New-York tribune., 1873-05-06
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
r,ur 1usToRy OF THE RENAISSANCE.

The wealth OF artistic lore ana the siuguh'IoeauS
Of its style make this one of the most attractive
books of the present II is no less rich in the
fruits Of antiquarian research than in the philosophi-
cal analysis of aesthetic principles The secret of
the Renaissance according 10 the dea of the author
isnot to be found in the revival OfcasScal antiquity
in the fifteenth century. Ii dates, in reality from
much earlier period, and has larger scope So far
hack as the end Of the twelfth century, its germs be-
gan to appear in the popular poetry of France and
soon spread into the sphere Of Art The Renaissance
correctly understood, is the name of movement
which sought for a moro liberal and gracious con-
stuction Of human life. Ithonored the fruits of the
intellect and the imagination for their own SAKE
II strove not merely for the discovery of old and
forgotten sources Of spiritual enjoyment, but for the
divine fountains that yet fresh, for new expe
riences new subjects Of poetry. new forms OF Art
Ii was the prophet Of the "newness,' Whlch III
every age that retains a spark OF ITS orlehlm Nal
ity finds enthusiastic and joyous disciples whoneVer
cease 10 revere the dreams of their youth, ana 10
thirst for a perfection which haunts the visions oil
the future though it has never been incarhaied IN
the experience Of the past. OF these feelings there
was a remarkable outbreak at the period alluded TO-
In Pointed architecture nthe doctrines OF romantic
love in the poetry Of Provence the rude strength of
the middle age turns to sweetness. The taste thus
awakened becomes the seed of the classical revival
uromptng 70 the perpetual search for the springs of
perfect sweetness in the Hellenic world. Coming
after long period in which this instinct had been
crushed the outbreak was rightly called Renais-
sance, a revival.
Theories which bring into connection with each other
modes of thought and feeling periods OF TASTE orS
constantly tends to oppose To each Ouer, nave EftdI
stimulus for the intellect and are almost always worth
understanding. II is with TINS theory OF Rehals
sance within the middle age, which seeks I" estlolrh
continuity between the most characteristic work OF the
middle the sculpture or (Ndllits ana tue NiiuuMN
Letnaus. and the work of the later henalssihcc te
OF Jean Cousin and G. rman Plon, ana thus meals
that rupture between the middle age and tLe kehlS-
which has 50 often bced eXaggerdted but u Is
not 50 much the ecclesiastical arr OF the nue aE IL
sculpture and Jainting,-WoTk certainly done III d
great measure for pleasures Sahe IN NilcH even ven % s
lar, rebeihOus spirit oien beirdys en'-o,l
the prOtauc poetry o. the middle age tut poc W
Provence and the magnificent af5ergtOwth OF tbat
poetry 10 Italy ana France whlch tROSe teuch WI,eii
have in when they speak OF tins Renaissance WJn
intinacy its freedom its variety-the liberty Of the
heartnakes Itself felt ana tile name Of Abeard' the
OF this liberty heart with the free play OF human lnte
gcnce round an subjects presented to IT, with the hOery
OF the intellect that understood IT, every one
knows the gend Of Abelard, that legend hardly less
passionate, certainly not less eharacteis@nG sue oI H. ouS I
sesssd usont and discreet seemed 20 SIT enthroned
came - live the house of canon OF the chuIch OF
NOrt-Dlmc where dWelt girl HeOlSe. believed 10 De
his orpnan niece lis love Tor whom he had tesued 10y
even asserted that through the knowledge of languages
Older World, She had become soreeress, like the
Celtic diudesses; aud now rs they sat togetner III
that shadOwy home. 10 refine ntte !IrtheT on
the nature OF abstract ideas Love mide n,e Oh the
party With them" You Conceive the temptaops 0 lHg
and sv sSetScle OF "f6e Island lived in a world Of
Something like shadows and now Tor one VINO Knew 80
