Mary Berry to Mrs Cholmeley, 11 December 1798: '[William] Roscoe has just sent us a poem of his translation from an Italian poet whose very name was unknown to my shadowy Italian erudition. It is called "The Nurse," from "La Babia" of Luigi Tansillo. I have read it over, tho' not yet with sufficient attention; but I am disappointed in it, because I expect nothing but what is excellent from his pen. The subject, which is reprobating hired nurses and exhorting all women to suckle their own children, does not do in English verse, tho' the [italics]Ariosto-like[end italics] familiarity and simplicity of the original, makes it pretty in the inimitable beauty of the Italian language [...] The poem is published, beautifully printed, with the Italian on the opposite page; it is not long, and you can no doubt get it at York.'
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Century: 1700-1799 Reader/Listener/Group: Mary Berry
