[Footnote73:Syropul。p。297。]
[Footnote74:Intheirreturn，theGreeksconversedatBolognawiththeambassadorsofEngland:andaftersomequestionsandanswers，theseimpartialstrangerslaughedatthepretendedunionofFlorence，Syropul。p。307。]
[Footnote75:Sonugatory，orrathersofabulous，arethesereunionsoftheNestorians，Jacobites，&c。，thatIhaveturnedover，withoutsuccess，theBibliothecaOrientalisofAssemannus，afaithfulslaveoftheVatican。]
[Footnote76:RipailleissituatenearThononinSavoy，onthesouthernsideoftheLakeofGeneva。ItisnowaCarthusianabbey；andMr。AddisonTravelsintoItaly，vol。ii。p。147，148，ofBaskerville\'seditionofhisworkshascelebratedtheplaceandthefounder。AeneasSylvius，andthefathersofBasil，applaudtheausterelifeoftheducalhermit；buttheFrenchandItalianproverbsmostunluckilyattestthepopularopinionofhisluxury。]
[Footnote77:InthisaccountofthecouncilsofBasil，Ferrara，andFlorence，Ihaveconsultedtheoriginalacts，whichfillthexviithandxviiithtomeoftheeditionofVenice，andareclosedbytheperspicuous，thoughpartial，historyofAugustinPatricius，anItalianofthexvthcentury。TheyaredigestedandabridgedbyDupin，BibliothequeEccles。tom。xii。，andthecontinuatorofFleury，tom。xxii。；andtherespectoftheGallicanchurchfortheadversepartiesconfinestheirmemberstoanawkwardmoderation。]
Thejourneysofthreeemperorswereunavailingfortheirtemporal，orperhapstheirspiritual，salvation；buttheywereproductiveofabeneficialconsequence—therevivaloftheGreeklearninginItaly，fromwhenceitwaspropagatedtothelastnationsoftheWestandNorth。Intheirlowestservitudeanddepression，thesubjectsoftheByzantinethronewerestillpossessedofagoldenkeythatcouldunlockthetreasuresofantiquity；ofamusicalandprolificlanguage，thatgivesasoultotheobjectsofsense，andabodytotheabstractionsofphilosophy。Sincethebarriersofthemonarchy，andevenofthecapital，hadbeentrampledunderfoot，thevariousBarbarianshaddoubtlesscorruptedtheformandsubstanceofthenationaldialect；andampleglossarieshavebeencomposed，tointerpretamultitudeofwords，ofArabic，Turkish，Sclavonian，Latin，orFrenchorigin。^78Butapureridiomwasspokeninthecourtandtaughtinthecollege；andtheflourishingstateofthelanguageisdescribed，andperhapsembellished，byalearnedItalian，^79
who，byalongresidenceandnoblemarriage，^80wasnaturalizedatConstantinopleaboutthirtyyearsbeforetheTurkishconquest。
\"Thevulgarspeech，\"saysPhilelphus，^81\"hasbeendepravedbythepeople，andinfectedbythemultitudeofstrangersandmerchants，whoeverydayflocktothecityandminglewiththeinhabitants。ItisfromthedisciplesofsuchaschoolthattheLatinlanguagereceivedtheversionsofAristotleandPlato；soobscureinsense，andinspiritsopoor。ButtheGreekswhohaveescapedthecontagion，arethosewhomwefollow；andtheyaloneareworthyofourimitation。Infamiliardiscourse，theystillspeakthetongueofAristophanesandEuripides，ofthehistoriansandphilosophersofAthens；andthestyleoftheirwritingsisstillmoreelaborateandcorrect。Thepersonswho，bytheirbirthandoffices，areattachedtotheByzantinecourt，arethosewhomaintain，withtheleastalloy，theancientstandardofeleganceandpurity；andthenativegracesoflanguagemostconspicuouslyshineamongthenoblematrons，whoareexcludedfromallintercoursewithforeigners。WithforeignersdoIsay?
