thout　　difficulty；　with　the　inevitable　reserve　prescribed　by　the　approaching　　change　in　the　position　of　the　house　of　Medici　and　by　consideration　for　　the　sensitiveness　of　the　wife。　In　return　for　the　treatment　he　received；　　Politian　became　the　herald　and　the　living　symbol　of　Medicean　glory。　　Lorenzo；　after　the　fashion　of　a　true　Medici；　delighted　in　giving　an　　outward　and　artistic　expression　to　his　social　amusements。　In　his　　brilliant　improvisationthe　Hawking　Partyhe　gives　us　a　humorous　　description　of　his　comrades；　and　in　the　Symposium　a　burlesque　of　them；　　but　in　both　cases　in　such　a　manner　that　we　clearly　feel　his　capacity　　for　more　serious　companionship。　Of　this　intercourse　his　correspondence　　and　the　records　of　his　literary　and　philosophical　conversation　give　　ample　proof。　Some　of　the　social　unions　which　were　afterwards　formed　in　　Florence　were　in　part　political　clubs；　though　not　without　a　certain　　poetical　and　philosophical　character。　Of　this　kind　was　the　so…called　　Platonic　Academy　which　met　after　Lorenzo's　death　in　the　gardens　of　the　　Rucellai。
  At　the　courts　of　the　princes；　society　naturally　depended　on　the　　character　of　the　ruler。　After　the　beginning　of　the　sixteenth　century　　they　became　few　in　number；　and　these　few　soon　lost　their　importance。　　Rome；　however；　possessed　in　the　unique　court　of　Leo　X　a　society　to　　which　the　history　of　the　world　offers　no　parallel。
  Education　of　the　'Cortigiano'
  It　was　for　this　societyor　rather　for　his　own　sakethat　the　　'Cortigiano；'　as　described　to　us　by　Castiglione；　educated　himself。　He　　was　the　ideal　man　of　society；　and　was　regarded　by　the　civili…　zation　of　　that　age　as　its　choicest　flower；　and　the　court　existed　for　him　rather　　than　he　for　the　court。　Indeed；　such　a　man　would　have　been　out　of　place　　at　any　court；　since　he　himself　possessed　all　the　gifts　and　the　bearing　　of　an　accomplished　ruler；　and　because　his　calm　supremacy　in　all　things；　　both　outward　and　spiritual；　implied　a　too　independent　nature。　The　inner　　impulse　which　inspired　him　was　directed；　though　our　author　does　not　　acknowledge　the　fact；　not　to　the　service　of　the　prince；　but　to　his　own　　perfection。　One　instance　will　make　this　clear。　In　time　of　war　the　　courtier　refuses　even　useful　and　perilous　tasks；　if　they　are　not　　beautiful　and　dignified　in　themselves；　such　as；　for　instance；　the　　capture　of　a　herd　of　cattle；　what　urges　him　to　take　part　in　war　is　not　　duty　but　'l'onore。'　The　moral　relation　to　the　prince；　as　described　in　　the　fourth　book；　is　singularly　free　and　independent。　The　theory　of　　well…bred　love…making；　set　forth　in　the　third　book；　is　full　of　delicate　　psychological　observation；　which　perhaps　would　be　more　in　place　in　a　　treatise　on　human　nature　generally；　and　the　magnificent　praise　of　ideal　　love；　which　occurs　at　the　end　of　the　fourth　book；　and　which　rises　to　a　　lyrical　elevation　of　feeling；　has　no　connection　whatever　with　the　　special　object　of　the　work。　Yet　here；　as　in　the　'Asolani'　of　Bembo；　the　　culture　of　the　time　shows　itself　in　the　delicacy　with　which　this　　sentiment　is　represented　and　analyzed。　It　is　true　that　these　writers　　are　not　in　all　cases　to　be　taken　literally；　but　that　the　discourses　　they　give　us　were　actually　frequent　in　good　society；　cannot　be　doubted；　　and　that　it　was　an　affectation；　but　genuine　passion；　which　appeared　in　　this　dress；　we　shall　see　further　on。
  Among　outward　accomplishments；　the　so…called　knightly　exercises　were　　expected　in　thorough　perfection　from　the　courtier；　and　besides　these　　much　that　could　only　exist　at　courts　highly　organized　and　based　on　　personal　emulation；　such　as　were　not　to　be　found　out　of　Italy。　Other　　points　obviously　rest　on　an　abstract　notion　of　individual　perfection。　　The　courtier　must　be　at　home　in　all　noble　sports；　among　them　running；　　leaping；　swimming　and　wrestling；　he　must；　above　all　things；　be　a　good　　dancer　and；　as　a　matter　of　course；　an　accomplished　rider。　He　must　be　　master　of　several　languages；　at　all　events　of　Latin　and　Italian；　he　　must　be　familiar　with　literature　and　have　some　knowledge　of　the　fine　　arts。　In　music　a　certain　practical　skill　was　expected　of　him；　which　he　　was　bound；　nevertheless；　to　keep　as　secret　as　possible。　All　this　is　not　　to　be　taken　too　seriously；　except　what　relates　to　the　use　of　arms。　The　　mutual　interaction　of　these　gifts　and　accomplishments　results　in　the　　perfect　man；　in　whom　no　one　quality　usurps　the　place　of　the　rest。
