Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ...whom Castiglione met at the court of Charles V., and who is often mentioned in Navagero's letters, was Soardino, the Mantuan envoy, with whom the Count had naturally much in common. Here, too, he found the Marquis Federico's youngest son Ferrante, who LETTERS TO ISABELLA 267 had spent the last year in Spain, and was a great favourite with the Emperor and the whole court, as Castiglione hastened to assure his mother. The Count had sent a letter to Isabella immediately after his arrival at Madrid, according to his promise. Now he wrote again from Toledo, reminding the Marchesa of her old wish to visit the shrine of S. Jacopo of Compostella, and telling her this was the moment to carry out her intention. 'I seem to hear you laugh, ' he adds with a spark of his old gaiety, ' and tell me that I wish to remind you of that accursed love of travel which a certain Prince of the house of Este bequeathed to all his race! But, honestly, I think the journey would please Your Excellency. I fear, however, that La Brogna will not approve of my suggestion, because she wishes to return to Mantua, and will count the pardon of Santa Croce more precious than that of S. Jacopo.'1 A few other letters which the Count addressed to different friends in Italy during this summer have been preserved. On his arrival at Madrid he wrote to Pescara's cousin, Alfonso d' Avalos, the young Marchese del Vasto, who was afterwards to become Charles V.'s favourite minister, and with whom he had made friends in Rome. Alfonso had expressed great admiration for the book of the Cortegiano, ' which Vittoria Colonna had lent him, and now the Count, whom he had lately met in Lombardy, hastened to congratulate him on the laurels which he had won at Pa via: My Dear And Most Iix'ustrious.
