atitude as well as of treachery. Popular favor was soon alienated
from a ruler who could no longer command either affection or respect,
and, in a mob rising, Rienzi was put to death, October 8, 1354. But his
return had served the purpose of Albornoz. Rome was preserved to the
papacy, and the cardinal could proceed in safety with his task of
subduing the independent tyrants of Romagna.

Central Italy had not yet witnessed the general introduction of
mercenaries, and the native populations still fought their own battles.
The policy of exciting revolts among the subject citizens was completely
successful, and by 1360 almost the whole of Romagna had submitted to the
papal legate. His triumph was crowned in this year, when, by skilful use
of quarrels among the Visconti princes, he succeeded in recovering
Bologna.

BEGINNING AND PROGRESS OF THE RENAISSANCE

FOURTEENTH TO SIXTEENTH CENTURY

JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS

The new birth or resurrection known as the "Renaissance" is
usually considered to have begun in Italy in the fourteenth
century, though some writers would date its origin from the
reign of Frederick II, 1215-1250; and by this Prince--the
most enlightened man of his age--it was at least
anticipated. Well versed in languages and science, he was a
patron of scholars, whom he gathered about him, from all
parts of the world, at his court in Palermo.

At all events the Renaissance was heralded through the
recovery by Italian scholars of Greek and Roman classical
literature. When the movement began, the civilization of
Greece and Rome had long been exerting a partial influence,
not only upon Italy, but on other parts of mediaeval Europe
as well. But in Italy especially, when the wave of barbarism
had passed, the people began to feel a returning
consciousness of their ancient culture, and a desire to
reproduce it. To Italians the Latin language was easy, and
their country abounded in documents and monumental records
which symbolized past greatness.

The modern Italian spirit was produced through the
combination of various elements, among which were the
political institutions brought by the Lombards from Germany,
the influence of chivalry and other northern forms of
civilization, and the more immediate power of the Church.
That which was foreshadowed in the thirteenth century became
in the fourteenth a distinct national development, which, as
Symonds, i