the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第53部分

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pon　the　valley　of　the　Tiber；　where　towns　　and　castles　rise　above　the　winding　river。　The　lovely　hills　about　Siena；　　with　villas　and　monasteries　on　every　height；　are　his　own　home；　and　his　　descrip…　tions　of　them　are　touched　with　a　peculiar　feeling。　Single　　picturesque　glimpses　charm　him　too；　like　the　little　promontory　of　Capo　　di　Monte　that　stretches　out　into　the　Lake　of　Bolsena。　'Rocky　steps；'　we　　read；　'shaded　by　vines；　descend　to　the　water's　edge；　where　the　　evergreen　oaks　stand　between　the　cliffs；　alive　with　the　song　of　　thrushes。'　On　the　path　round　the　Lake　of　Nemi；　beneath　the　chestnuts　　and　fruit…trees；　he　feels　that　here；　if　anywhere；　a　poet's　soul　must　　awakehere　in　the　hiding…place　of　Diana！　He　often　held　consistories　or　　received　ambassadors　under　huge　old　chestnut…trees；　or　beneath　the　　olives　on　the　greensward　by　some　gurgling　spring。　A　view　like　that　of　a　　narrowing　gorge；　with　a　bridge　arched　boldly　over　it；　awakens　at　once　　his　artistic　sense。　Even　the　smallest　details　give　him　delight　through　　something　beautiful；　or　perfect；　or　characteristic　in　themthe　blue　　fields　of　waving　flax；　the　yellow　gorse　which　covers　the　hills；　even　　tangled　thickets；　or　single　trees；　or　springs；　which　seem　to　him　like　　wonders　of　nature。

The　height　of　his　enthusiasm　for　natural　beauty　was　reached　during　his　　stay　on　Monte　Amiata；　in　the　summer　of　1462；　when　plague　and　heat　made　　the　lowlands　uninhabitable。　Half…way　up　the　mountain；　in　the　old　　Lombard　monastery　of　San　Salvatore；　he　and　his　court　took　up　their　　quarters。　There；　between　the　chestnuts　which　clothe　the　steep　　declivity；　the　eye　may　wander　over　all　Southern　Tuscany；　with　the　　towers　of　Siena　in　the　distance。　The　ascent　of　the　highest　peak　he　left　　to　his　companions；　who　were　joined　by　the　Venetian　envoy；　they　found　at　　the　top　two　vast　blocks　of　stone　one　upon　the　otherperhaps　the　　sacrificial　altar　of　a　prehistoric　peopleand　fancied　that　in　the　far　　distance　they　saw　Corsica　and　Sardinia　rising　above　the　sea。　In　the　　cool　air　of　the　hills；　among　the　old　oaks　and　chestnuts；　on　the　green　　meadows　where　there　were　no　thorns　to　wound　the　feet；　and　no　snakes　or　　insects　to　hurt　or　to　annoy；　the　Pope　passed　days　of　unclouded　　happiness。　For　the　'Segnatura；'　which　took　place　on　certain　days　of　the　　week；　he　selected　on　each　occasion　some　new　shady　retreat　'novos　in　　convallibus　fontes　et　novas　inveniens　umbras；　quae　dubiam　facerent　　electionem。'　At　such　times　the　dogs　would　perhaps　start　a　great　stag　　from　his　lair；　who；　after　defending　himself　a　while　with　hoofs　and　　antlers；　would　fly　at　last　up　the　mountain。　In　the　evening　the　Pope　was　　accustomed　to　sit　before　the　monastery　on　the　spot　from　which　the　whole　　valley　of　the　Paglia　was　visible；　holding　lively　conversations　with　the　　cardinals。　The　courtiers；　who　ventured　down　from　the　heights　on　their　　hunting　expeditions；　found　the　heat　below　intolerable；　and　the　scorched　　plains　like　a　very　hell；　while　the　monastery；　with　its　cool；　shady　　woods；　seemed　like　an　abode　of　the　blessed。

All　this　is　genuine　modern　enjoyment；　not　a　reflection　of　antiquity。　As　　surely　as　the　ancients　themselves　felt　in　the　same　manner；　so　surely；　　nevertheless；　were　the　scanty　expressions　of　the　writers　whom　Pius　knew　　insufficient　to　awaken　in　him　such　enthusiasm。

The　second　great　age　of　Italian　poetry；　which　now　followed　at　the　end　　of　the　fifteenth　and　the　beginning　of　the　sixteenth　centuries；　as　well　　as　the　Latin　poetry　of　the　same　period；　is　rich　in　proofs　of　the　　powerful　effect　of　nature　on　the　human　mind。　The　first　glance　at　the　　lyric　poets　of　that　time　will　suffice　to　convince　us。　Elaborate　　descriptions　of　natural　scenery；　it　is　true；　are　very　rare；　for　the　　reason　that；　in　this　energetic　age；　poetry　had　something　else　to　paint　　nature　vigorously；　but　no　effort　to　appeal　by　their　reader；　which　they　　endeavor　to　reach　solely　by　their　narrative　and　characters。　Letter…　writers　and　the　authors　of　philosophical　dialogues　are；　in　fact；　better　　evidence　of　the　growing　love　of　nature　than　the　poets。　The　novelist　　Bandello；　for　example；　observes　rigorously　the　rules　of　his　department　　of　literature；　he　gives　us　in　his　novels　themselves　not　a　word　more　　than　is　necessary　on　the　natural　scenery　amid　which　the　action　of　his　　tales　takes　place；　but　in　the　dedications　which　always　precede　them　we　　meet　with　charming　descriptions　of　nature　as　the　setting　for　his　　dialogues　and　social　pictures。　Among　letter…writers；　Aretino　　unfortunately　must　be　named　as　the　first　who　has　fully　painted　in　words　　the　splendid　effect　of　light　and　shadow　in　an　Italian　sunset。

