Chapter X: The Novellieri

Boccaccio's Legacy--Social Conditions of Literature in Italy--Importance of the _Novella_--Definition of the _Novella_--Method of the Novelists--Their Style--Materials used--Large Numbers of _Novelle_ in Print--Lombard and Tuscan Species--Introductions to Il Lasca's _Cene_, Parabosco's _Diporti_--Bandello's Dedications--Life of Bandello--His Moral Attitude--Bandello as an Artist--Comparison of Bandello and Fletcher--The Tale of _Gerardo and Elena_--_Romeo and Juliet_--The Tale of _Nicuola_--The _Countess of Salisbury_--Bandello's Apology for his Morals and his Style--Il Lasca--Mixture of Cruelty and Lust--Extravagant Situations--Treatment of the _Parisina_ Motive--The Florentine _Burla_--Apology for Il Lasca's Repulsiveness--Firenzuola--His Life--His Satires on the Clergy--His Dialogue on Beauty--Novelettes and Poems--Doni's Career--His Bizarre Humor--Bohemian Life at Venice--The Pellegrini--His _Novelle_--Miscellaneous Works--The _Marmi_--The Novelists of Siena--Their specific Character--Sermini--Fortini--Bargagli's Description of the Siege of Siena--Illicini's Novel of _Angelica_--The _Proverbi_ of Cornazano--The _Notti Piacevoli_ of Straparola--The Novel of _Belphegor_--Straparola and Machiavelli--Giraldi Cinthio's _Hecatommithi_--Description of the Sack of Rome--Plan of the Collection--The Legend of the Borgias--Comparison of Italian Novels and English Plays 51