Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 45469-h.htm or 45469-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/45469/45469-h/45469-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/45469/45469-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/twofirstcenturie00villuoft Transcribers' note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). A carat character is used to denote superscription. Superscripted characters are enclosed by curly brackets (example: CC^{o}). Chapter IX does not have a section VII. This appears to be a misprint, not missing text. THE TWO FIRST CENTURIES OF FLORENTINE HISTORY * * * * * * BY THE SAME AUTHOR THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GIROLAMO SAVONAROLA. Fully Illustrated. Large crown 8vo, cloth, 2_s._ 6_d._ _net_. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLI. With Photogravure Frontispiece. Large crown 8vo, cloth, 2_s._ 6_d._ _net_. THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS OF ITALY. With Frontispiece and Maps. Two vols. Demy 8vo, cloth, 32_s_. STUDIES HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL. With Seven Photogravure Plates. Demy 8vo, cloth, 15_s._ _net_. LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN. * * * * * * [Illustration: THE MERCATO VECCHIO BEFORE ITS DEMOLITION.] THE TWO FIRST CENTURIES OF FLORENTINE HISTORY The Republic and Parties at the Time of Dante by PROFESSOR PASQUALE VILLARI Translated by Linda Villari FOURTH IMPRESSION Illustrated London T. Fisher Unwin 1 Adelphi Terrace 1908 AUTHOR'S PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH VERSION. _Before deciding to issue this translation I had first to reflect whether my Florentine studies could be of any use to the English public. Since Roscoe's day English literature has been enriched by works of much importance on different phases of the political, literary, and artistic history of Florence. Both Napier and Trollope have bequeathed very complete narratives of Florentine events, and translations of notable foreign works have also been produced. But nearly all these works appeared before any scientific research as to the origin of the City and Commonwealth had begun, or, at least, before it had reached the results I have briefly expounded, and which deserve notice, not only on the score of intrinsic worth, but also because they throw new light on the subsequent history of Florence._