Page:Matteo Bandello - twelve stories (IA cu31924102029083).pdf/26

appealed to Boaistuau and De Belleforest. These preponderate; and we have sought to give striking examples of them in Violante and Simone Turchi. There are the suavely romantic tales represented here by Gerardo and Elena, Don Diego, and Romeo and Giulietta. There are love-tales brightened by occasional episodes of an amusing sort, such as Cornelio, Pandolfo, and the Judge of Lucca; and then of course we have the humorous stories at the expense of the clergy, of which the Avaricious Priest, Bigolino, and The Donkey and the Prior constitute fair samples. Finally there are the gross tales, which, for various reasons, we have preferred to ignore. For the humour of Bandello, the humour untouched by obscenity, we cannot find much praise. It is usually of such a blunt, crude sort, so wanting in subtlety, in suggestiveness. Strange indeed is it that the polished people of the Renascence, with their fine keen sense, should have been readily satisfied with such thin, feeble fun, and should never have tired of the eternal mockery of the eternal friar, nor of the ruthless baiting of the greedy bishop. Bandello assuredly gave them of such stuff good measure, pressed down indeed, and running over.