"Amusing vagabonds" are the epithets by which Lord Byron
designates Catalani and Naldi, in 1809[1]; and such is the light in
which they were undoubtedly regarded in 1784. Mario would have been
treated with the same indiscriminating illiberality as Piozzi.
[Footnote 1:
"Well may the nobles of our present race
Watch each distortion of a Naldi's face;
Well may they smile on Italy's buffoons,
And worship Catalani's pantaloons."
"Naldi and Catalani require little notice; for the visage of the one
and the salary of the other will enable us long to recollect these
amusing vagabonds."--_English Bards and Scotch Reviewers_. Artists in
general, and men of letters by profession, did not rank much higher
in the fine world. (See Miss Berry's "England and France," vol. ii.
p. 42.) A German author, non-noble, had a _liaison_ with a Prussian
woman of rank. On her husband's death he proposed marriage, and was
indignantly refused. The lady was conscious of no degradation from
being his mistress, but would have forfeited both caste and
self-respect by becoming his wife.]
Did those who took the lead in censuring or repudiating Mrs. Piozzi,
ever attempt to enter into her feelings, or weigh her conduct with
reference to its tendency to promote her own happiness? Could they
have done so, had they tried? Rarely can any one so identify himself
or herself with another as to be sure of the soundness of the counsel
or the justice of the reproof. She was neither impoverishing her
children (who had all independent fortunes) nor abandoning them.
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