At the commencement of the 2d Act, the princess is endeavouring to heal the wound that has been inflicted on the just pride of the poet, and she alludes, in particular, to the eulogy which Antonio had so invidiously passed upon Ariosto. The answer of Tasso deserves attention. It is peculiar to the poetic genius to estimate very differently at different times the value of its own labours. Sometimes do but grant to the poet his claim to the possession of genius, and his head strikes the stars. At other times, when contemplating the lives of those men whose actions he has been content to celebrate in song, he doubts whether he should not rank himself as the very prince of idlers. He is sometimes tempted to think that to have given one good stroke with the sword, were worth all the delicate touches of his pen. This feeling Tasso has finely expressed. "_Princess._--When Antonio knows what thou hast done To honour these our times, then will he place thee On the same level, side by side, with him He now depicts in so gigantic stature. "_Tasso._--Believe me, lady, Ariosto's praise Heard from his lips, was likely more to please Than wound me. It confirms us, it consoles, To hear the man extoll'd whom we have placed Before us as a model: we can say In secret to ourselves--gain thou a share Of his acknowledged merit, and thou gain'st As certainly a portion of his fame. No--that which to its depths has stirr'd my spirit, What still I feel through all my sinking soul, It was the picture of that living world, Which restless, vast, enormous, yet revolves In measured circle round the one great man, Fulfils the course which he, the demi-god, Dares to prescribe to it. With eager ear I listen'd to the experienced man, whose speech Gave faithful transcript of a real scene. Alas! the more I listen'd, still the more I sank within myself: it seem'd my being Would vanish like an echo of the hills, Resolved to a mere sound--a word--a nothing. "_Princess._--Poets and heroes for each other live, Poets and heroes seek each other out, And envy not each other: this thyself, Few minutes past, did vividly portray. True, it is glorious to perform the deed That merits noble song; yet glorious too With noble song the once accomplish'd deed Through all the after-world to memorize." When she continues to urge Tasso to make the friendship of Antonio, and assures him that the return of the minister has only procured him a friend the more, he answers:--