CHAPTER II.

ON THE LITERATURE OF EUROPE FROM 1400 TO 1440.

Zeal for Classical Literature in Italy 42

Poggio Bracciolini 42

Latin Style of that Age indifferent 43

Gasparin of Barziza 43

Merits of his Style 43

Victorin of Feltre 44

Leonard Aretin 44

Revival of Greek Language in Italy 44

Early Greek Scholars of Europe 44

Under Charlemagne and his Successors 45

In the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries 45

In the Twelfth 46

In the Thirteenth 46

Little Appearance of it in the Fourteenth Century 47

Some Traces of Greek in Italy 47

Corruption of Greek Language itself 47

Character of Byzantine Literature 48

Petrarch and Boccace learn Greek 48

Few acquainted with the Language in their Time 49

It is taught by Chrysoloras about 1395 49

His Disciples 49

Translations from Greek into Latin 50

Public Encouragement delayed 51

But fully accorded before 1440 51

Emigration of learned Greeks to Italy 52

Causes of Enthusiasm for Antiquity in Italy 52

Advanced State of Society 52

Exclusive Study of Antiquity 53

Classical Learning in France low 53

Much more so in England 53

Library of Duke of Gloucester 54

Gerard Groot’s College at Deventer 54

Physical Sciences in Middle Ages 55

Arabian Numerals and Method 55

Proofs of them in Thirteenth Century 56

Mathematical Treatises 56

Roger Bacon 57

His Resemblance to Lord Bacon 57

English Mathematicians of Fourteenth Century 57

Astronomy 58

Alchemy 58

Medicine 58

Anatomy 58

Encyclopædic Works of Middle Ages 58

Vincent of Beauvais 59

Berchorius 59

Spanish Ballads 59

Metres of Spanish Poetry 60

Consonant and assonant Rhymes 60

Nature of the Glosa 61

The Cancionero General 61

Bouterwek’s Character of Spanish Songs 61

John II. 62

Poets of his Court 62

Charles, Duke of Orleans 62

English Poetry 62

Lydgate 63

James I. of Scotland 63

Restoration of Classical Learning due to Italy 63

Character of Classical Poetry lost in Middle Ages 64

New School of Criticism in Modern Languages 64

Effect of Chivalry on Poetry 64

Effect of Gallantry towards Women 64

Its probable Origin 64

It is shown in old Teutonic Poetry;

but appears in the Stories of Arthur 65

Romances of Chivalry of two Kinds 65

Effect of Difference of Religion upon Poetry 66

General Tone of Romance 66

Popular Moral Fictions 66

Exclusion of Politics from Literature 67

Religious Opinions 67

Attacks on the Church 67

Three Lines of Religious Opinions in Fifteenth Century 67

Treatise de Imitatione Christi 68

Scepticism--Defences of Christianity 69

Raimond de Sebonde 69

His Views misunderstood 69

His real Object 70

Nature of his Arguments 70

Introduction to the Literature of Europe in the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Centuries, Vol. 2 · 第 2 / 52 章