A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Corilla, (Olympica)
CORILLA, (OLYMPICA)
An honorary name given to the poetess (improvisatrice) D. Maria Maddalena Morelli Fernandez, who was solemnly crowned with the laurel in the capitol at Rome. The facility and ease with which she composed extempore verses in any metre, and on any literary subject, had rendered her the object of universal admiration; so that the greatest and most learned people thought themselves honoured in visiting her. Many princes paid her the most flattering distinctions; and the principal poets of Italy made her the object of their verse. Nor in extempore poetry alone was she famous; but printed a little poem at Bologna, in praise of the empress queen, and a great number of sonnets and little songs are yet in manuscript.
She came to Rome in the year of Clement XIV.'s death, and began to rehearse in public, upon any subject, either philosophical, poetical, or historical, that was proposed to her, with such select elegance of phrases, such variety of metre, sublime flights of fancy, and surprising celerity, that the instrument could hardly accompany the various sweet modulations of her clear loud voice. She was honoured with a crown by the Arcadian society, and gifted with the name of Corilla.
She returned to Rome in the autumn of the same year, after a summer's sojourn in Florence: when the same motive which had moved the Arcadians to crown her, induced the governors, at that time, to grant her a patent of Roman nobility.
The pope, in 1776, was requested in special audience, to decorate her with the Capitoline crown, and he granted the request, provided the same experiments were made with her as with Perfetto. They were reduced to twelve themes, to be proposed by twelve Arcadians. The most learned men were fixed upon to examine her in the presence of a crowd of nobility: and she was at first apprehensive. The violins began to accompany her; and whilst every one expected some exordium before thought of, she looked around terrified and bewildered, till seeing one of the society, a friend, enter, she began her song, imploring his aid. Then, as reflecting and disdaining human, she invoked divine assistance, and perpetually changing metre and harmony, performed her difficult task. The most honourable testimony was given by the examiners to her merit, and signed with their own hands. She was conducted by three noble Roman ladies, who were deputed, on the 3d of August, to the capitol, which was magnificently adorned and illuminated. Many noble foreigners were present, amongst the rest, the duke of Gloucester. Kneeling she received the crown, and was seated, with all usual honours, on the throne prepared.
This lady, who is since dead, used to compose in public for many years afterwards. When a subject was proposed, she called a musician, who played some air of her choosing, when she would deliver, with appropriate action, perhaps some hundred verses (sometimes in one measure, sometimes in another, as it suited her taste, or the feelings of the moment prompted. How they would look on paper is not decided, as they were in general spoken so fast that they could not be taken down in writings and she was not able to repeat them but when the fit came upon her, which was in general in company. She was a fine and beautiful woman, with the marks of great feeling and good-nature in her countenance, but not irreproachable in her conduct. She did not live with her husband; and used to talk on moral and religious points, as if her conduct was without blemish.