tbosr restraints which lie on the cOnscicnces OF other
meu had been relaxed IL appears taat ne GO SomlCSeI
many verses iu the vulgar tongue atea1y tne SSuns
men sang them on the quay below the house IhoSes
sOu~ SAYS NJ. de R6musat, were probably IN the ase OF
the TrOuN eres. Of "hOm he wds one oi 'e nIs III t 49,
10 speak, the predecessors u Is lne ilc spi1
winch has nodded the famous letters Written III tne
ouaint Latin OF the middle At the foot OF that
early Gothic tower winch the next generation raised TO
TAM Of saint Geuevevc, the historian Mlcheet sees IN
thought "a terrible assembly not tue hearers oi AbeIard
alone fifty bishops, twenty cardlnas' Two popes tnJ
Mho' ooty o. t and nd ,6 Re"oissance
but Arnold Of Brcscia-tna Is 10 say, the revolution
One OF the first OutflOwings of the spirit of the
Renaissance was the endeaVOr of certain Italian
scholars OF the fifteenth century TO reconcile Chris
tianity with the religion of ancient Greece. A
modern scholar. occupied with this problem might
observe that all religions be regarded rs natural
products and have common laws He would con-
cude that they were not to be isolated from the
other movements Of the human mind during their
respectiye periods: that they arise spontaneously
expressions OF sentiment concerning the unseen
world aud that every Intellectual product must he
Judged from the point of view of the age in which 1t
was produced The basis of reconciliation would
thus be the nexhaustibe creativeness of the human
mind in which all religions alike have their root,
and in which all alike laid to rest Just as the
fapcies Of childhood and the thoughts Of old age
often meet and are Teconciled i'll the experience of
All individual.
Far different was the method followed bg the scholars
Of the fifteenth century Tney lacked the very fadl-
mepts Of the historic sense, which by au imaginative
act turows itself back into world unlike ones own
tie age which produced IT. they had no idea Of develop
meut, Of the differences OF ages, OF the gadudl ednG
q IJ
the religions of the world they thus thrown back
or die 6ucksand Of aIlegorIGal interpretation The
Tos f Inc World were 10 he reconciled
sIve stages in gradual development OF the rellglons
sense but a. subss.uC side by side, and substantially
an seTpent with each other And here the first neces-
sty was 20 misreprescnt the language the conceptions
ee Plato and Homer be made 10 speak agTeeably
Moses Set side by side, the mere surfaces could
20 below the surface, and bring up the supposed
secondary still more remote meaning that OWNER
guncauOn held IN reserve, 1t TeoeSSu GtpI'Us "'Y"a'
lateut touch OF Homer OF ngfe Oi spcech
And vet as a curiosity of the human mind, mad
hou>e-se," If YOU will INTO which We may peep for IA
slegorc interpret tOn OF the fifteenth century has
Its interest Win It's strange web Of imagery ITS quaint
ziug. element Ia the local color OF great age
HIstrats also the fath Of that age 10 an oiaele5 s
desire TO hea al voices, it's generous belief that nothing
& is ~italify n il tne couutcrlart thOugn certainly
Ehe fee0ar counterpart OF that practical trace and
reconciliation the gods Of Greece with the Chtslah
feieon which is seen in the art OF the time and IL Is
for ms in TINS work, and because his own story -
SOFA iualOg OgUeOr vpie equivalent 10 tne expression
ef ths purpose in his writings that something O gen
gral interest stll belongs 10 the name OF PlcO della
MIanGUla, whose hfe written by bis nepLe" Francis,
for touch Of sweetness IN II, u Dc
translated Of the original Latin 10y sir IhOmts More,
great lover oi lal3 euitlTe among WHO'S ~ojk5
thi. lie of Pcu EdTt OJ MrAdUld aud gredt tOrC OJ
Itqiy ~ ne calls Inn, may still De read Ia s quaint
Antiqaated English.
The Renaissance of the fifteenth century was i'll
many things great rather by what 1t aspred to do
than 10y what it actually achieved 1t remained for
later ace 10 discover the true method Of a scientific