FIRST PERIOD OF HUMANISM Condition of the Universities in Italy -- Bologna -- High Schools founded from it -- Naples under Frederick II. -- Under the House of Anjou -- Ferrara -- Piacenza -- Perugia -- Rome -- Pisa -- Florence -- Imperial and Papal Charters -- Foreign Students -- Professorial Staff -- Subjects taught in the High Schools -- Place assigned to Humanism -- Pay of the Professors of Eloquence -- Francesco Filelfo -- The Humanists less powerful at the Universities -- Method of Humanistic Teaching -- The Book Market before Printing -- Mediæval Libraries -- Cost of Manuscripts -- 'Stationarii' and 'Peciarii' -- Negligence of Copyists -- Discovery of Classical Codices -- Boccaccio at Monte Cassino -- Poggio at Constance -- Convent of S. Gallen -- Bruni's Letter to Poggio -- Manuscripts Discovered by Poggio -- Nicholas of Treves -- Collection of Greek Manuscripts -- Aurispa, Filelfo, and Guarino -- The Ruins of Rome -- Their Influence on Humanism -- Dante and Villani -- Rienzi -- His Idealistic Patriotism -- Vanity -- Political Incompetence -- Petrarch's Relations with Rienzi -- Injury to Monuments in Rome -- Poggio's Roman Topography -- Sentimental Feeling for the Ruins of Antiquity -- Ciriac of Ancona 83 CHAPTER IV SECOND PERIOD OF HUMANISM Intricacy of the Subject -- Division into Four Periods -- Place of Florence -- Social Conditions favourable to Culture -- Palla degli Strozzi -- His Encouragement of Greek Studies -- Plan of a Public Library -- His Exile -- Cosimo de' Medici -- His Patronage of Learning -- Political Character -- Love of Building -- Generosity to Students -- Foundation of Libraries -- Vespasiano and Thomas of Sarzana -- Niccolo de' Niccoli -- His Collection of Codices -- Description of his Mode of Life -- His Fame as a Latinist -- Lionardo Bruni -- His Biography -- Translations from the Greek -- Latin Treatises and Histories -- His Burial in Santa Croce -- Carlo Aretino -- Fame as a Lecturer -- The Florentine Chancery -- Matteo Palmieri -- Giannozzo Manetti -- His Hebrew Studies -- His Public Career -- His Eloquence -- Manetti ruined by the Medici -- His Life in Exile at Naples -- Estimate of his Talents -- Ambrogio Traversari -- Study of Greek Fathers -- General of the Camaldolese Order -- Humanism and Monasticism -- The Council of Florence -- Florentine Opinion about the Greeks -- Gemistos Plethon -- His Life -- His Philosophy -- His Influence at Florence -- Cosimo de' Medici and the Florentine Academy -- Study of Plato -- Plethon's Writings -- Platonists and Aristotelians in Italy and Greece -- Bessarion -- His Patronage of Greek Refugees in Rome -- Humanism in the Smaller Republics -- In Venice 115 CHAPTER V SECOND PERIOD OF HUMANISM