the civilization of the renaissance in italy-第58部分

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dual。　At　Florence；　　indeed；　there　was　a　brief　period　when　dress　was　a　purely　personal　　matter；　and　every　man　set　the　fashion　for　himself；　and　till　far　into　　the　sixteenth　century　there　were　exceptional　people　who　still　had　the　　courage　to　do　so；　and　the　majority　at　all　events　showed　themselves　　capable　of　varying　the　fashion　according　to　their　individual　tastes。　It　　is　a　symptom　of　decline　when　Giovanni　della　Casa　warns　his　readers　not　　to　be　singular　or　to　depart　from　existing　fashions　Our　own　age；　which；　　in　men's　dress　at　any　rate；　treats　uniformity　as　the　supreme　law；　gives　　up　by　so　doing　far　more　than　it　is　aware　of。　But　it　saves　itself　much　　time；　and　this；　according　to　our　notions　of　business；　outweighs　all　　other　disadvantages。

In　Venice　and　Florence　at　the　time　of　the　Renaissance　there　were　rules　　and　regulations　prescribing　the　dress　of　the　men　and　restraining　the　　luxury　of　the　women。　Where　the　fashions　were　more　free；　as　in　Naples；　　the　moralists　confess　with　regret　that　no　difference　can　be　observed　　between　noble　and　burgher。　They　further　deplore　the　rapid　changes　of　　fashion；　andif　we　rightly　understand　their　wordsthe　senseless　　idolatry　of　whatever　comes　from　France；　though　in　many　cases　the　　fashions　which　were　received　back　from　the　French　were　originally　　Italian。　It　does　not　further　concern　us　how　far　these　frequent　changes；　　and　the　adoption　of　French　and　Spanish　ways；　contributed　to　the　　national　passion　for　external　display；　but　we　find　in　them　additional　　evidence　of　the　rapid　movement　of　life　in　Italy　in　the　decades　before　　and　after　the　year　1500。

We　may　note　in　particular　the　efforts　of　the　women　to　alter　their　　appearance　by　all　the　means　which　the　toilette　could　afford。　In　no　　country　of　Europe　since　the　fall　of　the　Roman　Empire　was　so　much　　trouble　taken　to　modify　the　face；　the　color　of　the　skin　and　the　growth　　of　the　hair；　as　in　Italy　at　this　time。　All　tended　to　the　formation　of　a　　conventional　type；　at　the　cost　of　the　most　striking　and　transparent　　deceptions。　Leaving　out　of　account　costume　in　general；　which　in　the　　fourteenth　century　was　in　the　highest　degree　varied　in　color　and　loaded　　with　ornament；　and　at　a　later　period　assumed　a　character　of　more　　harmonious　richness；　we　here　limit　ourselves　more　particularly　to　the　　toilette　in　the　narrower　sense。

