the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第76节

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　The　gratitude　shown　by　the　inferior　classes　for　　kind　treatment；　and　the　good　memory　of　the　upper　for　politeness　in　　social　life；　are　instances　of　this。

This　connexion　between　the　imagination　and　the　moral　qualities　of　the　　Italian　repeats　itself　continually。　If；　nevertheless；　we　find　more　cold　　calculation　in　cases　where　the　Northerner　rather　follows　his　impulses；　　the　reason　is　that　individual　development　in　Italy　was　not　only　more　　marked　and　earlier　in　point　of　time；　but　also　far　more　frequent。　Where　　this　is　the　case　in　other　countries；　the　results　are　also　analogous。　We　　find；　for　example；　that　the　early　emancipation　of　the　young　from　　domestic　and　paternal　authority　is　common　to　North　America　with　Italy。　　Later　on；　in　the　more　generous　natures；　a　tie　of　freer　affection　grows　　up　between　parents　and　children。

It　is；　in　fact；　a　matter　of　extreme　difficulty　to　judge　fairly　of　other　　nations　in　the　sphere　of　character　and　feeling。　In　these　respects　a　　people　may　be　developed　highly；　and　yet　in　a　manner　so　strange　that　a　　foreigner　is　utterly　unable　to　understand　it。　Perhaps　all　the　nations　　of　the　West　are　in　this　point　equally　favored。

But　where　the　imagination　has　exercised　the　most　powerful　and　despotic　　influence　on　morals　is　in　the　illicit　intercourse　of　the　two　sexes。　It　　is　well　known　that　prostitution　was　freely　practiced　in　the　Middle　　Ages；　before　the　appearance　of　syphilis。　A　discussion；　however；　on　　these　questions　does　not　belong　to　our　present　work。　What　seems　　characteristic　of　Italy　at　this　time；　is　that　here　marriage　and　its　　rights　were　more　often　and　more　deliberately　trampled　underfoot　than　　anywhere　else。　The　girls　of　the　higher　classes　were　carefully　secluded；　　and　of　them　we　do　not　speak。　All　passion　was　directed　to　the　married　　women。

Under　these　circumstances　it　is　remarkable　that；　so　far　as　we　know；　　there　was　no　diminution　in　the　number　of　marriages；　and　that　family　　life　by　no　means　underwent　that　disorganization　which　a　similar　state　　of　things　would　have　produced　in　the　North。　Men　wished　to　live　as　they　　pleased；　but　by　no　means　to　renounce　the　family；　even　when　they　were　　not　sure　that　it　was　all　their　own。　Nor　did　the　race　sink；　either　　physically　or　mentally；　on　this　account；　for　that　apparent　intellectual　　decline　which　showed　itself　towards　the　middle　of　the　sixteenth　century　　may　be　certainly　accounted　for　by　political　and　ecclesiastical　causes；　　even　if　we　are　not　to　assume　that　the　circle　of　achievements　possible　　to　the　Renaissance　had　been　completed。　Notwithstanding　their　　profligacy；　the　Italians　continued　to　be；　physically　and　mentally；　one　　of　the　healthiest　and　best…born　populations　in　Europe；　and　have　　retained　this　position；　with　improved　morals；　down　to　our　own　time。

When　we　come　to　look　more　closely　at　the　ethics　of　love　at　the　time　of　　the　Renaissance；　we　are　struck　by　a　remarkable　Contrast。　The　novelists　　and　comic　poets　give　us　to　understand　that　love　consists　only　in　　sensual　enjoyment；　and　that　to　win　this；　all　means；　tragic　or　comic；　　are　not　only　permitted；　but　are　interesting　in　proportion　to　their　　audacity　and　unscrupulousness。　But　if　we　turn　to　the　best　of　the　lyric　　poets　and　writers　of　dialogues；　we　find　in　them　a　deep　and　spiritual　　passion　of　the　noblest　kind；　whose　last　and　highest　expression　is　a　　revival　of　the　ancient　belief　in　an　original　unity　of　souls　in　the　　Divine　Being。　And　both　modes　of　feeling　were　then　genuine；　and　could　　co…exist　in　the　same　individual。　It　is　not　exactly　a　matter　of　glory；　　but　it　is　a　fact；　that；　in　the　cultivated　man　of　modern　times；　this　　sentiment　can　be　not　merely　unconsciously　present　in　both　its　highest　　and　lowest　stages；　but　may　also　manifest　itself　openly；　and　even　　artistically。　The　modern　man；　like　the　man　of　antiquity；　is　in　this　　respect　too　a　microcosm；　which　the　medieval　man　was　not　and　could　not　　be。

To　begin　with　the　morality　of　the　novelists。　They　treat　chiefly；　as　we　　have　said；　of　married　women；　and　consequently　of　adultery。

The　opinion　mentioned　above　of　the　equality　of　the　two　sexes　is　of　　great　importance　in　relation　to　this　subject。　The　highly　developed　and　　cultivated　woman　disposes　of　herself　with　a　freedom　unknown　in　Northern　　countries；　and　her　unfaithfulness　does　not　break　up　her　life　in　the　　same　terrible　manner；　so　long　as　no　outward　consequences　follow　from　　it。　The　husband's　claim　on　her　fidelity　has　not　that　firm　foundation　　which　it　acquires　in　the　North　through　the　poetry　and　passion　of　　courtship　and　betrothal。　After　the　briefest　acquaintance　with　her　　future　husband；　the　young　wife　quits　the　convent　or　the　paternal　roof　　to　enter　upon　a　world　in　which　her　character　begins　rapidly　to　develop。　　The　rights　of　the　husband　are　for　this　reason　conditional；　and　even　the　　man　who　regards　them　in　the　light　of　a　'ius　quaesitum'　thinks　only　of　　the　outward　conditions　of　the　contract；　not　of　the　affections。　The　　beautiful　young　wife　of　an　old　man　sends　back　the　presents　and　letters　　of　a　youthful　lover；　in　the　firm　resolve　to　keep　her　honour　（onesta）。　　'But　she　rejoiced　in　the　love　of　the　youth　for　his　great　excellence；　　and　she　perceived　that　a　noble　woman　may　love　a　man　of　merit　without　　loss　to　her　honour。'　But　the　way　is　short　from　such　a　distinction　to　a　　complete　surrender。

