The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-19 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

THE EUROPEAN LIBRARY. Vol L—LIFE
OF LORENZO DE' MEDICI.
Whatever restrictions may still be placed upon com-
merce, the days of monopoly in literature are past. The
narrow streams 'of knowledge, hitherto confined to an
exclusive circle, have at length reached the mighty
ocean that fertilises the universe. Science, history, phi-
losophy, all the chief branches of learnicg, once- the
peculiar study of the scholar, are now understood and
appreciated by the multitude. Notwithstanding the
faults of modern Governments, education has made rapid
and unceasing progress, and were Governments gifted
with more penetration, its progress would be even
greater; they would, for their own sakes, seek to en-
courage the growing spirit, did they reflect that "by
education men become easy to lead, but difficult to drive
--easy to govern, but impossible to enslave." Whatever
tends to advance the cause of instruction, whatever
tends to enlightenlthe minds of the people, must be re-
ceived with cordial and unqualified approbation by all
who have the general welfare at heart. It is with such
a feeling that we receive the first volume of "The
European Library," a work whose avowed object is "to
elevate the national mind, and to refine the national cha-
racter." Iu the prospectus the writer observes—
"-That the highest efforts of human intellect, emanating,
as fur the most part they have done, from men of the people,
are perfectly intelligible to the people; and that, for the fu-
ture elevation of the public mind, nothing is needed to pre-
sent to it, in a tangible form, the combined mind of the past.
As it is, our men and women—and this applies not merely
to the humbler clasv.s—are taught to read, but there are
then scarcely any books for them. They hold the key to the
world of thought, that world so vast, so beautiful, giving to
those who enter it a new existence, but the lock is far above
them. The proprietor of the ' European Library' will place
it within their reach, will habituate the minds of all to some
of the most perfect emanations of the human intellect. This
it is proposed to effect by reproducing, in a series of volumes,
in one language, in one uniform shape, `of outward form
elaborate, of inward most exact,' the great literary works of
every country, of all time; the ipsissima verba of our own
authors, and the full spirit and meantbg of those who wrote
in another tongue."
If these promises are fulfilled this will, indeed, be a
valuable acquisition. We have already many useful
works appearing
.in a popular form, but not enough to
satisfy the' increasing demand. By furnishing the best
standard works, English and foreign, fur the moderate
sum of three and sixpence, "The European Library" will
ensure general favour. A work intended to promote
knowledge, and improve the minds of the multitude,
could not have opened with a fitter subject than the life
of Lorenzo, " the Magnificent," who, renowned as an
author, antatesman, and a scholar, is yet more celebrated
for hi; -fostering love of literature, and his earnest en-
deavours to diffuse it among the people. Roscoe's " Life
of Lorenzo" has been read and admired for years. At
its first appearance it excited the admiration of the chief
scholars of England and Italy ; it was translated into
foreign languages, and has long been a favourite with
the learned. It now appears in a cheaper form, for the
benefit of the general reader. This is a most complete
edition, and leaves nothing to be desired. It is adorned
with a portrait of Lorenzo, and includes not only his his-
tory, but his poems. It is prefaced by a life of Roscoe,
which is not the least interesting portion of the work. It
represents the career of successful genius. We see the
poor boy, who carried vegetables to market, become one of
the first literary characters of the day, courted and admired
by all: that his success was merited will be admitted by
all who peruse this, his principal, work. Written with
the impartiality and accuracy of history, it combines
many of the minor details and anecdotes which renders
biography so interesting. It commences with a sketch
Of the origin of Florence, and concludes with the down-
fal of that celebrated republic shortly after the death
of Lorenzo. The Florentine Government was pure re-
publican, yet the family of the Medici possessed more
than regal influence; the secret of their power was not to
seem great but to be so; they ruled all the affairs of the
state while ostensibly they were but private citizens.
These maxims were implicitly obeyed by Lorenzo,
who by his prudence and moderation greatly increased
the influence of his family, and raised Florence to a
height of prosperity before unknown. Had fortune
placed him in a humble station, his poetical genius
might have rendered him celebrated, but born to hold a
conspicuous place as the head of the Medici and the
chief of Florence, his talents proved him worthy of
his position, and have transmitted his name to the ad-
miration of posterity. Situated as Lorenzo was,
a man of narrow mind and ambitious views might
have sought to aggrandize himself ,by destroy-
ing the liberties of his country, but the illus-
trious Medici had a nobler ambition. His talents
were great, and the good be effected boundless ;
by his prudence and judgment he contributed to the
good government of Florence, and became the arbiter
between rival nations. Often did he fix the balance of
power—often by his influence terminate, by his fore-
thought prevent, a war. His great aim was to unite the
states of Italy in peace and concord, that they might by
their union check the incursions of their ambitious
neighbours. This was no easy task ; the party feuds
and jealousies of rival states were hard to reconcile, but
Lorenzo persevered so well that he succeeded in pro-
moting a general peace. It was said of him, " that he
converted into' iron what he found fabricated or glass."
But it is not alone as a politician. that Lorenzo is re-
markable—his love of peace was surpassed by his love of
learning—the immense wealth he had acquired by mer-
cantile affairs was employed in procuring works of
art, in reviving old manuscripts, which had otherwise
perished—in adorning Florence, and in favouring the path
of genius. The arts and sciences which had long de-
clined, revived beneath his fostering care. It was
his chief delight to fly from the toils' of -busi-
ness, to leave the direction of Florence • and
the disputes of foreign sovereigns, and to enjoy in retire-,
went the conversation of the men of genius whom he ad-
mired and understood. Truly did he merit the title of
" Magnificent;" under his auspices Florence became the
favoured seat of learning, poetry, painting, sculpture; all
received an impulse from his care; under his patronage
genius flourished. One his most celebrated proteges
was Michael Angelo. Being anxious to promote the
study of the antique, he appropriated his gardens to
establish a school for that purpose; the results were most
favourable, as appears from the following :
" To this institution, more than to any other circumstance,
we may, without hesitation, ascribe the sudden and astonish-
ing proficiency which, towards the close of the fifteenth cen-
tury, was evidently made in the arts, and which, commencing
at Florence, extended itself in concentric circles to the rest
of Europe. The gardens of Lorenzo de' Medici are fre-
quently celebrated by the historian of the painters, as the
nursery of men of genius ' • but if they had produced no other
artist than Michelagnolo Buonarroti, they would sufficiently
have answered the purposes of their founder. It was here
that this great man began to imbibe that spirit, which was
destined to effect a reformation in the arts, and which he
could, perhaps, have derived from no other source. Of a noble,
but reduced family, he had been placed by his father, when
young, under the tuition of the painter Ghirlandajo, from
whom Lorenzo, desirous of promoting his new establishment,
requested that he would permit two of his pupils to pursue
their studies in his gardens ; at the same time expressing his
hopes that they would there obtain such instruction as would
not only reflect honour on the institution, but also on them-
selves and on their country. The students who had the good
fortune to be thus selected, were Michelagnolo and Francesco
Granacci. On the first visit of Michelagnolo, he found in the
gardens his future adversary, Torrigiano, who, under the di-
rections of Bertoldo, was modelling figures in clay. Michel-
agnolo applied himself to the same occupation, and his work
soon afterwards attracted the attention of Lorenzo, who, from
these early specimens, formed great expectations of his
talents. Encouraged by such approbation, he began to cut in
marble the head of a faun, after an antique sculpture, which,
though unaccustomed to the chisel, he executed with such
skill as to astonish. Lorenzo ; who, observing that he had
made some intentional deviations from the original, and that
in particular he had represented the lips smoother, and had
shown the tongue and teeth, remarked to him, with his ac-
customed jocularity, that he should have remembered that old
men seldom exhibit a complete range of teeth. The docile
artist, who paid no less respect to the judgment than to the
rank of Lorenzo, was no sooner left to himself, than he
struck out one of the teeth, giving to the part the appearance
of its having been lost by age. On his next visit, Lorenzo
was equally delighted with the disposition and the genius of
his young pupil, and sending for his father, not only tcok
the son under his particular protection, but made such a pro-
vision for the old man as his age and the circumstances of his
numerous family required. From this time till the death of
Lorenzo, which included an interval of four years, Michelag-
nolo constantly resided in the palace of the Medici, and sat at
the table of Lorenzo, among his most honoured guests ; where,
by a commendable regulation, the troublesome distinctions of
rank were abolished, and every person took his place in the
order of his arrival. Hence the young artist found himself
at once associated, on terms of equality with all that was
illustrious and learned in Florence, and formed those con-
nexions and friendships which, if they do not create, are at
least necessary to promote-and reward superior talents. His
leisure hours were passed in contemplating the intaglios,
gems, and medals, of which Lorenzo had collected an asto-
nishing number, whence he imbibed that taste for antiqua-
rian researches, which was of essential service to him in his
more immediate studies, and which he retained to the close of
Ids life."
The life of Lorenzo is most interesting to contemplate;
it shows how much may be accomplished by one indi-
vidual, and how great is the glory of him who benefits
others instead of aggrandising himself. To Lorenzo
was not decreed the useless pageantry of the monarch,
or the empty glory of the conqueror—his high ambition
was to promote the welfare of his country, his greatest
happiness to advance the cause of learning. During his
life he was beloved and respected, and his memory is
dear to the lovers of genius, which owed its great glory
to his care.

KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON.—We are glad to learn
that the council of this college have lately determined upon
founding scholarships for the several departments of this
institution, with a view to the encouragement of diligence in
the study of divinity, and the various branches of literature
and science. Some of these scholarships are confined to the
lower classes of the school, whilst others of a higher value
are open to the senior students of each department.
A DEAR Kiss.—On Tuesday last, Henry Bishop,
a railway labourer, was fined IL and costs, by the county
Magistrates sitting in 'Watlinge-street,foran assault on Mary
Pritchard, at Sturry, arising our of his having attempted to
kiss her. In default of payment he was committed to St.
Augustine's for a month.—ltentish Observer.
The late Alexander Murray, Esq., M.P. for Kirk-
cudbright, late of Broughton, North Britain, also of Oritar
House, Twickenham, Middlesex, and of Killybegs, Donegal,
in Ireland, died, leaving personal property in England and
within the province of Canterbury estimated at 8,0001. By
his will he has left to his wife, the Right Hon Lady Ann
Murray, the whole of his estates, real and personal, whereso-
ever situated, and for her own absolute use; and also ap-
pointed her sole executrix of his will, which was dated 17th
ofMay,lB36.
WINDSOR STEEPLE CHASES.—These annual events
have just been fixed to come off on the 14th and 15th of
uonft Life
eviGllue
aarnddil/2tanhedHAomne.
Albert Ricardo,
ieNa.rdLo Esq.,ley
Aprilof the
n2edx
Regimentt .
of Titnest Park, have consented to act as stewards. From
the large amount of the stakes to be run for, and the charaeter
of the horses which will be entered, some first-rate sport is
anticipated.

The Earl of Wilton leaves town for Egerton Lodge,
Melton Mowbray, to-morrow. Hie Lordship has no inten-
tion of returning-to town, as stated yesterday.