Works vol. 2 (poetry)

II - COMMENTARY ON SOME OF HIS SONNETS

. . . . original: "Lacuna nel testo"; there is a gap in the original manuscript here.; and for this reason, one concludes that not only many works of ingegno In the Renaissance, ingegno referred to a combination of innate talent, wit, and intellectual capacity., but also many humble services necessarily contribute to the perfection of human life. It is the true duty of all men—in whatever station they find themselves placed by heaven, nature, or fortune—to serve the human generation. I would have greatly desired to be able to apply myself to greater matters; yet I do not wish, for this reason, to fail in what my talent and strength permit for the sake of someone—if not many—who perhaps, more to please me than because my works satisfy them, have encouraged me in this task; their authority and favor carry great weight with me. And if I cannot provide any other benefit to those who read my verses, at least they will take some small pleasure from them, because perhaps they will find some talent proportionate and in harmony with their own. And if someone should even laugh at them, I will be pleased that they draw this pleasure—small as it may be—from my verses. It seems to me that, by publishing this interpretation, I am submitting myself more to the judgment of others; for if I had judged these verses of mine unworthy of being read by myself alone, I would have avoided the judgment of others; but by commenting on them and publishing them, I avoid, in my view, the presumption of judging myself.

Now, to respond to the slanders of those who might wish to accuse me of having spent time both in composing and commenting on things unworthy of effort or time—being passions of love Love poetry was often dismissed by critics as "frivolous" compared to political or theological writing., etc., and especially among my many necessary occupations—I say that I would truly be justly condemned if human nature were endowed with such excellence that all men could always perform all things perfectly. But because this degree of perfection has been granted to very few, and even to those few only very rarely in their lives, it seems to me one can conclude—considering human imperfection—that those things in the world containing the least evil are the best.