not subjected to the will of an individual as in many of the surrounding states, not restricted 12 like that of Venice 13 to 14 a particular class, was a constant incitement 15 to exertion. Nor 16 was it on the great body 17 of the people only that the good effects of this system 18 were apparent19; even those who claimed 20 the privileges 21 of ancestry 22 felt the advantages of a rivalship 23, which prevented their sinking 24 into indolence 25, and called upon 26 them to support by their own talents the rank and influence which they had derived 27 from 28 those of their ancestors.29 Where the business 30 of government is confined 31 to a few, the faculties 32 of the many 33 become torpid 34 for 35 want of 36 exercise; but in Florence, every citizen was conversant with 37, and might hope, at least, to partake in 38 the government and hence was derived 39 that spirit of industry which, in the pursuit 40 of41 wealth, and the extension 42 of commerce 43. 3, was, amidst all their intestine broils 44, so conspicuous 45 and so successful.46 The fatigues 47 of public life, and the cares' 48 of mercantile 49 avocations 50, were alleviated 51 at time 52 by the study of literature or the speculations 53 of 54 philosophy. A rational 55 and dignified 56 employment engaged 57 those moments of leisure 58 not "umgrånzend. 12 beschränken. 13 Venedig. 14 auf. 15 Sporn, m. 16 auch nicht, and leave out was it and that, and put were between 18 Staatssystem, n. 19 sichtbar. auch and nicht. 17 Masse, f. 20 Anspruch machen auf. Art. 23 Wetteifer, m. 21 Vorrecht. 24 versinken. 29 Voråltern. 27 gewinnen. 28 durch. schränken auf. 32 Fähigkeit. 34 verdumpfen to become torpid. 22 Ahnenreihe, f., with Indef. 25 Trägheit. 26 auffordern. 30 Geschäft, n., take pl. 31 ein= 33 say, the great multitude Menge. 35 15 aus. 36 37 an. say, had knowledge of the government (Regierungswesen), and might -to partake (Theil nehmen) in it. 38 an. 39 kommen. 40 Streben. 41 nach. breitung. 43 Handel, m. 44 innere Zwistigkeiten. 42 Aus 45 in die Augen springend. 46 erfolgreich. 47 Beschwerde. 48 Mühseligkeit. 49 kaufmännisch. 50 Geschäft 51 mildern. 52 zu Zeiten. 53 Versenkung, sing. 54 in. 55 vernünftig. 56 würdevoll. 57 ausfüllen. 58 Muße, f. necessarily devoted to more important concerns, and the mind was relaxed 60 without being debilitated 61, and amused 62 without being depraved.63 The superiority which the Florentines thus acquired, was universally acknowledged; and they became the historians, the poets, the orators, and the preceptors of Europe.-Roscoe's Life of Lorenzo de' Medici. XXIX. ON DR. JOHNSON'S LIVES OF THE POETS. THE life of Pope2 by Dr. Johnson has been considered as one of the best of3 that series which, unfortunately for the memory of our national poets" and the character of our national poetry, he was induced to undertake. Throughout the whole of those lives there appears an assumption 10 of superiority in the biographer 12 over the subjects 13 of his labours 14, which diminishes 15 the idea 16 of their talents17, and leaves18 an unfavourable impression 19 on their moral character. It could only be 20 from 21 the representation 22 of Johnson, that so amiable a 11 Cowper 23 could thus close 24 his remarks on 25 reading the lives of the British poets. After all 26, it is a melancholy 27 observation 28, which it is impossible not to make 29, after having run through 30 this series of poetic lives, that where there were such shining talents, there should be so little 62 60 sich erholen. 61 sich abschwächen. unterhalten. 63 verderben. 2 and when it is as much as taken from Lebensbeschreibung. 5 Volksdichter. 6 Volkspoesie. 7 bewegen. durch, and put hindurch after the Acc. 9 say, all these. 10 Anmaßung. "Ueberlegenheit. 12 Lebensbeschreiber. 13 Gegenstand, sing. 14 take the sing. 15 verringern. 16 Begriff. 17 Talent, n. 18 zurücklassen. 19 Mahl, n. was. 24 beschließen. 25 20 21 durch. 22 Darstellung. 23 add say, come. say, after he had read. 26 am Ende, and insert doch after it. 27 traurig. 28 Gedanke. 29. say, arrive at. 30 durchlaufen. S virtue. These luminaries 31 of our country seem to have been kindled 32 into a brighter 33 blaze 34 than others, only that their spots 35 might be more noticed 36; so much can nature do for our intellectual 37 part 38, and so little for our moral.