Pope Joan rediviva.—Olympia's outlook on life.—Her mode of "opening the oyster."—She succeeds in opening it.—Olympia's son.—Olympia at home in the Vatican.—Her trade.—A Cardinal's escape from the purple.—Olympia under a cloud. Is once more at the head of the field; and in at the death.—A Conclave.—Olympia's star wanes.—Pœna pede claudo 346 ELISABETTA SIRANI. Born, 1638. Died, 1665. CHAPTER I. Her life 366 CHAPTER II. Her death 379 LA CORILLA. Born, 1740. Died, 1800. CHAPTER I. The apprenticeship to the laurel 393 CHAPTER II. The coronation 403 APPENDIX 417 NOTES 429 INDEX 437 A DECADE OF ITALIAN WOMEN. TULLIA D'ARAGONA. (About 1510—about 1570.) CHAPTER I. MY LORD CARDINAL'S DAUGHTER. One remarkable circumstance among those which specially characterised the great intellectual movement in Italy in the sixteenth century, was the large part taken in it by women. The writers of literary history,—a class especially abundant to the south of the Alps,—enumerate a surprisingly long catalogue of ladies more or less celebrated for their works. The list of poetesses registered by Tiraboschi as flourishing during the first half of the sixteenth century, consists of some forty names. And he intimates, that it might have been made much longer, had he thought it worth while to record every name mentioned by the chroniclers of such matters, who preceded him. A great many more are noticed as having been "learned" or "skilled in polite literature." Such facts constitute a very noteworthy feature of the social aspect of the period in question; and doubtless influenced largely the tone of society and manners, as well as the position and well–being of the sex. But it is very questionable, whether certain theories respecting the comparative value of modern female education, to which all this sixteenth century galaxy has given rise, be not founded on misconception partly of the value of the learning possessed by these ladies, and more still of the circumstances and appearance, under which it presented itself to them.