the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第75章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ed　of　　unfavorably　not　through　any　fault　of　her　own；　but　on　account　of　the　　too…free…lived　young　ladies　who　filled　her　court。　Giulia　Gonzaga　　Colonna；　Ippolita　Sforza　married　to　a　Bentivoglio；　Bianca　Rangona；　　Cecilia　Gallerana；　Camilla　Scarampa；　and　others；　were　either　altogether　　irreproachable；　or　their　social　fame　threw　into　the　shade　whatever　they　　may　have　done　amiss。　The　most　famous　woman　of　Italy；　Vittoria　Colonna　　（b。　1490；　d。　1547）；　the　friend　of　Castiglioni　and　Michelangelo；　enjoyed　　the　reputation　of　a　saint。　It　is　hard　to　give　such　a　picture　of　the　　unconstrained　intercourse　of　these　circles　in　the　city；　at　the　baths；　　or　in　the　country；　as　will　furnish　literal　proof　of　the　superiority　of　　Italy　in　this　respect　over　the　rest　of　Europe。　But　let　us　read　　Bandello；　and　then　ask　ourselves　if　anything　of　the　same　kind　would　　have　been　possible；　say；　in　France；　before　this　kind　of　society　was　　there　introduced　by　people　like　himself。　No　doubt　the　supreme　　achievements　of　the　human　mind　were　then　produced　independently　of　the　　help　of　the　drawing…room。　Yet　it　would　be　unjust　to　rate　the　influence　　of　the　latter　on　art　and　poetry　too　low；　if　only　for　the　reason　that　　society　helped　to　shape　that　which　existed　in　no　other　countrya　　widespread　interest　in　artistic　production　and　an　intelligent　and　　critical　public　opinion。　And　apart　from　this；　society　of　the　kind　we　　have　described　was　in　itself　a　natural　flower　of　that　life　and　culture　　which　was　then　purely　Italian；　and　which　since　then　has　extended　to　the　　rest　of　Europe。

In　Florence　society　was　powerfully　affected　by　literature　and　politics。　　Lorenzo　the　Magnificent　was　supreme　over　his　circle；　not；　as　we　might　　be　led　to　believe；　through　the　princely　position　which　he　occupied；　but　　rather　through　the　wonderful　tact　he　displayed　in　giving　perfect　　freedom　of　action　to　the　many　and　varied　natures　which　surrounded　him。　　We　see　how　gently　he　dealt　with　his　great　tutor　Politian；　and　how　the　　sovereignty　of　the　poet　and　scholar　was　reconciled；　though　not　without　　difficulty；　with　the　inevitable　reserve　prescribed　by　the　approaching　　change　in　the　position　of　the　house　of　Medici　and　by　consideration　for　　the　sensitiveness　of　the　wife。　In　return　for　the　treatment　he　received；　　Politian　became　the　herald　and　the　living　symbol　of　Medicean　glory。　　Lorenzo；　after　the　fashion　of　a　true　Medici；　delighted　in　giving　an　　outward　and　artistic　expression　to　his　social　amusements。　In　his　　brilliant　improvisationthe　Hawking　Partyhe　gives　us　a　humorous　　description　of　his　comrades；　and　in　the　Symposium　a　burlesque　of　them；　　but　in　both　cases　in　such　a　manner　that　we　clearly　feel　his　capacity　　for　more　serious　companionship。　Of　this　intercourse　his　correspondence　　and　the　records　of　his　literary　and　philosophical　conversation　give　　ample　proof。　Some　of　the　social　unions　which　were　afterwards　formed　in　　Florence　were　in　part　political　clubs；　though　not　without　a　certain　　poetical　and　philosophical　character。　Of　this　kind　was　the　so…called　　Platonic　Academy　which　met　after　Lorenzo's　death　in　the　gardens　of　the　　Rucellai。

At　the　courts　of　the　princes；　society　naturally　depended　on　the　　character　of　the　ruler。　After　the　beginning　of　the　sixteenth　century　　they　became　few　in　number；　and　these　few　soon　lost　their　importance。　　Rome；　however；　possessed　in　the　unique　court　of　Leo　X　a　society　to　　which　the　history　of　the　world　offers　no　parallel。

Education　of　the　'Cortigiano'