We　sometimes　find　the　feeling　of　the　poets；　also；　itself　with　　tenderness　to　graceful　scenes　of　country　Strozzi；　about　the　year　1480；　　describes　in　a　Latin　elegy　the　dwelling　of　his　mistress。　We　are　shown　　an　old　ivy…clad　house；　half　hidden　in　trees；　and　adorned　with　weather…　stained　frescoes　of　the　saints；　and　near　it　a　chapel　much　damaged　by　　the　violence　of　the　River　Po；　which　flowed　hard　by；　not　far　off；　the　　priest　ploughs　his　few　barren　roods　with　borrowed　cattle。　This　is　no　　reminiscence　of　the　Roman　elegists；　but　true　modern　sentiment；　and　the　　parallel　to　ita　sincere；　unartificial　description　of　country　life　in　　generalwill　be　found　at　the　end　of　this　part　of　our　work。

It　may　be　objected　that　the　German　painters　at　the　beginning　of　the　　sixteenth　century　succeeded　in　representing　with　perfect　mastery　these　　scenes　of　country　life；　as；　for　instance；　Albrecht　Durer；　in　his　　engraving　of　the　Prodigal　Son。　But　it　is　one　thing　if　a　painter；　　brought　up　in　a　school　of　realism；　introduces　such　scenes；　and　quite　　another　thing　if　a　poet；　accustomed　to　an　ideal　or　mythological　　framework；　is　driven　by　inward　impulse　into　realism。　Besides　which；　　priority　in　point　of　time　is　here；　as　in　the　descriptions　of　country　　life；　on　the　side　of　the　Italian　poets。

Discovery　of　Man

To　the　discovery　of　the　outward　world　the　Renaissance　added　a　still　　greater　achievement；　by　first　discerning　and　bringing　to　light　the　　full；　whole　nature　of　man。　This　period；　as　we　have　seen；　first　gave　the　　highest　development　to　individuality；　and　then　led　the　individual　to　　the　most　zealous　and　thorough　study　of　himself　in　all　forms　and　under　　all　conditions。　Indeed；　the　development　of　personality　is　essentially　　involved　in　the　recognition　of　it　in　oneself　and　in　others。　Between　　these　two　great　processes　our　narrative　has　placed　the　influence　of　　ancient　literature　because　the　mode　of　conceiving　and　representing　both　　the　individual　and　human　nature　in　general　was　defined　and　colored　by　　that　influence。　But　the　power　of　conception　and　representation　lay　in　　the　age　and　in　the　people。

The　facts　which　we　shall　quote　in　evidence　of　our　thesis　will　be　few　in　　number。　Here；　if　anywhere　in　the　course　of　this　discussion；　the　author　　is　conscious　that　he　is　treading　on　the　perilous　ground　of　conjecture；　　and　that　what　seems　to　him　a　clear；　if　delicate　and　gradual；　transition　　in　the　intellectual　movement　of　the　fourteenth　and　fifteenth　centuries；　　may　not　be　equally　plain　to　others。　The　gradual　awakening　of　the　soul　　of　a　people　is　a　phenomenon　which　may　produce　a　different　impression　on　　each　spectator。　Time　will　judge　which　impression　is　the　most　faithful。

Happily　the　study　of　the　intellectual　side　of　human　nature　began；　not　　with　the　search　after　a　theoretical　psychologyfor　that；　Aristotle　　still　sufficedbut　with　the　endeavor　to　observe　and　to　describe。　The　　indispensable　ballast　of　theory　was　limited　to　the　popular　doctrine　of　　the　four　temperaments；　in　its　then　habitual　union　with　the　belief　in　　the　influence　of　the　planets。　Such　conceptions　may　remain　ineradicable　　in　the　minds　of　individuals；　without　hindering　the　general　progress　of　　the　age。　It　certainly　makes　on　us　a　singular　impression；　when　we　meet　　them　at　a　time　when　human　nature　in　its　deepest　essence　and　in　all　its　　characteristic　expressions　was　not　only　known　by　exact　observation；　but　　represented　by　an　immortal　poetry　and　art。　It　sounds　almost　ludicrous　　when　an　otherwise　competent　observer　considers　Clement　VII　to　be　of　a　　melancholy　temperament；　but　defers　his　judgement　to　that　of　the　　physicians；　who　declare　the　Pope　of　a　sanguine…choleric　nature；　or　when　　we　read　that　the　same　Gaston　de　Foix；　the　victor　of　Ravenna；　whom　　Giorgione　painted　and　Bambaia　carved；　and　whom　all　the　historians　　describe；　had　the　saturnine　temperament。　No　doubt　those　who　use　these　　expressions　mean　something　by　them；　but　the　terms　in　which　they　tell　us　　their　meaning　are　strangely　out　of　date　in　the　Italy　of　the　sixteenth　　century。

As　examples　of　the　free　delineation　of　the　human　spirit；　we　shall　first　　speak　of　the　great　poets　of　the　fourteenth　century。

If　we　were　to　collect　the　pearls　from　the　courtly　and　knightly　poetry　　of　all　the　countries　of　the　West　during　the　two　preceding　centuries；　we　　should　have　a　mass　of　wonderful　divinations　and　single　pictures　of　the　　inward　life；　which　at　first　sight　would　seem　to　rival　the　poetry　of　the　　Italians。　Leaving　lyrical　poetry　out　of　account；　Godfrey　of　Strassburg　　gives　us；　in　'Tristram　and　Isolt；'　a　representation　of　human　passion；　　some　features　of　which　are　immortal。　But　these　pearls　lie　scattered　in　　the　ocean　of　artifi