Rodolfo was indeed a man of very phlegmatic humour, as appears by the advice which he gave to one of his fellow-citizens, who informed him of his intention of travelling with a view of seeing the curiosities of different countries. “Go,” said he, “to the neighbouring town of Macerata, and there you will see hills, valleys, and plains, wood and water, lands cultivated and uncultivated. This is the world in miniature; for travel as far as you please, and you will see nothing else.”—_Poggii Opera, p. 441._ [144] _Platina, p. 399._—_Tiraboschi storia della Letteratura Ital. tom. vi. p. 8._ [145] _Muratori Annali, tom. ix. p. 114, 119, 120, 121._ [146] _Ibid, p. 116._ [147] _Poggii Epist. a Tonel. lib. i. ep. 17._ [148] _Poggii Hist. Florent. p. 253._ In his Facetiæ, Poggio relates the following instance, which occurred during the course of this contest, of the freedom of speech in which Filippo Maria permitted one of his domestics to indulge himself. “The old duke of Milan, a prince in all respects of singular good taste, had an excellent cook, whom he had sent to France to learn the art of dressing nice dishes. In the great war which he carried on against the Florentines, he one day received some bad news, which gave him a good deal of uneasiness. Soon after the arrival of this intelligence he sat down to dinner. The dishes not at all pleasing him, he sent for his cook, and reproved him severely for his unskilfulness. The cook, who was accustomed to take great liberties with his master, replied, I can assure your highness that the dishes are excellently dressed—And if the Florentines have taken away your appetite, how am I to blame?”—_Poggii Opera, p. 425._ This anecdote proves that Filippo inherited from his father a fondness of good living, and also intimates, that even at this early period, our Gallic neighbours were noted for their skill in cookery. [149] _Mehi Vita Leonardi Aretini, p. xliv._ [150] _Ibid._ [151] _Mehi Vita Leonardi Aretini, p. xliv._ [152] “Volui satisfacere amori in te meo, et tecum congratulari, quemadmodum solemus ei, qui uxorem duxit, cum onus subeat grave, difficile et molestum.”—_Poggii Epistolæ lvii. p. 167._