The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy by Jacob Burckhardt
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THE CIVILIZATION OF THE RENAISSANCE IN ITALY By Jacob Burckhardt Translated by S. G. C. Middlemore, 1878 Edited by Candida Martinelli This free e-book was created and is distributed not-for-profit by Candida Martinelli of Candida Martinelli’s Italophile Site Images in this book are from Webshots.com 2 HE REATISE AND ISTORY IN ATIN PART I THE STATE AS A WORK OF ART.............5 T T , H L ....................149 ANTIQUITY AS THE COMMON SOURCE......................153 NTRODUCTION I ..............................................................5 NEO-LATIN POETRY..................................................157 DESPOTS OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY.....................8 FALL OF THE HUMANISTS IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY ESPOTS OF THE IFTEENTH ENTURY D F C .......................13 ..................................................................................167 THE SMALLER DESPOTISMS ........................................21 THE GREATER DYNASTIES ..........................................27 PART FOUR THE DISCOVERY OF THE WORLD THE OPPONENTS OF THE DESPOTS ..............................38 AND OF MAN.............................................................176 THE REPUBLICS: VENICE AND FLORENCE...................43 JOURNEYS OF THE ITALIANS......................................176 FOREIGN POLICY .........................................................60 THE NATURAL SCIENCES IN ITALY ...........................178 WAR AS A WORK OF ART ............................................65 DISCOVERY OF THE BEAUTY OF LANDSCAPE............183 THE PAPACY................................................................67 DISCOVERY OF MAN .................................................190 PATRIOTISM.................................................................83 BIOGRAPHY IN THE MIDDLE AGES AND IN THE PART TWO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RENAISSANCE............................................................205 ESCRIPTION OF THE UTWARD AN INDIVIDUAL................................................................85 D O M ......................214 DESCRIPTION OF HUMAN LIFE ..................................218 PERSONALITY ..............................................................85 GLORY.........................................................................91 PART FIVE SOCIETY AND FESTIVALS ............223 RIDICULE AND WIT .....................................................98 EQUALITY OF CLASSES..............................................223 OSTUMES AND ASHIONS PART THREE THE REVIVAL OF ANTIQUITY 108 C F ........................................229 LANGUAGE AND SOCIETY .........................................233 NTRODUCTION I ..........................................................108 SOCIAL ETIQUETTE ...................................................237 HE UINS OF OME T R R .................................................112 EDUCATION OF THE 'CORTIGIANO' ............................240 HE LASSICS T C ...........................................................118 MUSIC .......................................................................241 HE UMANISTS T H ........................................................124 EQUALITY OF MEN AND WOMEN ..............................244 NIVERSITIES AND CHOOLS U S ....................................129 DOMESTIC LIFE .........................................................247 ROPAGATORS OF NTIQUITY P A ...................................133 FESTIVALS.................................................................250 EPISTOLOGRAPHY: LATIN ORATORS.........................141 3 PART SIX MORALITY AND RELIGION.............266 INFLUENCE OF ANCIENT SUPERSTITION....................320 ENERAL PIRIT OF OUBT MORALITY AND JUDGEMENT ....................................266 G S D ......................................342 MORALITY AND IMMORALITY...................................267 ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND THIS BOOK ...........350 ELIGION IN AILY IFE R D L ...........................................285 THE AUTHOR – A SUMMARY ....................................350 TRENGTH OF THE LD AITH S O F ..................................302 THE AUTHOR – A LONGER ESSAY ............................351 RELIGION AND THE SPIRIT OF THE RENAISSANCE .....309 4 the possible ways and directions Part I THE STATE AS A are many; and the same studies Introduction which have served for this work WORK OF ART might easily, in other hands, not only receive a wholly different This work bears the title of an treatment and application, but essay in the strictest sense of the lead also to essentially different word. No one is more conscious conclusions. Such indeed is the than the writer with what limited importance of the subject that it means and strength he has still calls for fresh investigation, addressed himself to a task so and may be studied with arduous. And even if he could advantage from the most varied look with greater confidence points of view. Meanwhile we upon his own researches, he are content if a patient hearing is would hardly thereby feel more granted us, and if this book be assured of the approval of taken and judged as a whole. It competent judges. To each eye, is the most serious difficulty of perhaps, the outlines of a given the history of civilization that a civilization present a different great intellectual process must picture; and in treating of a be broken up into single, and civilization which is the mother of often into what seem arbitrary our own, and whose influence is categories in order to be in any still at work among us, it is way intelligible. It was formerly unavoidable that individual our intention to fill up the gaps in judgement and feeling should tell this book by a special work on every moment both on the writer the Art of the Renaissance—an and on the reader. In the wide intention, however, which we ocean upon which we venture, have been able to fulfill only in 5 part. the two lay a multitude of political and more clearly defined type, units—republics and despots—in which is offered by the despotic The struggle between the Popes part of long standing, in part of States. and the Hohenstaufen left Italy in recent origin, whose existence a political condition which was founded simply on their The internal condition of the differed essentially from that of power to maintain it. In them for despotically governed States had other countries of the West. the first time we detect the a memorable counterpart in the While in France, Spain and modern political spirit of Europe, Norman Empire of Lower Italy England the feudal system was surrendered freely to its own and Sicily, after its transformation so organized that, at the close of instincts. Often displaying the by the Emperor Frederick Il. its existence, it was naturally worst features of an unbridled Bred amid treason and peril in transformed into a unified egotism, outraging every right, the neighbourhood of the monarchy, and while in Germany and killing every germ of a Saracens, Frederick, the first it helped to maintain, at least healthier culture. But, wherever ruler of the modern type who sat outwardly, the unity of the this vicious tendency is upon a throne, had early empire, Italy had shaken it off overcome or in any way accustomed himself to a almost entirely. The Emperors of compensated, a new fact thoroughly objective treatment of the fourteenth century, even in appears in history—the State as affairs. His acquaintance with the most favourable case, were the outcome of reflection and the internal condition and no longer received and respected calculation, the State as a work administration of the Saracenic as feudal lords, but as possible of art. This new life displays States was close and intimate; leaders and supporters of powers itself in a hundred forms, both in and the mortal struggle in which already in existence; while the the republican and in the he was engaged with the Papacy Papacy, with its creatures and despotic States, and determines compelled him, no less than his allies, was strong enough to their inward constitution, no less adversaries, to bring into the field hinder national unity in the future, than their foreign policy. We all the resources at his but not strong enough itself to shall limit ourselves to the command. Frederick's measures bring about that unity. Between consideration of the completer (especially after the year 1231) 6 are aimed at the complete country without special the representatives of a free destruction of the feudal State, at permission, and under no municipal life. Lastly, the internal the transformation of the people circumstances were allowed to police, and the kernel of the army into a multitude destitute of will study abroad. The University of for foreign service, was and of the means of resistance, Naples was the first we know of composed of Saracens who had but profitable in the utmost to restrict the freedom of study, been brought over from Sicily to degree to the exchequer. He while the East, in these respects Nocera and Lucera—men who centralized, in a manner hitherto at all events, left its youth were deaf to the cry of misery unknown in the West, the whole unfettered. It was after the and careless of the ban of the judicial and political examples of Mohammedan rules Church. At a later period the administration. No office was that Frederick traded on his own subjects, by whom the use of henceforth to be filled by popular account in all parts of the weapons had long been election, under penalty of the Mediterranean, reserving to forgotten, were passive devastation of the offending