the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第24节

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When　this　impulse　to　the　highest　individual　development　was　combined　　with　a　powerful　and　varied　nature；　which　had　mastered　all　the　elements　　of　the　culture　of　the　age；　then　arose　the　'all…sided　man''l'uomo　　universale'who　belonged　to　Italy　alone。　Men　there　were　of　　encyclopedic　knowledge　_；　in　many　countries　during　the　Middle　Ages；　for　　this　knowledge　was　confined　within　narrow　limits；　and　even　in　the　　twelfth　century　there　were　universal　artists；　but　the　problems　of　　architecture　were　comparatively　simple　and　uniform；　and　in　sculpture　　and　painting　the　matter　was　of　more　importance　than　the　form。　But　in　　Italy　at　the　time　of　the　Renaissance；　we　find　artists　who　in　every　　branch　created　new　and　perfect　works；　and　who　also　made　the　greatest　　impression　as　men。　Others；　outside　the　arts　they　practiced；　were　　masters　of　a　vast　circle　of　spiritual　interests。

Dante；　who；　even　in　his　lifetime；　was　called　by　some　a　poet；　by　others　　a　philosopher；　by　others　a　theologian；　pours　forth　in　all　his　writings　　a　stream　of　personal　force　by　which　the　reader；　apart　from　the　interest　　of　the　subject；　feels　himself　carried　away。　What　power　of　will　must　the　　steady；　unbroken　elaboration　of　the　_Divine　Comedy　_have　required！　And　　if　we　look　at　the　matter　of　the　poem；　we　find　that　in　the　whole　　spiritual　or　physical　world　there　is　hardly　an　important　subject　which　　the　poet　has　not　fathomed；　and　on　which　his　utterances　often　only　a　　few　wordsare　not　the　most　weighty　of　his　time。　For　the　visual　arts　he　　is　of　the　first　importance；　and　this　for　better　reasons　than　the　few　　references　to　contemporary　artistshe　soon　became　himself　the　source　　of　inspiration。

The　fifteenth　century　is；　above　all；　that　of　the　many…sided　men。　There　　is　no　biography　which　does　not；　besides　the　chief　work　of　its　hero；　　speak　of　other　pursuits　all　passing　beyond　the　limits　of　dilettantism。　　The　Florentine　merchant　and　statesman　was　often　learned　in　both　the　　classical　languages；　the　most　famous　humanists　read　the　Ethics　and　　Politics　of　Aristotle　to　him　and　his　sons；　even　the　daughters　of　the　　house　were　highly　educated。　It　is　in　these　circles　that　private　　education　was　first　treated　seriously。　The　humanist；　on　his　side；　was　　compelled　to　the　most　varied　attainments；　since　his　philological　　learning　was　not　limited；　as　it　is　now；　to　the　theoretical　knowledge　of　　classical　antiquity；　but　had　to　serve　the　practical　needs　of　daily　　life。　While　studying　Pliny；　he　made　collections　of　natural　history；　the　　geography　of　the　ancients　was　his　guide　in　treating　of　modern　　geography；　their　history　was　his　pattern　in　writing　contemporary　　chronicles；　even　when　composed　in　Italian；　he　Dot　only　translated　the　　comedies　of　Plautus；　but　acted　as　manager　when　they　were　put　on　the　　stage；　every　effective　form　of　ancient　literature　down　to　the　dialogues　　of　Lucian　he　did　his　best　to　imitate；　and　besides　all　this；　he　acted　as　　magistrate；　secretary　and　diplomatistnot　always　to　his　own　advantage。

But　among　these　many…sided　men；　some；　who　may　truly　be　called　all…　sided；　tower　above　the　rest。　Before　analyzing　the　general　phases　of　　life　and　culture　of　this　period；　we　may　here；　on　the　threshold　of　the　　fifteenth　century；　consider　for　a　moment　the　figure　of　one　of　these　　giants　　Leon　Battista　Alberti　（b。　1404；　d。　1472）。　His　biography；　　which　is　only　a　fragment；　speaks　of　him　but　little　as　an　artist　；　and　　makes　no　mention　at　all　of　his　great　significance　in　the　history　of　　architecture。　We　shall　now　see　what　he　was；　apart　from　these　special　　claims　to　distinction。

