" His patronage of Paolo Cortesio 87 " Enduring influence of his reign 88 " His widow 89 CHAPTER XXIII 1443-1508. The golden age of Italian letters and arts 93 " " Rich in scholars but poor in genius 94 " " Its prosaic tendency 94 " " The revival of learning 95 " " Promoted by the multiplicity of independent communities 97 " " Especially by the petty sovereigns 98 " " Adulatory tendency of such literature 99 " " A narrow patriotism generated 100 " " Taste for classical erudition, philology and grammar 101 " " The study of Latin induced pedantry and languid conventionality 102 " " The prosaic scholarism of this period 103 " " Tending to pagan ideas 103 " " The rival philosophies of Aristotle and Plato 105 " " Leading to fierce quarrels 106 " " Superseding Christian revelation 106 " " And eventually shaking Catholic unity 107 " " Influence of the Dukes of Urbino on letters 107 " " Mediocrity of many authors of local fame 108 CHAPTER XXIV 1412-1441. Letters of Count Guidantonio in favour of various learned men 109 1444-1482. Duke Federigo's love for literary converse 111 " " The academies 112 " " Fulsome dedications 112 1473. Gentile de' Becci 113 1480. Ludovico Odasio 114 Francesco Venturini 114 Guarniero Berni of Gubbio 115 1470-1555. Polydoro di Vergilio 115 " " His preferments in England 115 " " His English history 117 Vespasiano Filippi 118 1478-1529. Count Baldassare Castiglione 119 " " His _Cortegiano_ 119 " " Compared with Machiavelli's _Principe_ 120 " " His letter to Henry VIII. regarding Duke Guidobaldo 121 " " His poetry 121