It was often a man who had to devote himself to this duty of contradiction; intellectual epicures took rather kindly to the little amusement, and acquitted themselves with at least every appearance of conviction. It was even a mark of genuine dilettantism to maintain now one idea, now the contrary, like Filippo Beroaldo,[268] who has recorded two of his declarations, one in favour of drunkenness, the other against it. The question of the merits and defects of women furnished in France an inexhaustible theme for social debate, and there was no lack of disputants on either side. In Italy this subject was less popular, because the ranks of the anti-feminists were thinner. At Urbino, however, Fregoso[269] threw himself into the ungrateful task of attacking women, and valiantly depicted them as imperfect animals of no intrinsic value, whom it was impossible to compare with men, upon whom only modesty and self-respect had any restraining power, and whose few merits were a purely artificial endowment. Yet, as it was impossible to be always engaged in dialogues or debates, there was a large field for clever retailers of anecdotes and stories grave and gay, and the talent was cultivated to perfection by certain men of the world. Among these witty story-tellers we find another member of the Mortemart family, Aimery de Mortemart, and the name of Germain de Bonneval used also to be cited. Story-telling in Italy was conducted with the same gravity and method that were carried into everything. A “queen” was first elected,[270] and she called upon each member of the company in turn. The stories very easily verged towards salaciousness, but art ennobles everything! Firenzuola dedicated a collection of such stories to the memory of an idolised lady whom he calls his Diotima, his Monica, his Vittoria Colonna. In France, story-telling ranked high among social amusements, filling up the interval between mass and vespers. Everyone had fair notice of his turn to speak, and made provision accordingly, whetting his own invention on what fell from the lips of others. The _Heptameron_ is, so to speak, nothing but a succession of conferences (without the platform and the glass of water), at which each person present contributes his mite to the discussion. Sometimes the remarks are rather free; when the anecdote is likely to overstep the recognised limits, the speaker saves himself by a gentle preliminary precaution: Si ce n’estoit que j’ay peur d’offenser La netteté de vos chastes oreilles. _Des Périers._[271] Margaret of France, who was not specially bashful, “could tell a capital story, and could laugh, too, when she heard one.” Another art which was still highly appreciated—a very elegant, charming, and widely cultivated art—was that of impromptu verse-making—a pastime for prelates and men of keen literary tastes. Leo X.[272] and Octavien de Saint-Gelais[273] practised it with eminent success.