[206] {167}[A clean bill of health after quarantine. Howell spells the word "pratic," and Milton "pratticke."] [207] Beppo is the "Joe" of the Italian Joseph. [208] {168}["The general state of morals here is much the same as in the Doges' time; a woman is virtuous (according to the code) who limits herself to her husband and one lover; those who have two, three, or more, are a little wild; but it is only those who are indiscriminately diffuse, and form a low connection ... who are considered as over-stepping the modesty of marriage.... There is no convincing a woman here, that she is in the smallest degree deviating from the rule of right, or the fitness of things, in having an _Amoroso._"--Letter to Murray, January 2, 1817, _Letters,_ 1900, iv. 40, 41.] [bk] {169} _A Count of wealth inferior to his quality,_ _Which somewhat limited his liberality_.--[MS.] [209]["Some of the Italians liked him [a famous improvisatore], others called his performance '_seccatura_' (a devilish good word, by the way), and all Milan was in controversy about him."--Letter to Moore, November 6, 1816, _Letters_, 1899, iii. 384.] [210] {170}[The saying, "Il n'y a point de héros pour son valet de chambre," is attributed to Maréchal (Nicholas) Catinat (1637-1712). His biographer speaks of presenting "_le héros en déshabillé_." (See his _Mémoires_, 1819, ii. 118.)] [211] {171}[The origin of the word is obscure. According to the _Vocab. della Crusca_, "cicisbeo" is an inversion of "bel cece," beautiful chick (pea). Pasqualino, cited by Diez, says it is derived from the French _chiche beau_.--_N. Eng. Dict._, art. "Cicisbeo."] [212] Cortejo is pronounced Corte_h_o, with an aspirate, according to the Arabesque guttural. It means what there is as yet no precise name for in England, though the practice is as common as in any tramontane country whatever. [213] [Stanzas xxxviii., xxxix., are not in the original MS.] [214] {172}[For the association of bread and butter with immaturity, compare, "Ye bread-and-butter rogues, do ye run from me?" (Beaumont and Fletcher, _The Humorous Lieutenant_, act iii. sc. 7). (See _N. Eng. Dict._, art. "Bread.")] [215] {173}[Compare-- " ... the Tuscan's siren tongue? That music in itself, whose sounds are song, The poetry of speech?" _Childe Harold,_ Canto IV. stanza lviii. lines 4-6, _Poetical Works,_ 1899, ii. 374, note i.] [216] _Sattin,_ eh? Query, I can't spell it.--[MS.] [bl] _From the tall peasant with her ruddy bronze_.--[MS.] [bm] _Like her own clime, all sun, and bloom, and skies_.--[MS.]