  So　much　is　certain；　that　in　the　sixteenth　century　the　Italians　had　all　　Europe　for　their　pupils　both　theoretically　and　practically　in　every　　noble　bodily　exercise　and　in　the　habits　and　manners　of　good　society。　　Their　instructions　and　their　illustrated　books　on　riding；　fencing；　and　　dancing　served　as　the　model　to　other　countries。　Gymnastics　as　an　art；　　apart　both　from　military　training　and　from　mere　amusement；　was　probably　　first　taught　by　Vittorino　da　Feltre　and　after　his　time　became　essential　　to　a　complete　education。　The　important　fact　is　that　they　were　taught　　systematically；　though　what　exercises　were　most　in　favour；　and　whether　　they　resembled　those　now　in　use；　we　are　unable　to　say。　But　we　may　　infer；　not　only　from　the　general　character　of　the　people；　but　from　　positive　evidence　which　has　been　left　for　us；　that　not　only　strength　　and　skill；　but　grace　of　movement　was　one　of　the　main　objects　of　　physical　training。　It　is　enough　to　remind　the　reader　of　the　great　　Federigo　of　Urbino　directing　the　evening　games　of　the　young　people　　committed　to　his　care。
  The　games　and　contests　of　the　popular　classes　did　not　differ　　essentially　from　those　which　prevailed　elsewhere　in　Europe。　In　the　　maritime　cities　boat…racing　was　among　the　number；　and　the　Venetian　　regattas　were　famous　at　an　early　period。　The　classical　game　of　Italy　　was　and　is　the　ball；　and　this　was　probably　played　at　the　time　of　the　　Renaissance　with　more　zeal　and　brilliancy　than　elsewhere。　But　on　this　　point　no　distinct　evidence　is　forthcoming。
  Music
  A　few　words　on　music　will　not　be　out　of　place　in　this　part　of　our　work。　　Musical　composition　down　to　the　year　1500　was　chiefly　in　the　hands　of　　the　Flemish　school；　whose　originality　and　artistic　dexterity　were　　greatly　admired。　Side　by　side　with　this；　there　nevertheless　existed　an　　Italian　school；　which　probably　stood　nearer　to　our　present　taste。　Half　　a　century　later　came　Palestrina；　whose　genius　still　works　powerfully　　among　us。　We　learn　among　other　facts　that　he　was　a　great　innovator；　but　　whether　he　or　others　took　the　decisive　part　in　shaping　the　musical　　language　of　the　modern　world　lies　beyond　the　judgement　of　the　　unprofessional　critic。　Leaving　on　one　side　the　history　of　musical　　composition；　we　shall　confine　ourselves　to　the　position　which　music　　held　in　the　social　life　of　the　day。
  A　fact　most　characteristic　of　the　Renaissance　and　of　Italy　is　the　　specialization　of　the　orchestra；　the　search　for　new　instruments　and　　modes　of　sound；　and；　in　close　connection　with　this　tendency；　the　　formation　of　a　class　of　'virtuosi；'　who　devoted　their　whole　attention　　to　particular　instruments　or　particular　branches　of　music。
  Of　the　more　complex　instruments；　which　were　perfected　and　widely　　diffused　at　a　very　early　period；　we　find　not　only　the　organ；　but　a　　corresponding　string　instrument；　the　'gravicembalo'　or　'clavicembalo。'　　Fragments　of　these　dating　from　the　beginning　of　the　fourteenth　century　　have　come　down　to　our　own　days；　adorned　with　paintings　from　the　hands　　of　the　greatest　masters。　Among　other　instruments　the　first　place　was　　held　by　the　violin；　which　even　then　conferred　great　celebrity　on　the　　successful　player。　At　the　court　of　Leo　X；　who；　when　cardinal；　had　　filled　his　house　with　singers　and　musicians；　and　who　enjoyed　the　　reputation　of　a　critic　and　performer；　the　Jew　Giovan　Maria　del　Corneto　　and　Jacopo　Sansecondo　were　among　the　most　famous。　The　former　received　　from　Leo　the　title　of　count　and　a　small　town；　the　latter　has　been　taken　　to　be　the　Apollo　in　the　Parnassus　of　Raphael。　In　the　course　of　the　　sixteenth　century；　celebrities　in　every　branch　of　music　appeared　in　　abundance；　and　Lomazzo　（1584）　names　the　three　most　distinguished　　masters　of　the　art　of　singing；　of　the　organ；　the　lute；　the　lyre；　the　　'viola　da　gamba；'　the　harp；　the　cithern；　the　horn；　and　the　trumpet；　and　　wishes　that　their　portraits　might　be　painted　on　the　instruments　　themselves。97　Such　many…sided　comparative　criticism　would　have　been　　impossible　anywhere　but　in　Italy；　although　the　same　instruments　were　to　　be　found　in　other　countries。
  The　number　and　variety　of　these　instruments　is　shown　by　the　fact　that　　collections　of　them　were　now　made　from　curiosity。　In　Venice；　which　was　　one　of　the　most　musical　cities　of　Italy；　there　were　several　such　　collections；　and　when　a　sufficient　number　of　performers　happened　to　be　　on　the　spot；　a　concert　was　at　once　improvised。　In　one　of　these　museums　　there　was　a　large　number　of　instruments；　made　after　ancient　pictures　　and　descriptions；　but　we　are　not　told　if　anybody　could　play　them；　or　　how　they　sounded。　It　must　not　be　forgotten　that　such　instruments　were　　often　beautifully　decorated；　and　could　be　arranged　in　a　manner　pleasing　　to　the　eye。　We　thus　meet　with　them　in　collections　of　other　rarities　and　　works　of　art。
  The　players；　apart　from　the　professional　performers；　were　either　singl