance was in keeping with the characteristics of
his art。 The features were noble and striking； but worn and
haggard； with black； careless locks tangled into a maze of curls；
and a fixed； speculative； dreamy stare in his large and hollow
eyes。 All his movements were peculiar； sudden； and abrupt； as
the impulse seized him； and in gliding through the streets； or
along the beach； he was heard laughing and talking to himself。
Withal； he was a harmless； guileless； gentle creature； and would
share his mite with any idle lazzaroni； whom he often paused to
contemplate as they lay lazily basking in the sun。 Yet was he
thoroughly unsocial。 He formed no friends； flattered no patrons；
resorted to none of the merry…makings so dear to the children of
music and the South。 He and his art seemed alone suited to each
other；both quaint； primitive； unworldly； irregular。 You could
not separate the man from his music； it was himself。 Without it
he was nothing； a mere machine！ WITH it； he was king over worlds
of his own。 Poor man； he had little enough in this！ At a
manufacturing town in England there is a gravestone on which the
epitaph records 〃one Claudius Phillips； whose absolute contempt
for riches； and inimitable performance on the violin； made him
the admiration of all that knew him！〃 Logical conjunction of
opposite eulogies！ In proportion； O Genius； to thy contempt for
riches will be thy performance on thy violin！
Gaetano Pisani's talents as a composer had been chiefly exhibited
in music appropriate to this his favourite instrument； of all
unquestionably the most various and royal in its resources and
power over the passions。 As Shakespeare among poets is the
Cremona among instruments。 Nevertheless； he had composed other
pieces of larger ambition and wider accomplishment； and chief of
these； his precious； his unpurchased； his unpublished； his
unpublishable and imperishable opera of the 〃Siren。〃 This great
work had been the dream of his boyhood； the mistress of his
manhood； in advancing age 〃it stood beside him like his youth。〃
Vainly had he struggled to place it before the world。 Even
bland； unjealous Paisiello； Maestro di Capella； shook his gentle
head