THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE COURTIER their appetites and love in reason, so I excuse those who allow themselves to be overcome by sensual love, to which they are so strongly inclined by human frailty: provided they show therein gentleness, courtesy and worth, and the other noble qualities of which these gentlemen have told; and provided that when they are no .longer of youthful age, they abandon it altogether, shun- ning this sensual desire as it were the lowest round of the ladder by which true love can be attained. But if, even after they are old, they preserve the fire of appetite in their chill heart and sub- ject stout reason to frail sense, it is not possible to say how much they are to be blamed. For like fools they deserve to be num- bered with perpetual infamy among the unreasoning animals, since the thoughts and ways of sensual love are too unbecoming to mature age." 55 — Here Bembo paused a little, as if to rest; and as everyone remained silent, my lord Morello da Ortona said: "And if an old man were found more vigourous and sturdy and of better looks than many youths, why would you not have him allowed to love with that love wherewith young men love ? " My lady Duchess laughed, and said: " If young men's love is so unhappy, my lord Morello, why do you wish to have old men love thus unhappily also? But if you were old, as these gentlemen say, you would not thus contrive evil for old men." My lord Morello replied: '* Methinks it is messer Pietro Bembo who is contriving evil for old men, in that he wishes to have them love in a certain way which I for my part do not understand; and methinks that to possess this beauty which he so highly praises, without the body, is a dream." Then Count Ludovico said: " Do you believe, my lord Morello, that beauty is always as good as messer Pietro Bembo says?" "Not I indeed," replied my lord Morello; "nay, I remember having seen many beautiful women who were very bad, cruel and spiteful; and this seems to be almost always so, for beauty makes them proud, and pride makes them cruel." Count Ludovico said, laughing: 292