No　sort　of　ornament　was　more　in　use　than　false　hair；　often　made　of　　white　or　yellow　silk。81　The　law　denounced　and　forbade　it　in　vain；　till　　some　preacher　of　repentance　touched　the　worldly　minds　of　the　wearers。　　Then　was　seen；　in　the　middle　of　the　public　square；　a　lofty　pyre　　（talamo）；　on　which；　besides　lutes；　diceboxes；　masks；　magical　charms；　　song…books；　and　other　vanities；　lay　masses　of　false　hair；　which　the　　purging　fires　soon　turned　into　a　heap　of　ashes。　The　ideal　color　sought　　for　both　natural　and　artificial　hair　was　blond。　And　as　the　sun　was　　supposed　to　have　the　power　of　making　the　hair　this　color；　many　ladies　　would　pass　their　whole　time　in　the　open　air　on　sunshiny　days。　Dyes　and　　other　mixtures　were　also　used　freely　for　the　same　purpose。　Besides　all　　these；　we　meet　with　an　endless　list　of　beautifying　waters；　plasters；　　and　paints　for　every　single　part　of　the　faceeven　for　the　teeth　and　　eyelidsof　which　in　our　day　we　can　form　no　conception。　The　ridicule　of　　the　poets；　the　invectives　of　the　preachers；　and　the　experience　of　the　　baneful　effects　of　these　cosmetics　on　the　skin；　were　powerless　to　　hinder　women　from　giving　their　faces　an　unnatural　form　and　color。　It　is　　possible　that　the　frequent　and　splendid　representations　of　Mysteries；82　　at　which　hundreds　of　people　appeared　painted　and　masked；　helped　to　　further　this　practice　in　daily　life。　It　is　certain　that　it　was　　widespread；　and　that　the　countrywomen　vied　in　this　respect　with　their　　sisters　in　the　towns。　It　was　vain　to　preach　that　such　decorations　were　　the　mark　of　the　courtesan；　the　most　honorable　matrons；　who　all　the　year　　round　never　touched　paint；　used　it　nevertheless　on　holidays　when　they　　showed　themselves　in　public。　But　whether　we　look　on　this　bad　habit　as　a　　remnant　of　barbarism；　to　which　the　painting　of　savages　is　a　parallel；　　or　as　a　consequence　of　the　desire　for　perfect　youthful　beauty　in　　feature　and　in　color；　as　the　art　and　complexity　of　the　toilette　would　　lead　us　to　thinkin　either　case　there　was　no　lack　of　good　advice　on　　the　part　of　the　men。　The　use　of　perfumes；　too；　went　beyond　all　　reasonable　limits。　They　were　applied　to　everything　with　which　human　　beings　came　into　contact。　At　festivals　even　the　mules　were　treated　with　　scents　and　ointments；　and　Pietro　Aretino　thanks　Cosimo　I　for　a　perfumed　　roll　of　money。

The　Italians　of　that　day　lived　in　the　belief　that　they　were　more　　cleanly　than　other　nations。　There　are　in　fact　general　reasons　which　　speak　rather　for　than　against　this　claim。　Cleanliness　is　indispensable　　to　our　modern　notion　of　social　perfection；　which　was　developed　in　Italy　　earlier　than　elsewhere。　That　the　Italians　were　one　of　the　richest　of　　existing　peoples；　is　another　presumption　in　their　favour。　Proof；　either　　for　or　against　these　pretensions；　can　of　course　never　be　forthcoming；　　and　if　the　question　were　one　of　priority　in　establishing　rules　of　　cleanliness；　the　chivalrous　poetry　of　the　Middle　Ages　is　perhaps　in　　advance　of　anything　that　Italy　can　produce。　It　is　nevertheless　certain　　that　the　singular　neatness　and　cleanliness　of　some　distinguished　　representatives　of　the　Renaissance；　especially　in　their　behavior　at　　meals；　was　noticed　expressly；83　and　that　'German'　was　the　synonym　in　　Italy　for　all　that　is　filthy。　The　dirty　habits　which　Massimiliano　　Sforza　picked　up　in　the　course　of　his　German　education；　and　the　notice　　they　attracted　on　his　return　to　Italy；　are　recorded　by　Giovio。　It　is　at　　the　same　time　very　curious　that；　at　least　in　the　fifteenth　century；　the　　inns　and　hotels　were　left　chiefly　in　the　hands　of　Germans；　who　　probably；　however；　made　their　profit　mostly　out　of　the　pilgrims　　journeying　to　Rome。　Yet　the　statements　on　this　point　may　refer　mainly　　to　the　country　districts；　since　it　is　notorious　that　in　the　great　　cities　Italian　hotels　held　the　first　place。　The　want　of　decent　inns　in　　the　country　may　also　be　explained　by　the　general　insecurity　of　life　and　　property。

To　the　first　half　of　the　sixteenth　century　belongs　the　manual　of　　politeness　which　Giovanni　della　Casa；　a　Florentine　by　birth；　published　　under　the　title　'Il　Galateo。'　Not　only　cleanliness　in　the　strict　sense　　of　the　word；　but　the　dropping　of　all　the　habits　which　we　consider　　unbecoming；　is　here　prescribed　with　the　same　unfailing　tact　with　which　　the　moralist　discerns　the　highest　ethical　truths。　In　the　literature　of　　other　countries　the　same　lessons　are　taught；　though　less　　systematically；　by　the　indirect　influence　of　repulsive　descriptions。

