[Footnote 307: In the register of his death he is described as Vespasiano, Cartolaro.] [Footnote 308: See Rosmini, _Vita di Filelfo_, vol. ii. p. 201. 'I have made up my mind to buy some of those codices they are now making without any trouble, and without the pen, but with certain so-called types, and which seem to be the work of a skilled and exact scribe. Tell me, then, at what price are sold the _Natural History_ of Pliny, the three Decades of Livy, and Aulus Gellius.' Letter to Nicodemo Tranchedino, sent from Siena to Rome, dated July 25, 1470.] [Footnote 309: See this passage from a panegyric quoted by Angelo Mai:--'Tu profecto in hoc nostro deteriori sæculo hebraicæ, græcæ atque latinæ linguarum, omnium voluminum dignorum memoratu notitiam, eorumque auctores memoriæ tradidisti.'--_Vite di Uomini Illustri_, preface, p. xxiii.] CHAPTER VI THIRD PERIOD OF HUMANISM Improvement in Taste and Criticism -- Coteries and Academies -- Revival of Italian Literature -- Printing -- Florence, the Capital of Learning -- Lorenzo de' Medici and his Circle -- Public Policy of Lorenzo -- Literary Patronage -- Variety of his Gifts -- Meetings of the Platonic Society -- Marsilio Ficino -- His Education for Platonic Studies -- Translations of Plato and the Neoplatonists -- Harmony between Plato and Christianity -- Giovanni Pico -- His First Appearance in Florence -- His Theses proposed at Rome -- Censure of the Church -- His Study of the Cabbala -- Large Conception of Learning -- Occult Science -- Cristoforo Landino -- Professor of Fine Literature -- Virgilian Studies -- Camaldolese Disputations -- Leo Battista Alberti -- His Versatility -- Bartolommeo Scala -- Obscure Origin -- Chancellor of Florence -- Angelo Poliziano -- Early Life -- Translation of Homer -- The 'Homericus Juvenis' -- True Genius in Poliziano -- Command of Latin and Greek -- Resuscitation of Antiquity in his own Person -- His Professorial Work -- The 'Miscellanea' -- Relation to Medici -- Roman Scholarship in this Period -- Pius II. -- Pomponius Lætus -- His Academy and Mode of Life -- Persecution under Paul II. -- Humanism at Naples -- Pontanus -- His Academy -- His Writings -- Academies established in all Towns of Italy -- Introduction of Printing -- Sweynheim and Pannartz -- The Early Venetian Press -- Florence -- Cennini -- Alopa's Homer -- Change in Scholarship effected by Printing -- The Life of Aldo Manuzio -- The Princely House of Pio at Carpi -- Greek Books before Aldo -- The Aldine Press at Venice -- History of its Activity -- Aldo and Erasmus -- Aldo and the Greek Refugees -- Aldo's Death -- His family and Successors -- The Neacademia -- The Salvation of Greek Literature.