Plato in Italy

less popular. Alexis has depicted the luxury of the Tarentines, the follies of poets and of those enamored with tragedy, the parasite, the false Pythagorean, the prostitute Oropa, the dancers, and what have you (*)? His imagination is fertile, his brushwork easy. But in the infinite number of his paintings, no one ever finds his name written: one may recognize oneself in them, one may grumble about them; this grumbling of his might uncover him; but Alexis always has the right to say to him: you yourself have uncovered yourself; I certainly had not named anyone.

I hope that one day the abuse that our comedians make of their license will offend the pride of some powerful person; I say of some powerful person, because they will always be able to offend the rights of the wise and the reputation of the good with impunity: the people will never avenge any of these victims. But if the jokes of our poets, which have already turned into rage, should ever offend a powerful person, I hope that one day he will force them toward greater decency. Alexis has a little son, named Stefano, who already shows the happiest dispositions for comedy. Perhaps one day he will equal his father; and I have already said to him: Ste-

(*) These are the titles of many comedies by Alexis.