Eleonora Of Este, an Italian princess, born June 19, 1537, died Feb. 10, 1581. She resided in Ferrara at the brilliant court of her brother, Alfonso II., of which she and her sister Lucrezia were the most accomplished ornaments. Tasso seems to have conceived an ardent passion for Eleonora, and to have addressed to her some of his most fervent effusions, to the discovery of which the persecutions to which he was subjected by Alfonso were in part ascribed. But the evidence on the subject is conflicting. There were several other ladies of the name of Eleonora whom Tasso celebrated; as, for instance, Eleonora San Vitale, the beautiful countess of Scandia-no, in whose praise he wrote charming verses. However, most biographers agree in pointing to the princess Eleonora as the lady of his special adoration. How far the princess reciprocated his affection is not clearly established, and the presumption is that she gave him only friendship and poetical sympathy in return for his love. She was never married.