Theyliveretiredandsequesteredfromtheeyesoftheirfellow—citizens。Seldomaretheyseeninthestreets；andwhentheyleavetheirhouses，itisintheduskofevening，onvisitstothechurchesandtheirnearestkindred。Ontheseoccasions，theyareonhorseback，coveredwithaveil，andencompassedbytheirparents，theirhusbands，ortheirservants。\"^82
[Footnote78:Inthefirstattempt，Meursiuscollected3600
Graeco—barbarouswords，towhich，inasecondedition，hesubjoined1800more；yetwhatplenteousgleaningsdidheleavetoPortius，Ducange，Fabrotti，theBollandists，&c。!Fabric。
Bibliot。Graec。tom。x。p。101，&c。SomePersicwordsmaybefoundinXenophon，andsomeLatinonesinPlutarch；andsuchistheinevitableeffectofwarandcommerce；buttheformandsubstanceofthelanguagewerenotaffectedbythisslightalloy。]
[Footnote79:ThelifeofFrancisPhilelphus，asophist，proud，restless，andrapacious，hasbeendiligentlycomposedbyLancelotMemoiresdel\'AcademiedesInscriptions，tom。x。p。691—751
IstoriadellaLetteraturaItaliana，tom。vii。p。282—294，forthemostpartfromhisownletters。Hiselaboratewritings，andthoseofhiscontemporaries，areforgotten；buttheirfamiliarepistlesstilldescribethemenandthetimes。]
[Footnote80:Hemarried，andhadperhapsdebauched，thedaughterofJohn，andthegranddaughterofManuelChrysoloras。Shewasyoung，beautiful，andwealthy；andhernoblefamilywasalliedtotheDoriasofGenoaandtheemperorsofConstantinople。]
[Footnote81:Graeciquibuslinguadepravatanonsit……italoquunturvulgohacetiamtempestateutAristophanescomicus，autEuripidestragicus，utoratoresomnes，uthistoriographi，utphilosophi……litteratiautemhominesetdoctiusetemendatius……Namviriauliciveteremsermonisdignitatematqueelegantiamretinebantinprimisqueipsaenobilesmulieres；
quibuscumnullumessetomninocumvirisperegriniscommercium，merusilleacpurusGraecorumsermoservabaturintactus，Philelph。Epist。adann。1451，apudHodium，p。188，189。Heobservesinanotherpassage，uxorillameaTheodoralocutioneeratadmodummoderataetsuavietmaximeAttica。]
[Footnote82:Philelphus，absurdlyenough，derivesthisGreekorOrientaljealousyfromthemannersofancientRome。]
AmongtheGreeksanumerousandopulentclergywasdedicatedtotheserviceofreligion:theirmonksandbishopshaveeverbeendistinguishedbythegravityandausterityoftheirmanners；
norweretheydiverted，liketheLatinpriests，bythepursuitsandpleasuresofasecular，andevenmilitary，life。Afteralargedeductionforthetimeandtalentthatwerelostinthedevotion，thelaziness，andthediscord，ofthechurchandcloister，themoreinquisitiveandambitiousmindswouldexplorethesacredandprofaneeruditionoftheirnativelanguage。Theecclesiasticspresidedovertheeducationofyouth；theschoolsofphilosophyandeloquencewereperpetuatedtillthefalloftheempire；anditmaybeaffirmed，thatmorebooksandmoreknowledgewereincludedwithinthewallsofConstantinople，thancouldbedispersedovertheextensivecountriesoftheWest。^83
Butanimportantdistinctionhasbeenalreadynoticed:theGreekswerestationaryorretrograde，whiletheLatinswereadvancingwitharapidandprogressivemotion。Thenationswereexcitedbythespiritofindependenceandemulation；andeventhelittleworldoftheItalianstatescontainedmorepeopleandindustrythanthedecreasingcircleoftheByzantineempire。InEurope，thelowerranksofsocietywererelievedfromtheyokeoffeudalservitude；andfreedomisthefirststeptocuriosityandknowledge。Theuse，howeverrudeandcorrupt，oftheLatintonguehadbeenpreservedbysuperstition；theuniversities，fromBolognatoOxford，^84werepeopledwiththousandsofscholars；