In　all　by　which　praise　is　won；　Leon　Battista　was　from　his　childhood　the　　first。　Of　his　various　gymnastic　feats　and　exercises　we　read　with　　astonishment　how；　with　his　feet　together；　he　could　spring　over　a　man's　　head；　how　in　the　cathedral；　he　threw　a　coin　in　the　air　till　it　was　　heard　to　ring　against　the　distant　roof；　how　the　wildest　horses　trembled　　under　him。　In　three　things　he　desired　to　appear　faultless　to　others；　in　　walking；　in　riding；　and　in　speaking。　He　learned　music　without　a　master；　　and　yet　his　compositions　were　admired　by　professional　judges。　Under　the　　pressure　of　poverty；　he　studied　both　civil　and　canonical　law　for　many　　years；　till　exhaustion　brought　on　a　severe　illness。　In　his　twenty…　fourth　year；　finding　his　memory　for　words　weakened；　but　his　sense　of　　facts　unimpaired；　he　set　to　work　at　physics　and　mathematics。　And　all　　the　while　he　acquired　every　sort　of　accomplishment　and　dexterity；　　cross…examining　artists；　scholars　and　artisans　of　all　descriptions；　　down　to　the　cobblers；　about　the　secrets　and　peculiarities　of　their　　craft。　Painting　and　modelling　he　practiced　by　the　way；　and　especially　　excelled　in　admirable　likenesses　from　memory。　Great　admiration　was　　excited　by　his　mysterious　'camera　obscura；'　in　which　he　showed　at　one　　time　the　stars　and　the　moon　rising　over　rocky　hills；　at　another　wide　　landscapes　with　mountains　and　gulfs　receding　into　dim　perspective；　and　　with　fleets　advancing　on　the　waters　in　shade　or　sunshine。　And　that　　which　others　created　he　welcomed　joyfully；　and　held　every　human　　achievement　which　followed　the　laws　of　beauty　for　something　almost　　divine。　To　all　this　must　be　added　his　literary　works；　first　of　all　　those　on　art；　which　are　landmarks　and　authorities　of　the　first　order　　for　the　Renaissance　of　Form；　especially　in　architecture；　then　his　Latin　　prose　writings　　novels　and　other　works　　of　which　some　have　been　　taken　for　productions　of　antiquity；　his　elegies；　eclogues；　and　humorous　　dinner…speeches。　He　also　wrote　an　Italian　treatise　on　domestic　life　in　　four　books；　and　even　a　funeral　oration　on　his　dog。　His　serious　and　　witty　sayings　were　thought　worth　collecting；　and　specimens　of　them；　　many　columns　long；　are　quoted　in　his　biography。　And　all　that　he　had　and　　knew　he　imparted；　as　rich　natures　always　do；　without　the　least　reserve；　　giving　away　his　chief　discoveries　for　nothing。　But　the　deepest　spring　　of　his　nature　has　yet　to　be　spoken　of　　the　sympathetic　intensity　with　　which　he　entered　into　the　whole　life　around　him。　At　the　sight　of　noble　　trees　and　waving　cornfields　he　shed　tears；　handsome　and　dignified　old　　men　he　honored　as　'a　delight　of　nature；'　and　could　never　look　at　them　　enough。　Perfectly　formed　animals　won　his　goodwill　as　being　specially　　favored　by　nature；　and　more　than　once；　when　he　was　ill；　the　sight　of　a　　beautiful　landscape　cured　him。　No　wonder　that　those　who　saw　him　in　this　　close　and　mysterious　communion　with　the　world　ascribed　to　him　the　gift　　of　prophecy。　He　was　said　to　have　foretold　a　bloody　catastrophe　in　the　　family　of　Este；　the　fate　of　Florence　and　that　of　the　Popes　many　years　　beforehand；　and　to　be　able　to　read　in　the　countenances　and　the　hearts　　of　men。　It　need　not　be　added　that　an　iron　will　pervaded　and　sustained　　his　whole　personality；　like　all　the　great　men　of　the　Renaissance；　he　　said；　'Men　can　do　all　things　if　they　will。'

And　Leonardo　da　Vinci　was　to　Alberti　as　the　finisher　to　the　beginner；　　as　the　master　to　the　_dilettante_。　Would　only　that　Vasari's　work　were　　here　supplemented　by　a　description　like　that　of　Alberti！　The　colossal　　outlines　of　Leonardo's　nature　can　never　be　more　than　dimly　and　　distantly　conceived。

Glory

To　this　inward　development　of　the　individual　corresponds　a　new　sort　of　　outward　distinctionthe　modern　form　of　glory。

In　the　other　countries　of　Europe　the　different　classes　of　society　lived　　apart；　each　with　its　own　medieval　caste　sense　of　honour。　The　poetical　　fame　of　the　Troubadours　and　Minnesanger　was　peculiar　to　the　knightly　　order。　But　in　Italy　social　equality　had　appeared　before　the　time　of　the　　tyrannies　or　the　democracies。　We　there　find　early　traces　of　a　general　　society；　having；　as　will　be　shown　more　fully　later　on；　a　common　ground　　in　Latin　and　Italian　literature；　and　such　a　ground　was　needed　for　this　　new　element　in　life　to　grow　in。　To　this　must　be　added　that　the　Roman　　authors；　who　were　not　zealously　studied；　are　filled　and　saturated　with　　the　conception　of　fame；　and　that　their　subject　itselfthe　universal　　empire　of　Rome　stood　as　a　permanent　ideal　before　the　minds　of　　Italians。　From　henceforth　all　the　aspirations　and　achievements　of　the　　people　were　governed　by　a　moral　postulate；　which　was　still　unknown　　elsewhere　in　Europe。

Here；　again；　as　in　all　essential　points；　the　first　witness　to　be　called　　is　Dante。　He　strove　for　the　poet's　garland　with　all　the　power　of　his　　soul。33　As　publicist　and　man　of　letters；　he　laid　stress　on　the　fact　　that　what　he　did　was　new；　and　that　he　wished　not　only　to　be；　but　to　be　　esteemed　the　first　in　his　own　walks。34　But　in　his　prose　writings　he　　touches　also　on　the　inconveniences　of　fame；　he　knows　how　often　personal　　acquaintance　with　famous　men　is　disappointing；　and　explains　how　this　is　　due　partly　to　the　childish　fancy　of　men；　partly　to　envy；　and　partly　to　　the　imperfections　of　the　hero　himself。　And　in　his　great　poem　he　firmly　　maintains　the　emptiness　of　fame；　although　in　a　manner　which　betrays　　that　his　heart　was　not　free　from　the　longing　for　it。　In　Paradise　the　　sphere　of　Mercury　is　the　seat　of　such　blessed　ones　as　on　earth　strove　　after　glory　and　thereby　dimmed　'the　beams　of　true　love。'　It　is　　characteristic　that　the　lost　souls　in　hell　beg　of　Dante　to　keep　alive　　for　them　their　memory　and　fame　on　e