Thus having spent some months in Germany, to my great admiration of that worthy country; I passed over the Alps into Italy, where I found the Cities furnished with all good arts, but especially music. What favour and estimation I had in Venice, Padua, Genoa, Ferrara, Florence, and divers other places, I willingly suppress; lest I should, [in] any way, seem partial in mine own endeavours. Yet I cannot dissemble the great content I found in the proffered amity of the most famous LUCA MARENZIO, whose sundry letters I received from Rome; and one of them, because it is but short, I have thought good to set down, not thinking it any disgrace to be proud of the judgement of so excellent a man. _Molto magnifico Signior mio osservandissimo._ _Per una lettera del Signior ALBERIGO MALVEZI ho inteso quanto con cortese affeto si mostri desideroso di essermi congionto_ _d'amicitia, dove infinitamente la ringratio di questo suo buon'animo, offerendomegli all'incontro se in alcuna cosa la posso servire, poi che gli meriti delle sue infinite virtù, e qualità meritano che ogni uno e me l'ammirino e osservino, e per fine di questo le bascio le mani. Di Roma, a' 13. di Luglio. 1595._ _D.V.S. Affettionatissimo servitore_, +_LUCA MARENZIO_+. Not to stand too long upon my travels: I will only name that worthy Master, GIOVANNI CROCHIO, Vice-master of the Chapel of Saint Mark's in Venice; with whom I had familiar conference. And thus what experience I could gather abroad; I am now ready to practice at home, if I may but find encouragement in my first assays. There have been divers Lute Lessons of mine lately printed without my knowledge, false and imperfect: but I purpose shortly myself to set forth the choicest of all my Lessons in print, and also an Introduction for Fingering; with other _Books of Songs_, whereof this is the first. And as this finds favour with you, so shall I be affected to labour in the rest. Farewell! +JOHN DOWLAND.+ [Illustration] +THOMÆ CAMPIANI.+ _Epigramma._ De instituto authoris. _Famam, posteritas quam dedit ORPHEO._ _Dolandi melius MUSICA dat sibi,_ _Fugaces reprimens archetypis sonos;_ _Quas et delitias præbuit auribus,_ _Ipsis conspicuas luminibus facit._ [Illustration] _Lyrics, Elegies, &c. from Madrigals, Canzonets, &c._ [Illustration] JOHN DOWLAND. THE FIRST BOOK OF SONGS OR AIRS Unquiet thoughts! your civil slaughter stint! And wrap your wrongs within a pensive heart! And you, my tongue! that makes my mouth a mint, And stamps my thoughts, to coin them words by art, Be still! For if you ever do the like, I'll cut the string, that makes the hammer strike!