It　was　for　this　societyor　rather　for　his　own　sakethat　the　　'Cortigiano；'　as　described　to　us　by　Castiglione；　educated　himself。　He　　was　the　ideal　man　of　society；　and　was　regarded　by　the　civili…　zation　of　　that　age　as　its　choicest　flower；　and　the　court　existed　for　him　rather　　than　he　for　the　court。　Indeed；　such　a　man　would　have　been　out　of　place　　at　any　court；　since　he　himself　possessed　all　the　gifts　and　the　bearing　　of　an　accomplished　ruler；　and　because　his　calm　supremacy　in　all　things；　　both　outward　and　spiritual；　implied　a　too　independent　nature。　The　inner　　impulse　which　inspired　him　was　directed；　though　our　author　does　not　　acknowledge　the　fact；　not　to　the　service　of　the　prince；　but　to　his　own　　perfection。　One　instance　will　make　this　clear。　In　time　of　war　the　　courtier　refuses　even　useful　and　perilous　tasks；　if　they　are　not　　beautiful　and　dignified　in　themselves；　such　as；　for　instance；　the　　capture　of　a　herd　of　cattle；　what　urges　him　to　take　part　in　war　is　not　　duty　but　'l'onore。'　The　moral　relation　to　the　prince；　as　described　in　　the　fourth　book；　is　singularly　free　and　independent。　The　theory　of　　well…bred　love…making；　set　forth　in　the　third　book；　is　full　of　delicate　　psychological　observation；　which　perhaps　would　be　more　in　place　in　a　　treatise　on　human　nature　generally；　and　the　magnificent　praise　of　ideal　　love；　which　occurs　at　the　end　of　the　fourth　book；　and　which　rises　to　a　　lyrical　elevation　of　feeling；　has　no　connection　whatever　with　the　　special　object　of　the　work。　Yet　here；　as　in　the　'Asolani'　of　Bembo；　the　　culture　of　the　time　shows　itself　in　the　delicacy　with　which　this　　sentiment　is　represented　and　analyzed。　It　is　true　that　these　writers　　are　not　in　all　cases　to　be　taken　literally；　but　that　the　discourses　　they　give　us　were　actually　frequent　in　good　society；　cannot　be　doubted；　　and　that　it　was　an　affectation；　but　genuine　passion；　which　appeared　in　　this　dress；　we　shall　see　further　on。

Among　outward　accomplishments；　the　so…called　knightly　exercises　were　　expected　in　thorough　perfection　from　the　courtier；　and　besides　these　　much　that　could　only　exist　at　courts　highly　organized　and　based　on　　personal　emulation；　such　as　were　not　to　be　found　out　of　Italy。　Other　　points　obviously　rest　on　an　abstract　notion　of　individual　perfection。　　The　courtier　must　be　at　home　in　all　noble　sports；　among　them　running；　　leaping；　swimming　and　wrestling；　he　must；　above　all　things；　be　a　good　　dancer　and；　as　a　matter　of　course；　an　accomplished　rider。　He　must　be　　master　of　several　languages；　at　all　events　of　Latin　and　Italian；　he　　must　be　familiar　with　literature　and　have　some　knowledge　of　the　fine　　arts。　In　music　a　certain　practical　skill　was　expected　of　him；　which　he　　was　bound；　nevertheless；　to　keep　as　secret　as　possible。　All　this　is　not　　to　be　taken　too　seriously；　except　what　relates　to　the　use　of　arms。　The　　mutual　interaction　of　these　gifts　and　accomplishments　results　in　the　　perfect　man；　in　whom　no　one　quality　usurps　the　place　of　the　rest。

So　much　is　certain；　that　in　the　sixteenth　century　the　Italians　had　all　　Europe　for　their　pupils　both　theoretically　and　practically　in　every　　noble　bodily　exercise　and　in　the　habits　and　manners　of　good　society。　　Their　instructions　and　their　illustrated　books　on　riding；　fencing；　and　　dancing　served　as　the　model　to　other　countries。　Gymnastics　as　an　art；　　apart　both　from　military　training　and　from　mere　amusement；　was　probably　　first　taught　by　Vittorino　da　Feltre　and　after　his　time　became　essential　　to　a　complete　education。　The　important　fact　is　that　they　were　taught　　systematically；　though　what　exercises　were　most　in　favour；　and　whether　　they　resembled　those　now　in　use；　we　are　unable　to　say。　But　we　may　　infer；　not　only　from　the　general　character　of　the　people；　but　from　　positive　evidence　which　has　been　left　for　us；　that　not　only　strength　　and　skill；　but　grace　of　movement　was　one　of　the　main　objects　of　　physical　training。　It　is　enough　to　remind　the　reader　of　the　great　　Federigo　of　Urbino　directing　the　evening　games　of　the　young　people　　committed　to　his　care。

The　games　and　contests　of　the　popular　classes　did　not　differ　　essentially　from　those　which　prevailed　elsewhere　in　Europe。　In　the　　maritime　cities　boat…racing　was　among　the　number；　and　the　Venetian　　regattas　were　famous　at　an　early　period。　The　classical　game　of　Italy　　was　and　is　the　ball；　and　this　was　probably　played　at　the　time　of　the　　Renaissance　with　more　zeal　and　brilliancy　than　elsewhere。　But　on　this　　point　no　distinct　evidence　is　forthcoming。

Music

A　few　words　on　music　will　not　be　out　of　place　in　this　part　of　our　work。　　Musical　composition　down　to　the　year　1500　was　chiefly　in　the　hands　of　　the　Flemish　school；　whose　originality　and　artistic　dexterity　were　　greatly　admired。　Side　by　side　with　this；　there　nevertheless　existed　an　　Ital