ese　　plays　spared；　at　all　events　in　the　larger　towns；　no　trouble　and　expense　　to　render　them　as　perfect　and　artistic　as　possible。　The　same　was　no　　doubt　the　case　at　the　great　court　festivals；　when　Mysteries　were　acted　　as　well　as　pantomimes　and　secular　dramas。　The　court　of　Pietro　Riario　　and　that　of　Ferrara　were　assuredly　not　wanting　in　all　that　human　　invention　could　produce。　When　we　picture　to　ourselves　the　theatrical　　talent　and　the　splendid　costumes　of　the　actors；　the　scenes　constructed　　in　the　style　of　the　architecture　of　the　period；　and　hung　with　garlands　　and　tapestry；　and　in　the　background　the　noble　buildings　of　an　Italian　　piazza；　or　the　slender　columns　of　some　great　courtyard　or　cloister；　the　　effect　is　one　of　great　brilliance。　But　just　as　the　secular　drama　　suffered　from　this　passion　for　display；　so　the　higher　poetical　　development　of　the　Mystery　was　arrested　by　the　same　cause。　In　the　texts　　which　are　left　we　find　for　the　most　part　the　poorest　dramatic　　groundwork；　relieved　now　and　then　by　a　fine　lyrical　or　rhetorical　　passage；　but　no　trace　of　the　grand　symbolic　enthusiasm　which　　distinguishes　the　'Autos　Sacramentales'　of　Calderon。
  In　the　smaller　towns；　where　the　scenic　display　was　less；　the　effect　of　　these　spiritual　plays　on　the　character　of　the　spectators　may　have　been　　greater。　We　read　that　one　of　the　great　preachers　of　repentance　of　whom　　more　will　be　said　later　on；　Roberto　da　Lecce；　closed　his　Lenten　sermons　　during　the　plague　of　1448；　at　Perugia；　with　a　representation　of　the　　Passion。　The　piece　followed　the　New　Testament　closely。　The　actors　were　　few；　but　the　whole　people　wept　aloud。　It　is　true　that　on　such　occasions　　emotional　stimulants　were　resorted　to　which　were　borrowed　from　the　　crudest　realism。　We　are　reminded　of　the　pictures　of　Matteo　da　Siena；　or　　of　the　groups　of　clay…figures　by　Guido　Mazzoni；　when　we　read　that　the　　actor　who　took　the　part　of　Christ　appeared　covered　with　welts　and　　apparently　sweating　blood；　and　even　bleeding　from　a　wound　in　the　side。
  The　special　occasions　on　which　these　mysteries　were　performed；　apart　　from　the　great　festivals　of　the　Church；　from　princely　weddings；　and　the　　like；　were　of　various　kinds。　When；　for　example；　St。　Bernardino　of　Siena　　was　canonized　by　the　Pope　（1450）；　a　sort　of　dramatic　imitation　of　the　　ceremony　（rappresentazione）　took　place；　probably　on　the　great　square　of　　his　native　city；　and　for　two　days　there　was　feasting　with　meat　and　　drink　for　all　comers。　We　are　told　that　a　learned　monk　celebrated　his　　promotion　to　the　degree　of　Doctor　of　Theology　by　giving　a　　representation　of　the　legend　about　the　patron　saint　of　the　city。　　Charles　VIII　had　scarcely　entered　Italy　before　he　was　welcomed　at　Turin　　by　the　widowed　Duchess　Bianca　of　Savoy　with　a　sort　of　half…religious　　pantomime；　in　which　a　pastoral　scene　first　symbolized　the　Law　of　　Nature；　and　then　a　procession　of　patriarchs　the　Law　of　Grace。　　Afterwards　followed　the　story　of　Lancelot　of　the　lake；　and　that　'of　　Athens。'　And　no　sooner　had　the　King　reached　Chieri　than　he　was　received　　with　another　pantomime；　in　which　a　woman　in　childbed　was　shown　　surrounded　by　distinguished　visitors。
