第 35 节
作者:九十八度      更新:2021-02-20 05:40      字数:9322
  nd was on the point of starting on his journey;  he was arrested by the Florentine government and only released on  payment of bail to the amount of 18;000 gold florins。 The high  estimation in which these branches of science were held makes it  intelligible why distinguished philologists turned their attention to  law and medicine; while on the other hand specialists were more and  more compelled to acquire something of a wide literary culture。 We  shall presently have occasion to speak of the work of the humanists in  other departments of practical life。
  Nevertheless; the position of the philologists; as such; even where the  salary was large; and did not exclude other sources of income; was on  the whole uncertain and temporary; so that one and the same teacher  could be connected with a great variety of institutions。 It is evident  that change was desired for its own sake; and something fresh expected  from each newcomer; as was natural at a time when science was in the  making; and consequently depended to no small degree on the personal  influence of the teacher。 Nor was it always the case that a lecturer on  classical authors really belonged to the university of the town where  he taught。 Communication was so easy; and the supply of suitable  accommodation; in monasteries and elsewhere; was so abundant; that a  private appointment was often practicable。 In the first decades of the  fifteenth century; when the University of Florence was at its greatest  brilliance; when the courtiers of Eugenius IV; and perhaps even of  Martin V thronged the lecture…room; when Carlo Aretino and Filelfo were  competing for the largest audience; there existed; not only an almost  complete university among the Augustinians of Santo Spirito; not only  an association of scholars among the Camaldolesi of the Angeli; but  individuals of mark; either singly or in common; arranged to provide  philosophical and philological teaching for themselves and others。  Linguistic and antiquarian studies in Rome had next to no connection  with the university (Sapienza); and depended almost exclusively either  on the favour of individual popes and prelates; or on the appointments  made in the Papal chancery。 It was not till Leo X (1513) that the great  reorganization of the Sapienza took place; which now had eighty…eight  lecturers; among whom there were the most able men of Italy; reading  and interpreting the class;cs。 But this new brilliancy was of short  duration。 We have already spoken briefly of the Greek professorships in  Italy。
  To form an accurate picture of the method of scientific instruction  then pursued; we must turn away our eyes as far as possible from our  present academic system。 Personal intercourse between the teachers and  the taught; public disputations; the constant use of Latin and often of  Greek; the frequent changes of lecturers and the scarcity of books;  gave the studies of that time a color which we cannot represent to  ourselves without effort。
  There were Latin schools in every town of the least importance; not by  any means merely as preparatory to higher education; but because; next  to reading; writing; and arithmetic; the knowledge of Latin was a  necessity; and after Latin came logic。 It is to be noted particularly  that these schools did not depend on the Church; but on the  municipality; some of them; too; were merely private enterprises。
  This school system; directed by a few distinguished humanists; not only  attained a remarkable perfection of organization; but became an  instrument of higher education in the modern sense of the phrase。 With  the education of the children of two princely houses in North Italy  institutions were connected which may be called unique of their kind。
  At the court of Giovan Francesco Gonzaga at Mantua (1407…1444) appeared  the illustrious Vittorino da Feltre; one of those men who devote their  whole life to an object for which their natural gifts constitute a  special vocation。
  He directed the education of the sons and daughters of the princely  house; and one of the latter became under his care a woman of learning。  When his reputation extended far and wide over Italy; and members of  great and wealthy families came from long distances; even from Germany;  in search of his instructions; Gonzaga was not only willing that they  should be received; but seems to have held it an honour for Mantua to  be the chosen school of the aristocratic world。 Here for the first time  gymnastics and all noble bodily exercises were treated along with  scientific instruction as indispensable to a liberal education。 Besides  these pupils came others; whose instruction Vittorino probably held to  be his highest earthly aim; the gifted poor; whom he supported in his  house and educated; 'per l'amore di Dio;' along with the highborn  youths who here learned to live under the same roof with untitled  genius。 Gonzaga paid him a yearly salary of 300 gold florins; and  contributed to the expenses caused by the poorer pupils。 He knew that  Vittorino never saved a penny for himself; and doubtless realized that  the education of the poor was the unexpressed condition of his  presence。 The establishment was conducted on strictly religious lines;  stricter indeed than many monasteries。
  More stress was laid on pure scholarship by Guarino of Verona (1370… 1460); who in the year 1429 was called to Ferrara by Niccolo d'Este to  educate his son Lionello; and who; when his pupil was nearly grown up  in 1436; began to teach at the university of eloquence and of the  ancient languages。 While still acting as tutor to Lionello; he had many  other pupils from various parts of the country; and in his own house a  select class of poor scholars; whom he partly or wholly supported。 His  evening hours till far into the night were devoted to hearing lessons  or to instructive conversation。 His house; too; was the home of a  strict religion and morality。 It signified little to him or to  Vittorino that most of the humanists of their day deserved small praise  in the matter of morals or religion。 It is inconceivable how Guarino;  with all the daily work which fell upon him; still found time to write  translations from the Greek and voluminous original works。
  Not only in these two courts; but generally throughout Italy; the  education of the princely families was in part and for certain years in  the hands of the humanists; who thereby mounted a step higher in the  aristocratic world。 The writing of treatises on the education of  princes; formerly the business of theologians; fell now within their  province。
  From the time of Pier Paolo Vergerio the Italian princes were well  taken care of in this respect; and the custom was transplanted into  Germany by Aeneas Sylvius; who addressed detailed exhortations to two  young German princes of the House of Habsburg on the subject of their  further education; in which they are both urged; as might be expected;  to cultivate and nurture humanism。 Perhaps Aeneas was aware that in  addressing these youths he was talking in the air; and therefore took  measures to put his treatise into public circulation。 But the relations  of the humanists to the rulers will be discussed separately。 We have  here first to speak of those citizens; mostly Florentines; who made  antiquarian interests one of the chief objects of their lives; and who  were themselves either distinguished scholars; or else distinguished  _dilettanti _who maintained the scholars。 They were of peculiar  significance during the period of transition at the beginning of the  fifteenth century; since it was in them that humanism first showed  itself practically as an indispensable element in daily life。 It was  not till after this time that the popes and princes began seriously to  occupy themselves with it。
  Niccolo Niccoli and Giannozzo Manetti have been already spoken of more  than once。 Niccoli is described to us by Vespasiano as a man who would  tolerate nothing around him out of harmony with his own classical  spirit。 His handsome long…robed figure; his kindly speech; his house  adorned with the noblest remains of antiquity; made a singular  impression。 He was scrupulously cleanly in everything; most of all at  table; where ancient vases and crystal goblets stood before him on the  whitest linen。 The way in which he won over a pleasure…loving young  Florentine to intellectual interests is too charming not to be here  described。 Piero de' Pazzi; son of a distinguished merchant; and  himself destined to the same calling; fair to behold; and much given to  the pleasures of the world; thought about anything rather than  literature。 One day; as he was passing the Palazzo del Podesta; Niccolo  called the young man to him; and although they had never before  exchanged a word; the youth obeyed the call of one so respected。  Niccolo asked him who his father was。 He answered; 'Messer Andrea de'  Pazzi。' When he was further asked what his pursuit was; Piero replied;  as young people are wont to do; 'I enjoy myself' ('attendo a darmi buon  tempo')。 Niccolo said to him; 'As son of such a father; and so fair to  look upon; it is a shame that thou knowest nothing of the Latin  language; which would be so great an ornament to thee。 If thou le