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the Italians hypocritical, sensual and, worst of all, jealous to an absurd degree. They were called "inveigling underminers and deep dissemblers who when they have pried into your nature and are privy to your secrets will straight change their copy and show themselves in their colors." The gravity and dignity of Italians were, however, admired by all, even in after years, when the common idea of their treachery and sensuality had passed into a byword.

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Regarding the division of classes in Italy, an observer like Thomas was greatly impressed by the fact that the leading merchants were for the most part gentlemen. If there are three or four brothers, he wrote, one or two of them go into a trade; and in case they do not divide their father's patrimony, then the merchants work as well for their brothers' benefit as

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for their own. And inasmuch as their reputation does not suffer by reason of their trade, it follows that there are more wealthy men in Italy than in any other country, and there was nothing remarkable to find, in a single city, twenty people worth one hundred thousand crowns or more. Thomas admired the Italian artificers as being the finest and most inventive workmen of all others;" although they often acquired great wealth, they rarely rose in the social scale. The peasants, on the other hand, he found were every

1 Direction for Travailers.

2 Even Dallington in his Method for Travel alludes to it; cf. Sandys, Speculum Europæ, etc.

3 Op. cit., p. 5.

where oppressed, often not having enough to buy bread with. All wealthy people and gentlemen lived in the towns, renting their farms and pastures; but they had country houses, where they went in the heat of the summer, and there "under the fresh arbors, hedges, and boughs, amongst the delicate fruits, they triumph in as much pleasure as may be imagined. . . with some instrument of music and such other things as serve for his recreation. And if ever the tenant have good day, then licketh he his lips of his master's leavings."1

This contrast between the luxury and poverty of Italy greatly impressed Englishmen still unused to such extremes. Wealth in Italy was so unevenly divided that, while the rich people were the richest anywhere, the poor were likewise the poorest.2 Dallington remarked, when at Prato, that one-quarter of the population were bare-legged, so "that we know all is not gold in Italy, though many travellers, gazing only on the beauty of their cities, and the painted surface of their houses, think it the only Paradise of Europe. But if they would come with me

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Atque humiles intrare casas, et visere gentem

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they would surely grant that poverty and famine had not a greater kingdom." On the other hand, fifty years earlier, Thomas was struck by the luxury of the Milan2 Sandys, op. cit. 8 Dallington, Tuscany, p. 16.

1 Op. cit., p. 6.

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"there is almost no craftsman's wife in Milan, that hath not her gown of silk and her chain of gold; Hoby was similarly impressed by the magnificence he saw around him in the Italian cities.

The characteristic traits of the inhabitants of the different cities of Italy were likewise noticed, and also the uniformity of speech on the part of the better classes who 66 are brought up in the courtesan [language] only;" although between Florentines and Venetians there is as great a difference " as with us between a Londoner and a Yorkshireman.' "2 Venice in particular aroused the admiration of all, and even Languet excepted its citizens from his almost universal condemnation of the country. What observers particularly admired was that "unweaponed men in gowns should with such happiness of success give direction and law to many mighty and warlike armies both by sea and land, and that a single city unwalled and alone should command and overtop mighty kingdoms . . . sued unto for entertainment by the greatest princes and peers of Italy; amidst which infinite affluence of glory, and unmeasurable mightiness of power, of which there are in sovereignty partakers above three thousand gentlemen, yet is there not one among them to be found that doth aspire to any greater appellation of honor, or higher title of dignity than to be called 'A gentleman of Venice.'" 3 These lines were written at a time when all else in Italy was in decay; but a half century before, when the contrast was not so sharp, 1 Op. cit., p. 188. 2 Ibid., p. 3. 8 Lewkenor, Venice, preface.

Thomas remarked that if the Venetians had been men as were the Romans, and given as much to deeds on land as on water, "they might many years ago have subdued the world." As it was, their power had declined ever since the taking of Constantinople, and "they rather practise with money to buy and sell countries peace and war than to exercise deeds of arms; ... most Venetians are at these days become better merchants than men of war."1

Thomas, in his account of the private life of the Venetians, in spite of their alleged faults of sensuality, avarice and pride, observed many good qualities as well. He had met both old and young men who were all they ought to be. He tried to give both sides of their character, and allowed an imaginary Venetian to defend himself against his accusers; to justify his pride, because he was "a prince, and no subject," his frugality, since the state allowed no pomp or display, and his lending money to the commonwealth because it was of advantage to both parties. One other custom ↓ he noticed was the excessive liberty given to children. "One is no sooner out of the shell but he is hail fellow with father and friend." Altogether, in spite of the faults alleged against them, one cannot but be impressed by the greater breadth of view of the Venetians over the other Italians of the late sixteenth century. The English traveller could not, however, foresee that a far greater colonial empire than the 2 Ibid., p. 84 et seq.

1 Op. cit., p. 75.

• Ibid., p. 84.

one slipping from the Venetians' grasp would one day be the heritage of his own descendants, and that its possession would bring with it many of the qualities and faults he had noted as especially belonging to Venice.

The ordinary impression made by the Florentines was one of talkativeness and a great desire to appear eloquent. Thomas observed that "he is not reputed a man among them that cannot play the orator in his tale, as well in gesture as in word." Dallington, fifty years later, wrote that although he had heard much of the great wit of the Florentines he was unable to find it himself, whatever Machiavelli might say about it; the Florentine was good enough for conversation on frivolous subjects, but for nothing deeper. And this, though they "do all things alla mostra and speak always alla grande, witness their great houses, and small furniture of the one, their great words and small matter."" Everything was done for show, even their duels, where each party was well armed under his garments. He himself had seen "two gallants in Pisa fight thus completely provided where after a very furious encounter, and a most merciless shredding and slashing of their apparel, with a most desperate resolution to cut one another out of his clothes, they were (to the saving of many a stitch) parted and by mediation with much ado made friends."3

To follow the English traveller through the cities of Italy would be a study in itself. Each place excited

Op. cit., p. 139.

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2 Dallington, Tuscany, p. 61. • Ibid., p. 65.

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