-Roscoe's Life of Pope. XXX. STUDY OF ANCIENT LITERATURE IN ITALY. THE extreme1 avidity2 for3 the works of the ancient writers which distinguished the early part of the fifteenth century, announced the near approach of more enlightened' times. Whatever were the causes that determined men of wealth and learning to exert themselves so strenuously in this pursuit 10, certain it is that their interference11 was of the highest importance to the interests 12 of posterity; and that if it had been much longer delayed 13, the loss would have been in a great 14 degree irreparable 15, such of the manuscripts as then existed 16 of the ancient Greek and Roman authors, being mouldered 17 in obscure 18 corners a prey to oblivion and neglect,20 It was therefore a circumstance productive of21 the happiest consequences 22, that the pursuits 23 of the opulent 24 were at this time directed 25 rather towards the recovery' 26 of the works of the ancients, than to the encouragement27 of contemporary 28 merit 29; a fact that may serve in some degree 30 to 31 Sternlicht, n. (pl.—er). 32 ent flammen. 35 Fleck, m. 36 33 hell. 19 34 Gluth, f. say, strike the eye ins Auge fallen. 37 geistig. 38 Kraft, and take plural. 8 9 'höchst. 2 Begierde. 3nach. ‘auszeichnen. 5 verkündigen. “Dåmmerung, lit. dawn. 7aufgeklärt. 9 bestimmen. eifrig. 10 Streben. "Dazwischenkunft. 12 Wohl, sing. 13verschieben. 141 14 hoch. 15 unerseßlich. 16 vorhanden sein. 17 to be mouldered vermodern. 18 finster. 19 Winkel, m. 20 Vernachlåssigung. 21 erzeugend. 22 Folge. 23 Bestrebung. 24 Wohlhabend. 25 richten. 26 Wiedererlangung. 27 Ermunterung. gleichzeitig. 29 Verdienst, n. -28 30 einiger Maßen. account for the dearth 32 of original 33 literary 34 productions 35 during this interval. Induced 36 by the rewards that invariably 37 attended a successful inquiry 38, those men who possessed any considerable share 39 of 40 learning, devoted themselves to this occupation, and to such a degree of enthusiasm11 was it carried 42, that the discovery of an ancient manuscript was regarded almost equivalent 43 to 44 the conquest of a kingdom.-Roscoe's Life of Lorenzo de' Medici. XXXI. CHARACTER OF THE EARL OF STRAFFORD. 11 THOMAS Wentworth, successively created2 Lord Wentworth and Earl3 of Strafford, a man of great abilities*, eloquence, and courage, but of a cruel and imperious" nature, was the counsellor 6 most trusted' in political and military affairs. He had been one of the most distinguished members of the opposition, and felt towards those whom he had deserted 10 that peculiar 11 malignity 12 which has, in all ages 13, been characteristic 14 of apostates.15 He perfectly understood the feelings, the resources, and the policy 16 of the party to which he had lately belonged, and had formed 17 a vast 18 and deeply meditated 19 scheme 20 which very nearly confounded even the able 22 tactics 23 of the statesmen by whom the House of Commons 24 had 31 erklären. 32 Urmuth, an. 33 36 bewegen. 37 unwandelbar. freigeschaffen. 34 literarisch. 35 Leistung. 41 Begeisterung. 42 treiben. 43 von gleichem Werthe achten. 5 8 9 4 40 an. 44 mit. 'hinter einander. 2 machen zu. 3 Graf (Gen.-en). Fähigkeit. herrschsüchtig. "Rathgeber. 7 vertrauen auf, and say, in whom they must trusted. Mitglied, n. Gegenpartei, f. 10 abfallen von. 12 Groll, m. 13 " eigenthümlich. 14 say, at all times. bezeichnend für. abtrünniger Mensch. 16 Bestreben. 17 entwerfen. 18 weit umfassend. 15 21 19 erdenken. 20 Plan, m. in Verwirrung bringen. fahren. 24 Gemein, to be used as a Substantive. 22 klug. 23 Ver been directed.25 To this scheme, in his confidential 26 correspondence 27, he gave the expressive 28 name of "Thorough."29 His object 30 was to do in England all, and more than all, that Richelieu was doing in France; to make Charles a monarch as absolute 31 as any on the continent 32; to put 33 the estates 34 and the personal liberty of the whole people at the disposal 35 of the crown; to deprive the courts of law 36 of all independent 37 authority 38, even in ordinary 39 questions 40 of civil right11 between man and man, and to punish with merciless 42 rigour 43 all who murmured 44 at the acts 45 of the government, or who applied 46 even in the most decent 47 and regular manner, to any tribunal 48 for 49 relief50 against those acts.Macaulay's History of England. XXXII. CHRistian, King OE DENMARK and Sweden, IN ITALY. IN the year 1474, under1 the magistracy of Donato Acciajuoli, a singular visitor? arrived at Florence. This was Christian, king of Denmark and Sweden, who was journeying to Rome, for the purpose3, it was alleged1, of discharging 5 a vow.6 He is described by the Florentine historians as of graves aspect9, with a long and white beard, and although considered as a barbarian, they admit10 that the qualities of his mind did not derogate from 11 the 25 leiten. 30 26 vertraut. 31 40 32 28 29 ausdrucksvoll. durch. 27 Briefwechsel, m. unumschränkt. festes Land.. 33 stellen. 34 Gut. 35 zur 37 unabhängig. 38 Gewalt. ge= 36 Gerichtshof, m. Ziel, n. Verfügung. wöhnlich. Sache. 41 Privatrecht. 42 unbarmherzig. 45 Handlung. 46 16 sich berufen auf. 49 say, in order to obtain relief. 50 Hülfe. 44 murren über. 48 Tribunal, n. 1 I unter der Magistratur. 2 Gast. 3 in der Absicht. 10 zugeben. 11 Abbruch thun, with Dat. 39 43 Strenge. 47 bescheiden. |