| 词源 |
beloved playwright. The founder of modern Italian comedy, Carlo Goldoni (1707–93), wrote some 250 plays over his long life, but he died a pauper. Nevertheless, he has been called one of the “most cheerful and lovable men in literary history.” He himself explained his personality this way: “My mother brought me into this world with little pain, and this increased her love for me. My first appearance was not, as is usual, an- nounced by cries and this gentleness seemed then an indica- tion of the pacific character which from that day forward I have preserved.” |