Discontentedwiththeworldandwithhimself，Leodepreciatedhispresentenjoyments，whileabsentpersonsandobjectsweredeartohisimagination。InItalyhewasaThessalian，inGreeceanativeofCalabria:inthecompanyoftheLatinshedisdainedtheirlanguage，religion，andmanners:nosoonerwashelandedatConstantinople，thanheagainsighedforthewealthofVeniceandtheeleganceofFlorence。HisItalianfriendsweredeaftohisimportunity:hedependedontheircuriosityandindulgence，andembarkedonasecondvoyage；butonhisentranceintotheAdriatic，theshipwasassailedbyatempest，andtheunfortunateteacher，wholikeUlysseshadfastenedhimselftothemast，wasstruckdeadbyaflashoflightning。ThehumanePetrarchdroppedatearonhisdisaster；buthewasmostanxioustolearnwhethersomecopyofEuripidesorSophoclesmightnotbesavedfromthehandsofthemariners。^95
　　[Footnote93:ForthelifeandwritingsofBoccace，whowasbornin1313，anddiedin1375，FabriciusBibliot。Latin。MediiAevi，tom。i。p。248，&c。andTiraboschitom。v。p。83，439—451
　　maybeconsulted。Theeditions，versions，imitationsofhisnovels，areinnumerable。Yethewasashamedtocommunicatethattrifling，andperhapsscandalous，worktoPetrarch，hisrespectablefriend，inwhoselettersandmemoirsheconspicuouslyappears。]
　　[Footnote*:ThistranslationofHomerwasbyPilatus，notbyBoccacio。SeeHalleza，Hist。ofLit。vol。i。p。132。—M。]
　　[Footnote94:Boccaceindulgesanhonestvanity:OstentationiscausaGraecacarminaadscripsi……jureutormeo；meumesthocdecus，meagloriascilicetinterEtruscosGraecisuticarminibus。NonneegofuiquiLeontiumPilatum，&c。，deGenealogiaDeorum，l。xv。c。7，aworkwhich，thoughnowforgotten，hasrunthroughthirteenorfourteeneditions。]
　　[Footnote95:Leontius，orLeoPilatus，issufficientlymadeknownbyHody，p。2—11，andtheabbedeSade，ViedePetrarque，tom。iii。p。625—634，670—673，whohasveryhappilycaughtthelivelyanddramaticmannerofhisoriginal。]
　　ButthefaintrudimentsofGreeklearning，whichPetrarchhadencouragedandBoccacehadplanted，soonwitheredandexpired。ThesucceedinggenerationwascontentforawhilewiththeimprovementofLatineloquence；norwasitbeforetheendofthefourteenthcenturythatanewandperpetualflamewasrekindledinItaly。^96PrevioustohisownjourneytheemperorManueldespatchedhisenvoysandoratorstoimplorethecompassionoftheWesternprinces。Oftheseenvoys，themostconspicuous，orthemostlearned，wasManuelChrysoloras，^97ofnoblebirth，andwhoseRomanancestorsaresupposedtohavemigratedwiththegreatConstantine。AftervisitingthecourtsofFranceandEngland，whereheobtainedsomecontributionsandmorepromises，theenvoywasinvitedtoassumetheofficeofaprofessor；andFlorencehadagainthehonorofthissecondinvitation。Byhisknowledge，notonlyoftheGreek，butoftheLatintongue，Chrysolorasdeservedthestipend，andsurpassedtheexpectation，oftherepublic。Hisschoolwasfrequentedbyacrowdofdisciplesofeveryrankandage；andoneofthese，inageneralhistory，hasdescribedhismotivesandhissuccess。"Atthattime，"saysLeonardAretin，^98"Iwasastudentofthecivillaw；butmysoulwasinflamedwiththeloveofletters；andIbestowedsomeapplicationonthesciencesoflogicandrhetoric。OnthearrivalofManuel，IhesitatedwhetherIshoulddesertmylegalstudies，orrelinquishthisgoldenopportunity；
　　andthus，intheardorofyouth，Icommunedwithmyownmind—