  If　any　church　festival　was　held　by　universal　consent　to　call　for　　exceptional　efforts；　it　was　the　feast　of　Corpus　Christi；　which　in　Spain　　gave　rise　to　a　special　class　of　poetry。　We　possess　a　splendid　　description　of　the　manner　in　which　that　feast　was　celebrated　at　Viterbo　　by　Pius　II　in　1462。　The　procession　itself；　which　advanced　from　a　vast　　and　gorgeous　tent　in　front　of　San　Francesco　along　the　main　street　to　　the　Cathedral；　was　the　least　part　of　the　ceremony。　The　cardinals　and　　wealthy　prelates　had　divided　the　whole　distance　into　parts；　over　which　　they　severally　presided；　and　which　they　decorated　with　curtains；　　tapestry；　and　garlands。　Each　of　them　had　also　erected　a　stage　of　his　　own；　on　which；　as　the　procession　passed　by；　short　historical　and　　allegorical　scenes　were　represented。　It　is　not　clear　from　the　account　　whether　all　the　characters　were　living　beings　or　some　merely　draped　　figures；　the　expense　was　certainly　very　great。　There　was　a　suffering　　Christ　amid　singing　cherubs；　the　Last　Supper　with　a　figure　of　St。　　Thomas　Aquinas；　the　combat　between　the　Archangel　Michael　and　the　　devils；　fountains　of　wine　and　orchestras　of　angels；　the　grave　of　Christ　　with　all　the　scene　of　the　Resurrection；　and　finally；　on　the　square　　before　the　Cathedral；　the　tomb　of　the　Virgin。　It　opened　after　High　Ma　s　　and　Benediction；　and　the　Mother　of　God　ascended　singing　to　Paradise；　　where　she　was　crowned　by　her　Son；　and　led　into　the　presence　of　the　　Eternal　Father。
  Among　these　representations　in　the　public　street；　that　given　by　the　　Cardinal　Vice…Chancellor　Roderigo　Borgia；　afterwards　Pope　Alexander　VI；　　was　remarkable　for　its　splendor　and　obscure　symbolism。　It　offers　an　　early　instance　of　the　fondness　for　salvos　of　artillery　which　was　　characteristic　of　the　house　of　Borgia。
  The　account　is　briefer　which　Pius　II　gives　us　of　the　procession　held　　the　same　year　in　Rome　on　the　arrival　of　the　skull　of　St。　Andrew　from　　Greece。　There；　too；　Roderigo　Borgia　distinguished　himself　by　his　　magnificence；　but　this　festival　has　a　more　secular　character　than　the　　other；　as；　besides　the　customary　choirs　of　angels；　other　masks　were　　exhibited；　as　well　as　'strong　men；'　who　seem　to　have　performed　various　　feats　of　muscular　prowess。
  Such　representations　as　were　wholly　or　chiefly　secular　in　their　　character　were　arranged；　especially　at　the　more　important　princely　　courts；　mainly　with　a　view　to　splendid　and　striking　scenic　effects。　The　　subjects　were　mythological　or　allegorical；　and　the　interpretation　　commonly　lay　on　the　surface。　Extravagances；　indeed；　were　not　wanting　gigantic　animals　from　which　a　crowd　of　masked　figures　suddenly　emerged；　　as　at　Siena　in　the　year　1465；　when　at　a　public　reception　a　ballet　of　　twelve　persons　came　out　of　a　golden　wolf；　living　table　ornaments；　not　　always；　however；　showing　the　tasteless　exaggeration　of　the　Burgundian　　Court　and　the　like。　Most　of　them　showed　some　artistic　or　poetical　　feeling。　The　mixture　of　pantomime　and　drama　at　the　Court　of　Ferrara　has　　been　already　referred　to　in　the　treating　of　poetry。　