New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-12
MEDIAEVAL ITALY.
THE STORY OF THE INDEPENDENT CIVIC
g.. COMMCNES.

AnI -, with Genoa Nv Bella Duffy PIP. XIX.
450 CThe story OF the Nations.) G.. F. Pu'nams sons
There are aspects of the history Of the mcdaevai
italian republics which make the study OF 'hcm
most barren and useless labor. Men Sill turn oacN
a. tina ,ittc Greek societies of antiquity for lessons
in politics and for suggestions 81 lntcrha'ohai
comfy But one would almost as soon think OF
citing Kentucky vendetta by way OF showing
how war should be carried as the tri!llnr con-
Acts Of anarchic italy, where file OF soldiers
and a banner did duty for an army. where poison
and the rack we're more efficient than ar'lliery'
and where the less principle was involved the more
bitter was the hatred. the more Implying the
slaughter or course there is a line on winch
,eomparison may properly be made between these
yStates and their predecessors. the ancient "rcek
scffe+ II is the strangcst problem in history 'ha'
after the human race had watched 1or hihuFcus
Of Years the results of widespread national or
panzation with its orderlincss and prosperity. IL
should have returned by preference to the politl-
col cbaos of tribal life Ont of this chronological
problem the investigator might construct system
which woulh give unity to medieval Italian ms,
tory II is doubtful if Il semblance OF unity couiu
be given to it in any other wav -,
The author OF this volume has abored nara WIN
a period which is very difficult to handle. anu ve'
II must be said that the book reads more IKE
chronicle than n history. An endless succession OIL
patty battles and SegcS anu HiasSacrcS anu Pi'"'"
murders presents no opportunity ior STUDY ir'"i
the point of view of Il philosopher rer"aps
fuler review at the outset of the varied race ee-
,nents which had gathered and mingled i'll the
italian peninsula during tile decay of Roman su-
rraracv would have brought out principle at
least tentatively useful in illustrating the growth
- the ren1hjics But the author ventures on moth.
ing more than the negative conclusions that really
little can he known about the origin OF the COLL
munes. and that. above all. they owed NOTHING 10
the previous political system Of Rome. There mas
hen craat deal of confusing and bewildering dis
cussion on this topic, and orderly marshailhS oi
various theories would have given the reader a
clew In the complicated labyrinth OF later history.
II one fiXcs in his mind the number OF lnimcai
,,ces difficult 10 fuse into an efficient political Or
panization which had settled in Italy with the
consent or in spite Of the opposition of the En-
pire he will easily perceive how many notions re-
specting the origin of medieval civic institutions
arc possible Yet it is certainly unwiSe to pass
IN n single sentence over the fact that underneath
all this lavalilc qualification of humanity the
foundation really the old Roman civillzitloh'
The tendency of that civilization was toward oroer
and uniformity and law. And wherever throu"I-
ont medieval history one finds this tendency prev
alent ono may be sure that there is a remlns-
cpnce of oil Rome in it. Indeed the time wh"n
mons hearts turned with the most longing ahec-
zion toward an ideal Of political unity was lus'
the time when not only Italy, but all Europe
seemed likely TO be swallowed up in the ah-ss OF
anarchy One God one Emp"ror-this was 'i'e
cry Of men who were cropping blindly after prin-
cinle that minht save all culture from being over
x,balmed in savagcry Dantc's aspirations were as
imposslblc as the agile in his vision. but they marx
tbe cours, of thought natural TO the wisest mon
not only in his day but In preceding umes' ~
was only ignorance in the barbarian cohqu'roiS'
and the intractable nature OF their own ioilowers
that prevented them from perpetuating the Roman
Empire lust as they found it. They saw as well
as the Roman rulers how efficient the machine was
how skilfully its parts had been fitted tose.her
during ages OF use but they lacked the skill 10
run it or even TO keep it in order. The result was
that Italian communities began again at tiie Dc
ginning and did over again a portion OF the work
nv which Rome had risen TO greatness. Ii In OLD
Rome Won have the everlasting conflict OF patrlcian
and plebeian, YOU nave in the Middle Ages the
eoually interninable feud Of Guelph and GhlDDe-
line which was in its true form only duarrei
between democracy and aristocracy. III Rome
rose TO greatness by the gradual absorption oil othcr
cities and States the same was exactly true OF
Florence Had Rome been hemmed In from inc
first by powerful States as wisely governed ana as
canabl, Of civilization as herself, she also would
lust as Florence sank. But the point to be OBJ
served il that the animating principle was the
same in both cases 1t was the principle which
had been exempifed also in Greek politics by
Athens. by Sparta, by Syracuse Its virtues
proved great when supported by Roman iegai
genius. but it never suflced to reduce the hatred
of contiguous and rival communities Florence
in her work OF absorbing neighborlng repuohcs
was not able TO replace enmty by frlenniihess
When the conquered cities ceased to be rivals they
became the tools OF northern invaders. The time
for Italian unity was not yet
One thing must be confessed. however. even by
those who condemn Italian medieval history as
whole. 1t is rich in lessons Of individuality. The
violent ebb and flow Of society cast men into
prominence Mt most extraordinary and unforeseen
iuucturcs. and the way heroes were made. so to
sneak. out of nothing will always be one Of the
:, wonders of the world. For example. in the midst
!, of the disturbances fomcnted by SalvestrO de
Medici there came moment when the ruling
party deserted their places Inc palace oelhs
thus empty OF its late tenants, the p0puiace
thronced in the standard Of the insurgents being
held aloft by Michele di Lando, woolcombcr,
whose wife and mother sold ppkns and vegetables.
His appearance with the banner in his hand hlt the
popular fancy. and when he was half way up the
staircase he found himself suddenly proclaimed
Standard-Dcarcr OF JUSTICE lie iiineuidVD '"oO !"
the occasion, took the direction Of everything and
revealed great capacity ard boidncss Ihnt 49,
he went right on and reorganized the government
with the skill of hand practscd in civic analrS'
and restored order for the time. Such examples
Of individual rcsourcefulncss were numerous; they
prove doubtless that even the condition OF anarchy
has its virtues But there is one individuality in
Florentine history. for whom most of us nave
sort of traditional reverence who is treated almost
with luminosity in this book and that is Lorenzo
The most Is made Of his immortality. OF his spend
thrift habits, Of his oppressive methods Of taxa
tion Of his shifty politics. which were directed not