New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-06

MHTar \
bv the author. devised by IN" translator Illus
tratcd TWO volumes. ovo. PIP. XVI ''O: NIL
507 New York: harlcS Sclbu"rs sOnt.
Great men arr matcrializcl ideas pr cctcd from
thc source Of all wisdom into H. wcr! th"rr ~
give added impetus 70 the march Of civil71tlon
The more inspiring the idea, The more perennial It's
moving power, the greater :hr man. III r'ca Of
which Niccolo Machavclli il an incarnation, the
idea Of scientific St1tecratt. entities hln 10 h'eh
rank among the great OF tho earth. II i
universal and lasting but no. has been deprived OIL
his proper status hy two thincS-th' cnisna'I'ai
nature of his character and of the writings in
which his doctrines are cXponrdci !. and the forget
fnlncss of the world of the fact that il is n i'm
possible as it woull be- caamitouS for even the
very greatest Of men to dctach themselves 50 com
pletNy from thrir time th3' not any Of Us SpIrf
would ever enter their work. Machioycli. berg
Of the italian Renaissance. must bc Judged with
reference TO the conditions and temper of that era
a. we'll as with reference ~ the abstract laws OF
right and WRONG 10 which tho world hAS come
closer since his death. Upon some OF the CHAR
acteristics of the Renaissance mca have looked
with increasing horror ever sine" The RTtornatioh'
and because those characteristics are FOUND IN
Machiavelli he has been regarded with de'csta-
ton has been left only half studied ana co'I'c-
ouently misunderstood. TO remove this msnnder-
standing has been the aim Of numerous writers OF
this century, but none of them has e1uaIIrd Pro
fessor Villar in the depth Of his researches, the
acnteress Of his analyses and the peIsuasivrnSS OF
his conclusions Under Viaris hands the famous
Florentinc cmcrgcs more purified than scorched
from the rpurSy furnace of sixteenth cen
turv politics: anG :hc method Of the hif-
torian IL so 1ispasSionate and lucid, he is so
free from the fantcst suspicion of holding n brief
for his subject that during the thirteen or four
teen wears which have elapsed since the publica
tion Of the first edition OF his history the figure
presented therein has been accepted without any
dissent of consequence. Tie figure is not cas-;
in a heroic mould. nor is il invested with any OF
the theatrical gracee which save some of the
worst types Of the Renaissance from complete
destruction in the eyes of pOsterity: hut II has
commanding qualities, il has mobility if rot
majesty and il almost has the latter when grouped
with the other prominent figures Of lis day.
When Machiavcll entered public life ct the
are of twentv-ninc. Florence. which was COM
parativelv independent OF the Pope IN tie al
ministration Of her affairs, was carrying on her
war with Pisa, and the new Secrctary's first
diplomatic mission 10 Caterina Storm. Count
ess of For with whom he was 70 arrange
condotta and to negotiate for supplies for the
Pepnblics soldiers Two years later the trouble
with Pisa resulted in his going to Navers as
envoy with Francesca Della Casa TO Louis XII.
who had barganed 10 assist Florence in her con
Quest Both these missions brought MachlaNelll
credit. but it Is under the sinister shadow oi
Caesar Borga's court. where he is first faund ior
short time in 1902. that the MachiaWIh OF
The Prince" begins 10 assert himself. BorGa
had been created Duke of NaentinoiS by IoniS
XII when he brought that monarch the Papai
decree divorcing him from Jeanne de France so
that bo might marry the widow of Charles VIII
and add Brittany 10 his kingdom.
Returning To Italy. Vacntnois proceeded TO
carve out another duchy for himself. With the
connivance Of the Pope. who made him CONDITIONER
of the Church, he uniustv oyerthrew the rulers
of seven or eight important cities in Romagna
and the Marches and took possession OF their
strolrholds In the course Of bis depredations he
was a perpetual menace TO Florence. In l'Ol,
encouraged by his success. he entered tuscany
aud made threatening advances towarh Florence
though he knew that city wa under the pro
.ection of the Frcnch-prctcn1ing that he simply
wished to bring his troops back TO Rome throngh
the dominons of the Republic. lie had thc
poWfrful aid Of the Orsnl and me Nncih anu
his movements We're creating CONSERVATION IN
Florence %hen prudence suddenly stayed his hand
and he concluded an alliance with the florentnS
instead of attempting 10 impose a government OF
his own or of Picro del Medicis upon them.
Neither side had any expectation that the alliance
would continue long and within little more than
q typlyem0Tth Vitcllozzo Ntc and Clan Paolo
Baglioni two Of BorgiaS captains. were IN pos
session of Arcz7o. Borga himself was In tne
neghborhood. but asserted that his captains were
prosecuting an enterprise OF their own Never
thcless he demanded that Florence should Send
an envoy TO negotiate with them and MachlaVclI
was sent as an associate of Francesca Soderln''
Bishop Of VOlterra. brother of that Piero Solemn
whom the Republic elected CONDITIONER for life
In September 1902, who held his office until
the restoration of the Medci ten years LATER and
who during his period Of office was Machlavelis
most influential friend The Bishop and Machia-
velli found valentnois at Urbino, from which
place Guidobalio III Montefeltro had been eIect"d
with every circumstance of treachcry and frand
Their conference proved unnecessary, Tor the
French shortly came 10 the rescue of the florrn-
tines and in q little while they had recovered
Arezzo but the meeting was in the highest degree
important for Machiavelli. Borgia captIva'cd
him He felt himself in the presence OF strong
character pcrfidious beyond doubt, but hardy
petty Throughout his years OF service uhaer
the Florentine Government MacllaveIl desplsch
the vacillation and ma!,eshifts hahitnal TO the
Council and here man who resolved 70 90
q thing took up the task nj once and accomplished
il az all hazards This Duke the Secretary
wrote to the Signory, is so enterprising that
nothing is too great to seem small for him, ana
for the sake Of glory and the extension OF his
aominions he dcprivcs himself Of rest yielding
60 no fatigue danger. lie arrives OF this place
before one hears that lie has left the other, he
gains the good will Of his soldiers, be has got hold
OF the best men in Italy and has constant good
luck; all which things make him victorious and
fcnmidabre" Immediately after writing thu
letter from which this extract is taken Machia
vclli returned 10 Florence. but in few months
no WIS once more in attendance upon the Duke
owing TO the unexpected development Of the
Iatter's affairs in Romagna Borgia vas at TIE