　　Wiltthoubewantingtothyselfandthyfortune?WiltthourefusetobeintroducedtoafamiliarconversewithHomer，Plato，andDemosthenes；withthosepoets，philosophers，andorators，ofwhomsuchwondersarerelated，andwhoarecelebratedbyeveryageasthegreatmastersofhumanscience?Ofprofessorsandscholarsincivillaw，asufficientsupplywillalwaysbefoundinouruniversities；butateacher，andsuchateacher，oftheGreeklanguage，ifheoncebesufferedtoescape，mayneverafterwardsberetrieved。Convincedbythesereasons，IgavemyselftoChrysoloras；andsostrongwasmypassion，thatthelessonswhichIhadimbibedinthedayweretheconstantobjectofmynightlydreams。"^99Atthesametimeandplace，theLatinclassicswereexplainedbyJohnofRavenna，thedomesticpupilofPetrarch；^100theItalians，whoillustratedtheirageandcountry，wereformedinthisdoubleschool；andFlorencebecamethefruitfulseminaryofGreekandRomanerudition。^101ThepresenceoftheemperorrecalledChrysolorasfromthecollegetothecourt；butheafterwardstaughtatPaviaandRomewithequalindustryandapplause。Theremainderofhislife，aboutfifteenyears，wasdividedbetweenItalyandConstantinople，betweenembassiesandlessons。Inthenobleofficeofenlighteningaforeignnation，thegrammarianwasnotunmindfulofamoresacreddutytohisprinceandcountry；andEmanuelChrysolorasdiedatConstanceonapublicmissionfromtheemperortothecouncil。
　　[Footnote96:Dr。Hodyp。54isangrywithLeonardAretin，Guarinus，PaulusJovius，&c。，foraffirming，thattheGreekletterswererestoredinItalypostseptingentosannos；asif，sayshe，theyhadflourishedtilltheendoftheviithcentury。
　　Thesewritersmostprobablyreckonedfromthelastperiodoftheexarchate；andthepresenceoftheGreekmagistratesandtroopsatRavennaandRomemusthavepreserved，insomedegree，theuseoftheirnativetongue。]
　　[Footnote97:SeethearticleofEmanuel，orManuelChrysoloras，inHodyp12—54andTiraboschi，tom。vii。p。113—118。Theprecisedateofhisarrivalfloatsbetweentheyears1390and1400，andisonlyconfinedbythereignofBonifaceIX。]
　　[Footnote98:ThenameofAretinushasbeenassumedbyfiveorsixnativesofArezzoinTuscany，ofwhomthemostfamousandthemostworthlesslivedinthexvithcentury。LeonardusBrunusAretinus，thediscipleofChrysoloras，wasalinguist，anorator，andanhistorian，thesecretaryoffoursuccessivepopes，andthechancelloroftherepublicofFlorence，wherehediedA。D。1444，attheageofseventy—five，Fabric。Bibliot。MediiAevi，tom。i。
　　p。190&c。Tiraboschi，tom。vii。p。33—38]
　　[Footnote99:SeethepassageinAretin。CommentarioRerumsuoTemporeinItaliagestarum，apudHodium，p。28—30。]
　　[Footnote100:Inthisdomesticdiscipline，Petrarch，wholovedtheyouth，oftencomplainsoftheeagercuriosity，restlesstemper，andproudfeelings，whichannouncethegeniusandgloryofariperage，MemoiressurPetrarque，tom。iii。p。700—
　　709。]
　　[Footnote101:HincGraecaeLatinaequescholaeexortaesunt，GuarinoPhilelpho，LeonardoAretino，Caroloque，acplerisquealiistanquamexequoTrojanoprodeuntibus，quorumemulationemultaingeniadeincepsadlaudemexcitatasunt，PlatinainBonifacioIX。AnotherItalianwriteraddsthenamesofPaulusPetrusVergerius，OmnibonusVincentius，Poggius，FranciscusBarbarus，&c。ButIquestionwhetherarigidchronologywouldallowChrysolorasalltheseeminentscholars，Hodius，p。25—
　　27，&c。]
　　Afterhisexample，therestorationoftheGreeklettersinItalywasprosecutedbyaseriesofemigrants，whoweredestituteoffortune，andendowedwithlearning，oratleastwithlanguage。