The　latter　seems　indeed　as　good　as　justified　when　there　is　　unfaithfulness　on　the　part　of　the　husband。　The　woman；　conscious　of　her　　own　dignity；　feels　this　not　only　as　a　pain；　but　also　as　a　humiliation　　and　deceit；　and　sets　to　work；　often　with　the　calmest　consciousness　of　　what　she　is　about；　to　devise　the　vengeance　which　the　husband　deserves。　　Her　tact　must　decide　as　to　the　measure　of　punishment　which　is　suited　to　　the　particular　case。　The　deepest　wound；　for　example；　may　prepare　the　　way　for　a　reconciliation　and　a　peaceful　life　in　the　future；　if　only　it　　remain　secret。　The　novelists；　who　themselves　undergo　such　experiences　　or　invent　them　according　to　the　spirit　of　the　age；　are　full　of　　admiration　when　the　vengeance　is　skillfully　adapted　to　the　particular　　case；　in　fact；　when　it　is　a　work　of　art。　As　a　matter　of　course；　the　　husband　never　at　bottom　recognizes　this　right　of　retaliation；　and　only　　submits　to　it　from　fear　or　prudence。　Where　these　motives　are　absent；　　where　his　wife's　unfaithfulness　exposes　him　or　may　expose　him　to　the　　derision　of　outsiders；　the　affair　becomes　tragical；　and　not　seldom　ends　　in　murder　or　other　vengeance　of　a　violent　sort。　It　is　characteristic　of　　the　real　motive　from　which　these　deeds　arise；　that　not　only　the　　husbands；　but　the　brothers　and　the　father　of　the　woman　feel　themselves　　not　only　justified　in　taking　vengeance；　but　bound　to　take　it。　Jealousy；　　therefore；　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　matter；　moral　reprobation　but　　little；　the　real　reason　is　the　wish　to　spoil　the　triumph　of　others。　　'Nowadays；'　says　Bandello；　'we　see　a　woman　poison　her　husband　to　　gratify　her　lusts；　thinking　that　a　widow　may　do　whatever　she　desires。　　Another；　fearing　the　discovery　of　an　illicit　amour；　has　her　husband　　murdered　by　her　lover。　And　though　fathers；　brothers；　and　husbands　arise　　to　extirpate　the　shame　with　poison；　with　the　sword；　and　by　every　other　　means；　women　still　continue　to　follow　their　passions；　careless　of　their　　honour　and　their　lives。'　Another　time；　in　milder　strain；　he　exclaims：　　'Would　that　we　were　not　daily　forced　to　hear　that　one　man　has　murdered　　his　wife　because　he　suspected　her　of　infidelity；　that　another　has　　killed　his　daughter；　on　account　of　a　secret　marriage；　that　a　third　has　　caused　his　sister　to　be　murdered；　because　she　would　not　marry　as　he　　wished！　It　is　great　cruelty　that　we　claim　the　right　to　do　whatever　we　　list；　and　will　not　suffer　women　to　do　the　same。　If　they　do　anything　　which　does　not　please　us；　there　we　are　at　once　with　cords　and　daggers　　and　poison。　What　folly　it　is　of　men　to　suppose　their　own　and　their　　house's　honour　depend　on　the　appetite　of　a　woman。　The　tragedy　in　which　　such　affairs　commonly　ended　was　so　well　known　that　the　novelist　looked　　on　the　threatened　gallant　as　a　dead　man；　even　while　he　went　about　alive　　and　merry。　The　physician　and　lute…player　Antonio　Bologna　had　made　a　　secret　marriage　with　the　widowed　Duchess　of　Amalfi；　of　the　house　of　　Aragon。　Soon　afterwards　her　brother　succeeded　in　securing　both　her　and　　her　children；　and　murdered　them　in　a　castle。　Antonio；　ignorant　of　their　　fate；　and　still　cherishing　the　hope　of　seeing　them　again；　was　staying　　at　Milan；　closely　watched　by　hired　assassins；　and　one　day　in　the　　society　of　Ippolita　Sforza　sang　to　the　lute　the　story　of　his　　misfortunes。　A　friend　of　the　house；　Delio；　'told　the　story　up　to　this　　point　to　Scipione　Atellano；　and　added　that　he　would　make　it　the　subject　　of　a　novel；　as　he　was　sure　that　Antonio　would　be　murdered。'　The　manner　　in　which　this　took　place；　almost　under　the　eyes　of　both　Delio　and　　Atellano；　is　movingly　described　by　Bandello。

Nevertheless；　the　novelists　habitually　show　a　sympathy　for　all　the　　ingenious；　comic；　and　cunning　features　which　may　happen　to　attend　　adultery。　They　describe　with　delight　how　the　lover　manages　to　hide　　himself　in　the　house；　all　the　means　and　devices　by　which　he　　communicates　with　his　mistress；　the　boxes　with　cushions　and　sweetmeats　　in　which　he　can　be　hidden　an