Some of our readers may be surprised to discover a poet-laureate among the Popes. Pius II., however, attained that dignity, and has left his written testimony to the fact. In a letter to his friend, Cardinal Sbigneus, Bishop of Cracow, he confesses his former devotion to the Muses, and his composition of elegies, eclogues, nay, even a satire. He assumed not, however, the designation of poet of his own accord, nor used the title until the Emperor Frederick, having seen some of his letters, presented him with the laurel at Frankfort. "Edidimus et nos aliquando versus; scripsimus elegias, eclogas, satyram quoque dictavimus; non tamen poetæ nomen propria temeritate suscepimus, nee prius hoc titulo sumus usi quam nos Fredericus Cæsar apud Franckfordiam, visis quibusdam epistolis nostris, laurea nos donavit."
Thus England, Germany, and Italy had their poets-laureate, nor was the title unknown in Spain. Nicolas Antoine mentions one Arias Montanus, who received the laurel at Alcala, and asserts that the custom was established in the University of Seville. Le Tassoni speaks of Ausias March, a Catalan, who was poet-laureate, and as famous in his time as Petrarch had been eighty years before. It may not be deemed out of place here to mention Vargas the Spaniard, who, for an epithalamium he wrote on Queen Mary's marriage with Philip at Winchester, received a pension of two hundred crowns for life. France alone appears never to have known the title, and this peculiarity has elicited some amusing and characteristic remarks from a French writer, jealous for the honour of his country. Referring to a formula used at Strasburg, the Abbé du Resnel asks, "What are these privileges and immunities which were conferred with such emphasis?" and replies, "It is not easy to give any idea." The worthy Abbé had forgotten that he had before confessed to the tangible realities that accrued from them, but his