In　other　respects　also；　the　'Galateo'　is　a　graceful　and　in…　telligent　　guide　to　good　mannersa　school　of　tact　and　delicacy。　Even　now　it　may　　be　read　with　no　small　profit　by　people　of　all　classes；　and　the　　politeness　of　European　nations　is　not　likely　to　outgrow　its　precepts。　　So　far　as　tact　is　an　affair　of　the　heart；　it　has　been　inborn　in　some　　men　from　the　dawn　of　civilization；　and　acquired　through　force　of　will　　by　others；　but　the　Italians　were　the　first　to　recognize　it　as　a　　universal　social　duty　and　a　mark　of　culture　and　education。　And　Italy　　itself　had　altered　much　in　the　course　of　two　centuries。　We　feel　at　　their　close　that　the　time　for　practical　jokes　between　friends　and　　acquaintances　for　'burle'　and　'beffe'was　over　in　good　society；　that　　the　people　had　emerged　from　the　walls　of　the　cities　and　had　learned　a　　cosmopolitan　politeness　and　consideration。　We　shall　speak　later　on　of　　the　intercourse　of　society　in　the　narrower　sense。

Outward　life；　indeed；　in　the　fifteenth　and　the　early　part　of　the　　sixteenth　centuries；　was　polished　and　ennobled　as　among　？no　other　　people　in　the　world。　A　countless　number　of　those　small　things　and　great　　things　which　combine　to　make　up　what　we：　mean　by　comfort；　we　know　to　　have　first　appeared　in　Italy。　In　｜　the　well…paved　streets　of　the　　Italian　cities；　driving　was　universal；　while　elsewhere　in　Europe　　walking　or　riding　was　the　custom；　and　at　all　events　no　one　drove　for　　amusement。　We　read　in　the　novelists　of　soft；　elastic　beads；　of　costly　　carpets　and　bedroom　furniture；　of　which　we　hear　nothing　in　other　　countries。　We　often　hear　especially　of　the　abundance　and　beauty　of　the　　linen。　Much　of　all　this　is　drawn　within　the　sphere　of　art。　We　note　with　　admiration　the　thousand　ways　in　which　art　ennobles　luxury；　not　only　　adorning　the　massive　sideboard　or　the　light　brackets　with　noble　vases；　　clothing　the　walls　with　the　movable　splendor　of　tapestry；　and　covering　　the　toilet…table　with　numberless　graceful　trifles；　but　absorbing　whole　　branches　of　mechanical　workespecially　carpenteringinto　its　　province。　All　Western　Europe；　as　soon　as　its　wealth　enabled　it　to　do　　so；　set　to　work　in　the　same　way　at　the　close　of　the　Middle　Ages。　But　　its　efforts　produced　either　childish　and　fantastic　toy…work；　or　were　　bound　by　the　chains　of　a　narrow　and　purely　Gothic　art；　while　the　　Renaissance　moved　freely；　entering　into　the　spirit　of　every　task　it　　undertook　and　working　for　a　far　larger　circle　of　patrons　and　admirers　　than　the　northern　artists。　The　rapid　victory　of　Italian　decorative　art　　over　northern　in　the　course　sixteenth　century　is　due　partly　to　this　　fact；　though　the　result　of　wider　and　more　general　causes。

Language　and　Society

The　higher　forms　of　social　intercourse；　which　here　meet　us　as　a　work　of　　artas　a　conscious　product　and　one　of　the　highest　products　of　national　　life　have　no　more　important　foundation　and　condition　than　language。　In　　the　most　flourishing　period　of　the　Middle　Ages；　the　nobility　of　Western　　Europe　had　sought　to　establish　a　'courtly'　speech　for　social　　intercourse　as　well　as　for　poetry。　In　Italy；　too；　where　the　dialects　　differed　so　greatly　from　one　another；　we　find　in　the　thirteenth　century　　a　so…called　'Curiale；'　which　was　common　to　the　courts　and　to　the　poets。　　It　is　of　decisive　importance　for　Italy　that　the　attempt　was　there　　seriously　and　deliberately　made　to　turn　this　into　the　language　of　　literature　and　society。　The　introduction　to　the　'Cento　Novelle　　Antiche；'　which　were　put　into　their　present　sh