　　FromtheterrororoppressionoftheTurkisharms，thenativesofThessalonicaandConstantinopleescapedtoalandoffreedom，curiosity，andwealth。ThesynodintroducedintoFlorencethelightsoftheGreekchurch，andtheoraclesofthePlatonicphilosophy；andthefugitiveswhoadheredtotheunion，hadthedoublemeritofrenouncingtheircountry，notonlyfortheChristian，butforthecatholiccause。Apatriot，whosacrificeshispartyandconsciencetotheallurementsoffavor，maybepossessed，however，oftheprivateandsocialvirtues:henolongerhearsthereproachfulepithetsofslaveandapostate；andtheconsiderationwhichheacquiresamonghisnewassociateswillrestoreinhisowneyesthedignityofhischaracter。TheprudentconformityofBessarionwasrewardedwiththeRomanpurple:hefixedhisresidenceinItaly；andtheGreekcardinal，thetitularpatriarchofConstantinople，wasrespectedasthechiefandprotectorofhisnation:^102hisabilitieswereexercisedinthelegationsofBologna，Venice，Germany，andFrance；andhiselectiontothechairofSt。Peterfloatedforamomentontheuncertainbreathofaconclave。^103Hisecclesiasticalhonorsdiffusedasplendorandpreeminenceoverhisliterarymeritandservice:hispalacewasaschool；asoftenasthecardinalvisitedtheVatican，hewasattendedbyalearnedtrainofbothnations；^104ofmenapplaudedbythemselvesandthepublic；andwhosewritings，nowoverspreadwithdust，werepopularandusefulintheirowntimes。IshallnotattempttoenumeratetherestorersofGrecianliteratureinthefifteenthcentury；anditmaybesufficienttomentionwithgratitudethenamesofTheodoreGaza，ofGeorgeofTrebizond，ofJohnArgyropulus，andDemetriusChalcocondyles，whotaughttheirnativelanguageintheschoolsofFlorenceandRome。TheirlaborswerenotinferiortothoseofBessarion，whosepurpletheyrevered，andwhosefortunewasthesecretobjectoftheirenvy。
　　Butthelivesofthesegrammarianswerehumbleandobscure:theyhaddeclinedthelucrativepathsofthechurch；theirdressandmannerssecludedthemfromthecommerceoftheworld；andsincetheywereconfinedtothemerit，theymightbecontentwiththerewards，oflearning。Fromthischaracter，JanusLascaris^105
　　willdeserveanexception。Hiseloquence，politeness，andImperialdescent，recommendedhimtotheFrenchmonarch；andinthesamecitieshewasalternatelyemployedtoteachandtonegotiate。DutyandinterestpromptedthemtocultivatethestudyoftheLatinlanguage；andthemostsuccessfulattainedthefacultyofwritingandspeakingwithfluencyandeleganceinaforeignidiom。Buttheyeverretainedtheinveteratevanityoftheircountry:theirpraise，oratleasttheiresteem，wasreservedforthenationalwriters，towhomtheyowedtheirfameandsubsistence；andtheysometimesbetrayedtheircontemptinlicentiouscriticismorsatireonVirgil'spoetry，andtheoratoryofTully。^106Thesuperiorityofthesemastersarosefromthefamiliaruseofalivinglanguage；andtheirfirstdiscipleswereincapableofdiscerninghowfartheyhaddegeneratedfromtheknowledge，andeventhepracticeoftheirancestors。Aviciouspronunciation，^107whichtheyintroduced，wasbanishedfromtheschoolsbythereasonofthesucceedingage。OfthepoweroftheGreekaccentstheywereignorant；andthosemusicalnotes，which，fromanAttictongue，andtoanAtticear，musthavebeenthesecretsoulofharmony，weretotheireyes，astoourown，nomorethanminuteandunmeaningmarks，inprosesuperfluousandtroublesomeinverse。