The good old times—Moral degeneration—Ambition, money—Evil, to be cured homœopathically as in Italy, or allopathically as in Germany?—Virtue, must it necessarily be tiresome?—Raphael’s embarrassment—The antiplatonists—Louise of Savoy, Rabelais—The work of amelioration by two methods. (i) _The softening of virtue_—Different systems in regard to marriage; free union; system of contract; the double marriage—Firenzuola—Marriages of affection—Secondary platonism, a compromise—Alms without significance, to lure the human animal—Sipping at love, by way of Italian dilettantism—The attack—Love a dream—Prayer. (ii) _The ennoblement of vice_—Attempt at purification of carnal love—The Italian courtesans, and their moral influence—Tullia d’Aragona—Imperia—Venice—Francis I.—French system of the double household—Diana of Poitiers—Bembo in tears—Infatuation—The feminising of men—The question of the beard. Pages 325-371 CHAPTER III INTELLECTUAL INFLUENCE Conquest of men by mind—Army of intellectual women—Isabella d’Este—Anne of France—Margaret of France: her theory—The friends and guests of Margaret—Intellectual headquarters of France—Egerias —Difficulty of this government—Vittoria Colonna and Aretino—Flatteries and compliments—Supervision of manuscripts—Affection—Pecuniary aid—Necessity of feminine patronage. Pages 372-397 CHAPTER IV INTELLECTUAL INFLUENCE (_Continued_) Results of feminine influence—Literature in praise of women—Pompeo Colonna—Two schools of taste: passion, sensibility—Castiglione—Literature of conversation—Fugitive poems—Temples of high poetry—Literature of poodles and birds—The ancestor of Vert-Vert—Spanish women—France, Lyons—Accusation of frivolity—German scepticism—The struggle in France—For or against women—Timidity of Frenchwomen—Spirit of the prelates. Pages 398-421 CHAPTER V RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE