1547, from witnessing the persecutions undergone by her friends of the new creed.[*170] Among those to whom the sympathies of genius and piety united her was Michael Angelo, who testified his respect by a visit to her death-bed, and his regret by a touching sonnet to her memory.[*171] Not less gratifying was the tribute to her worth which Ariosto has embalmed in seven stanzas of the Furioso, canto xxxvii.:-- "One will choose, and such will choose, that she All envy shall so well have overthrown, No other woman can offended be, If, passing others, her I praise alone; No joys this one but immortality, Through her sweet style, and better know I none." [Footnote *169: For the life of Vittoria Colonna, see CAMPORI, _Vittoria Colonna_ in _Atti e Mem. della Dep. di St. Pat. dell'Emilia_, N.S., vol. III., (Modena, 1878). LUZIO, _V.C._, in _Rivista St. Mantovana_ (1885), vol. I., p. 1 _et seq._ On her mother, Agnese di Montefeltro, cf. CASINI-TORDI, in _Giornale Vittoria Colonna_, vol. I., No. 10. On her poems, cf. MAZZONE, _V.C. e il suo Canzoniere_ (1900). She was born at Marino in 1492. She was married 27th December, 1509, in Ischia, to Ferrante d'Avalos Marchese di Pescara. Miss MAUD JERROLD has published recently (Dent, 1907) a work in English on Vittoria Colonna which should be excellent.] [Footnote *170: See, on this subject, RODOCANACCHI, _V.C. et la Réforme en Italie_ (Versailles, 1892), and TACCHI-VENTURI, _V.C. fautrice della riforma cattolica_ (Roma, 1901).] [Footnote *171: For her relations with Michelangelo, see RACZYNSKI, _Les Arts en Portugal_ (Paris, 1846, pp. 1-78).] Of her writings few remain, and these but fugitive pieces.[*172] We are happy in being able to make our readers acquainted with them through the graceful translations of the late Mr. Glassford, selecting three sonnets in which she tenderly alludes to the blight of her widowhood, mildly inculcates the cloisters' quiet, and clothes in glowing language orisons of holiest fervour. [Footnote *172: For her writings, see FERRERO e MULLER, _Il Carteggio di Vittoria Colonna_ (Torino, 1859), with the supplement (1892) of TORDI, who has also published (Pistoia, 1900) _Il codice delle rime di V.C. app. a Margh. d'Angoulême_, and some unpublished _Sonetti_ (Roma, 1891).] I.