Theartofgrammartheytrulypossessed；thevaluablefragmentsofApolloniusandHerodianweretransfusedintotheirlessons；andtheirtreatisesofsyntaxandetymology，thoughdevoidofphilosophicspirit，arestillusefultotheGreekstudent。IntheshipwreckoftheByzantinelibraries，eachfugitiveseizedafragmentoftreasure，acopyofsomeauthor，whowithouthisindustrymighthaveperished:thetranscriptsweremultipliedbyanassiduous，andsometimesanelegantpen；andthetextwascorrectedandexplainedbytheirowncomments，orthoseoftheelderscholiasts。Thesense，thoughnotthespirit，oftheGreekclassics，wasinterpretedtotheLatinworld:thebeautiesofstyleevaporateinaversion；butthejudgmentofTheodoreGazaselectedthemoresolidworksofAristotleandTheophrastus，andtheirnaturalhistoriesofanimalsandplantsopenedarichfundofgenuineandexperimentalscience。
　　[Footnote102:SeeinHodythearticleofBessarion，p。136—
　　177。TheodoreGaza，GeorgeofTrebizond，audtherestoftheGreekswhomIhavenamedoromitted，areinsertedintheirproperchaptersofhislearnedwork。SeelikewiseTiraboschi，inthe1stand2dpartsofthevithtome。]
　　[Footnote103:Thecardinalsknockedathisdoor，buthisconclavistrefusedtointerruptthestudiesofBessarion:
　　"Nicholas，"saidhe，"thyrespecthascosttheeahat，andmethetiara。"
　　Note:RoscoeLifeofLorenzodeMedici，vol。i。p。75
　　considersthatHodyhasrefutedthis"idletale。"—M。]
　　[Footnote104:SuchasGeorgeofTrebizond，TheodoreGaza，Argyropulus，AndronicusofThessalonica，Philelphus，Poggius，Blondus，NicholasPerrot，Valla，Campanus，Platina，&c。VirisaysHody，withthepiouszealofascholarnulloaevoperituri，p。156。]
　　[Footnote105:HewasbornbeforethetakingofConstantinople，buthishonorablelifewasstretchedfarintothexvithcentury，A。D。1535。LeoX。andFrancisI。werehisnoblestpatrons，underwhoseauspiceshefoundedtheGreekcollegesofRomeandParis，Hody，p。247—275。HeleftposterityinFrance；butthecountsdeVintimille，andtheirnumerousbranches，derivethenameofLascarisfromadoubtfulmarriageinthexiiithcenturywiththedaughterofaGreekemperorDucange，Fam。Byzant。p。
　　224—230。]
　　[Footnote106:TwoofhisepigramsagainstVirgil，andthreeagainstTully，arepreservedandrefutedbyFranciscusFloridus，whocanfindnobetternamesthanGraeculusineptusetimpudens，Hody，p。274。Inourowntimes，anEnglishcritichasaccusedtheAeneidofcontainingmultalanguida，nugatoria，spirituetmajestatecarminisheroicidefecta；manysuchversesashe，thesaidJeremiahMarkland，wouldhavebeenashamedofowning，praefat。adStatiiSylvas，p。21，22。]
　　[Footnote107:EmanuelChrysoloras，andhiscolleagues，areaccusedofignorance，envy，oravarice，Sylloge，&c。，tom。ii。
　　p。235。ThemodernGreekspronounceitasaVconsonant，andconfoundthreevowels，andseveraldiphthongs。SuchwasthevulgarpronunciationwhichthesternGardinermaintainedbypenalstatutesintheuniversityofCambridge:butthemonosyllablerepresentedtoanAtticearthebleatingofsheep，andabellwetherisbetterevidencethanabishoporachancellor。Thetreatisesofthosescholars，particularlyErasmus，whoassertedamoreclassicalpronunciation，arecollectedintheSyllogeofHavercamp，2vols。inoctavo，Lugd。Bat。1736，1740:butitisdifficulttopaintsoundsbywords:andintheirreferencetomodernuse，theycanbeunderstoodonlybytheirrespectivecountrymen。Wemayobserve，thatourpeculiarpronunciationoftheO，th，isapprovedbyErasmus，tom。ii。p。130。]