The　entertainments　　given　in　1473　by　the　Cardinal　Pietro　Riario　at　Rome　when　Leonora　of　　Aragon；　the　destined　bride　of　Prince　Hercules　of　Ferrara；　was　passing　　through　the　city；　were　famous　far　beyond　the　limits　of　Italy。　The　plays　　acted　were　mysteries　on　some　ecclesiastical　subject；　the　pantomimes；　on　　the　contrary；　were　mythological。　There　were　represented　Orpheus　with　　the　beasts；　Perseus　and　Andromeda；　Ceres　drawn　by　dragons；　Bacchus　and　　Ariadne　by　panthers；　and　finally　the　education　of　Achilles。　Then　　followed　a　ballet　of　the　famous　lovers　of　ancient　times；　with　a　troop　　of　nymphs；　which　was　interrupted　by　an　attack　of　predatory　centaurs；　　who　in　their　turn　were　vanquished　and　put　to　flight　by　Hercules。　The　　fact；　in　itself　a　trifle；　may　be　mentioned　as　characteristic　of　the　　taste　of　the　time；　that　the　human　beings　who　at　all　festivals　appeared　　as　statues　in　niches　or　on　pillars　and　triumphal　arches；　and　then　　showed　themselves　to　be　alive　by　singing　or　speaking；　wore　their　　natural　complexion　and　a　natural　costume；　and　thus　the　sense　of　　incongruity　was　removed；　while　in　the　house　of　Riario　there　was　　exhibited　a　living　child；　gilt　from　head　to　foot；　who　showered　water　　round　him　from　a　spring。
  Brilliant　pantomimes　of　the　same　kind　were　given　at　Bologna；　at　the　　marriage　of　Annibale　Bentivoglio　with　Lucrezia　of　Este。　Instead　of　the　　orchestra；　choral　songs　were　sung；　while　the　fairest　of　Diana's　nymphs　　flew　over　to　the　Juno　Pronuba；　and　while　Venus　walked　with　a　lion　which　in　this　case　was　a　disguised　manamong　a　troop　of　savages。　The　　decorations　were　a　faithful　representation　of　a　forest。　At　Venice；　in　　1491；　the　princesses　of　the　house　of　Este　were　met　and　welcomed　by　the　　Bucentaur；　and　entertained　by　boat…races　and　a　splendid　pantomime；　　called　'Meleager；'　in　the　court　of　the　ducal　palace。　At　Milan　Leonardo　　da　Vinci　directed　the　festivals　of　the　Duke　and　of　some　leading　　citizens。　One　of　his　machines；　which　must　have　rivalled　that　of　　Brunellesco；　represented　the　heavenly　bodies　with　all　their　movements　　on　a　colossal　scale。　Whenever　a　planet　approached　Isabella；　the　bride　　of　the　young　Duke；　the　divinity　whose　name　it　bore　stepped　forth　from　　the　globe；　and　sang　some　verses　written　by　the　court…poet　Bellincioni　　（1490）。　At　another　festival　（1493）　the　model　of　the　equestrian　statue　　of　Francesco　Sforza　appeared　with　other　objects　under　a　triumphal　arch　　on　the　square　before　the　castle。　We　read　in　Vasari　of　the　ingenious　　automata　which　Leonardo　invented　to　welcome　the　French　kings　as　masters　　of　Milan。　Even　in　the　smaller　cities　great　efforts　were　sometimes　made　　on　these　occasions。　When　Duke　Borso　came　in　1453　to　Reggio；　to　receive　　the　homage　of　the　city；　he　was　met　at　the　gate　by　a　great　machine；　on　　which　St。　Prospero；　the　patron　saint　of　the　town；　appeared　to　float；　　shaded　by　a　baldachin　held　by　angels；　while　below　him　was　a　revolving　　disc　with　eight　singing　cherubs；　two　of　whom　received　from　the　saint　　the　scepter　and　keys　of　the　city；　which　they　then　delivered　to　the　　Duke；　while　saints　and　angels　held　forth　in