The Ferrarese School took its twin origin, so to say, with that of Venice, if we may credit a monumental testimony, cited by Dr. Ferrante Borsetti, in his work called "Historia almi Ferrariensis Gymnasii," published in 1735. This memorial was extracted from an ancient codex of Virgil, written in 1193; which, according to Baruffaldi, passed from the library of the Carmelites at Ferrara, into the possession of the Counts Alvarotti at Padua, whose books, in course of time, were added to the library of the Paduan seminary. At the end of this codex is read the name of Gio. Alighieri, the miniaturist of this volume; and in the last page there had afterwards been added, in the ancient vulgar tongue, the following memorial:--that in 1242, Azzo d'Este, first lord of Ferrara, committed to one Gelasio di Niccolo, a painting of the Fall of Phaeton; and from him too Filippo, bishop of Ferrara, ordered an image of our Lady, and an ensign of St. George, which was used in going to meet Tiepolo, when he was despatched by the Venetian republic as ambassador to Ferrara. Gelasio is there stated to belong to the district of St. George, and to have been pupil in Venice to Teofane of Constantinople, which induced Zanetti to place this Greek at the head of the masters of his school. On the authority of so many learned men, to whom such memorial appeared genuine, I am led to give it credit; although it contains some marks that, at first sight, appear suspicious. I have further made inquiries after it in the Paduan seminary, but it is not to be found there.