　　Yetthefleetingshadowsofmetaphysicswerepursuedwithmorecuriosityandardor。Afteralongoblivion，PlatowasrevivedinItalybyavenerableGreek，^108whotaughtinthehouseofCosmoofMedicis。WhilethesynodofFlorencewasinvolvedintheologicaldebate，somebeneficialconsequencesmightflowfromthestudyofhiselegantphilosophy:hisstyleisthepureststandardoftheAtticdialect，andhissublimethoughtsaresometimesadaptedtofamiliarconversation，andsometimesadornedwiththerichestcolorsofpoetryandeloquence。ThedialoguesofPlatoareadramaticpictureofthelifeanddeathofasage；and，asoftenashedescendsfromtheclouds，hismoralsysteminculcatestheloveoftruth，ofourcountry，andofmankind。ThepreceptandexampleofSocratesrecommendedamodestdoubtandliberalinquiry；andifthePlatonists，withblinddevotion，adoredthevisionsanderrorsoftheirdivinemaster，theirenthusiasmmightcorrectthedry，dogmaticmethodofthePeripateticschool。Soequal，yetsoopposite，arethemeritsofPlatoandAristotle，thattheymaybebalancedinendlesscontroversy；butsomesparkoffreedommaybeproducedbythecollisionofadverseservitude。ThemodernGreeksweredividedbetweenthetwosects:withmorefurythanskilltheyfoughtunderthebanneroftheirleaders；andthefieldofbattlewasremovedintheirflightfromConstantinopletoRome。Butthisphilosophicaldebatesoondegeneratedintoanangryandpersonalquarrelofgrammarians；andBessarion，thoughanadvocateforPlato，protectedthenationalhonor，byinterposingtheadviceandauthorityofamediator。InthegardensoftheMedici，theacademicaldoctrinewasenjoyedbythepoliteandlearned:buttheirphilosophicsocietywasquicklydissolved；andifthewritingsoftheAtticsagewereperusedinthecloset，themorepowerfulStagyritecontinuedtoreign，theoracleofthechurchandschool。^109
　　[Footnote108:GeorgeGemistusPletho，avariousandvoluminouswriter，themasterofBessarion，andallthePlatonistsofthetimes。HevisitedItalyinhisoldage，andsoonreturnedtoendhisdaysinPeloponnesus。SeethecuriousDiatribeofLeoAllatiusdeGeorgiis，inFabricius。Bibliot。Graec。tom。x。p。
　　739—756。]
　　[Footnote109:ThestateofthePlatonicphilosophyinItalyisillustratedbyBoivin，Mem。del'Acad。desInscriptions，tom。
　　ii。p。715—729，andTiraboschi，tom。vi。P。i。p。259—
　　288。]
　　IhavefairlyrepresentedtheliterarymeritsoftheGreeks；
　　yetitmustbeconfessed，thattheyweresecondedandsurpassedbytheardoroftheLatins。Italywasdividedintomanyindependentstates；andatthattimeitwastheambitionofprincesandrepublicstoviewitheachotherintheencouragementandrewardofliterature。ThefameofNicholastheFifth^110
　　hasnotbeenadequatetohismerits。Fromaplebeianoriginheraisedhimselfbyhisvirtueandlearning:thecharacterofthemanprevailedovertheinterestofthepope；andhesharpenedthoseweaponswhichweresoonpointedagainsttheRomanchurch。
　　^111Hehadbeenthefriendofthemosteminentscholarsoftheage:hebecametheirpatron；andsuchwasthehumilityofhismanners，thatthechangewasscarcelydiscernibleeithertothemortohimself。Ifhepressedtheacceptanceofaliberalgift，itwasnotasthemeasureofdesert，butastheproofofbenevolence；andwhenmodestmeritdeclinedhisbounty，"Acceptit，"wouldhesay，withaconsciousnessofhisownworth:"yewillnotalwayshaveaNicholasamongyou。"TheinfluenceoftheholyseepervadedChristendom；andheexertedthatinfluenceinthesearch，notofbenefices，butofbooks。FromtheruinsoftheByzantinelibraries，fromthedarkestmonasteriesofGermanyandBritain，hecollectedthedustymanuscriptsofthewritersofantiquity；