andtheirmisguidedardormightbedirectedtomoreliberalandmanlystudies。Intheresurrectionofscience，Italywasthefirstthatcastawayhershroud；andtheeloquentPetrarch，byhislessonsandhisexample，mayjustlybeapplaudedasthefirstharbingerofday。Apurerstyleofcomposition，amoregenerousandrationalstrainofsentiment，flowedfromthestudyandimitationofthewritersofancientRome；andthedisciplesofCiceroandVirgilapproached，withreverenceandlove，thesanctuaryoftheirGrecianmasters。InthesackofConstantinople，theFrench，andeventheVenetians，haddespisedanddestroyedtheworksofLysippusandHomer:themonumentsofartmaybeannihilatedbyasingleblow；buttheimmortalmindisrenewedandmultipliedbythecopiesofthepen；andsuchcopiesitwastheambitionofPetrarchandhisfriendstopossessandunderstand。ThearmsoftheTurksundoubtedlypressedtheflightoftheMuses；yetwemaytrembleatthethought，thatGreecemighthavebeenoverwhelmed，withherschoolsandlibraries，beforeEuropehademergedfromthedelugeofbarbarism；thattheseedsofsciencemighthavebeenscatteredbythewinds，beforetheItaliansoilwaspreparedfortheircultivation。
[Footnote83:Seethestateoflearninginthexiiithandxivthcenturies，inthelearnedandjudiciousMosheim，Instit。Hist。
Eccles。p。434—440，490—494。]
[Footnote84:Attheendofthexvthcentury，thereexistedinEuropeaboutfiftyuniversities，andofthesethefoundationoftenortwelveispriortotheyear1300。Theywerecrowdedinproportiontotheirscarcity。Bolognacontained10，000students，chieflyofthecivillaw。Intheyear1357thenumberatOxfordhaddecreasedfrom30，000to6000scholars，Henry\'sHistoryofGreatBritain，vol。iv。p。478。Yeteventhisdecreaseismuchsuperiortothepresentlistofthemembersoftheuniversity。]
ChapterLXVI:UnionOfTheGreekAndLatinChurches。
PartIV。
ThemostlearnedItaliansofthefifteenthcenturyhaveconfessedandapplaudedtherestorationofGreekliterature，afteralongoblivionofmanyhundredyears。^85Yetinthatcountry，andbeyondtheAlps，somenamesarequoted；someprofoundscholars，whointhedarkerageswerehonorablydistinguishedbytheirknowledgeoftheGreektongue；andnationalvanityhasbeenloudinthepraiseofsuchrareexamplesoferudition。Withoutscrutinizingthemeritofindividuals，truthmustobserve，thattheirscienceiswithoutacause，andwithoutaneffect；thatitwaseasyforthemtosatisfythemselvesandtheirmoreignorantcontemporaries；andthattheidiom，whichtheyhadsomarvellouslyacquiredwastranscribedinfewmanuscripts，andwasnottaughtinanyuniversityoftheWest。InacornerofItaly，itfaintlyexistedasthepopular，oratleastastheecclesiasticaldialect。^86ThefirstimpressionoftheDoricandIoniccolonieshasneverbeencompletelyerased:theCalabrianchurcheswerelongattachedtothethroneofConstantinople:andthemonksofSt。BasilpursuedtheirstudiesinMountAthosandtheschoolsoftheEast。
CalabriawasthenativecountryofBarlaam，whohasalreadyappearedasasectaryandanambassador；andBarlaamwasthefirstwhorevived，beyondtheAlps，thememory，oratleastthewritings，ofHomer。^87Heisdescribed，byPetrarchandBoccace，^88asamanofdiminutivestature，thoughtrulygreatinthemeasureoflearningandgenius；ofapiercingdiscernment，thoughofaslowandpainfulelocution。Formanyagesastheyaffirm
Greecehadnotproducedhisequalintheknowledgeofhistory，grammar，andphilosophy；andhismeritwascelebratedintheattestationsoftheprincesanddoctorsofConstantinople。Oneoftheseattestationsisstillextant；andtheemperorCantacuzene，theprotectorofhisadversaries，isforcedtoallow，thatEuclid，Aristotle，andPlato，werefamiliartothatprofoundandsubtlelogician。^89InthecourtofAvignon，heformedanintimateconnectionwithPetrarch，^90thefirstoftheLatinscholars；andthedesireofmutualinstructionwastheprincipleoftheirliterarycommerce。TheTuscanappliedhimselfwitheagercuriosityandassiduousdiligencetothestudyoftheGreeklanguage；andinalaboriousstrugglewiththedrynessanddifficultyofthefirstrudiments，hebegantoreachthesense，andtofeelthespirit，ofpoetsandphilosophers，whosemindswerecongenialtohisown。Buthewassoondeprivedofthesocietyandlessonsofthisusefulassistant:Barlaamrelinquishedhisfruitlessembassy；and，onhisreturntoGreece，herashlyprovokedtheswarmsoffanaticmonks，byattemptingtosubstitutethelightofreasontothatoftheirnavel。Afteraseparationofthreeyears，thetwofriendsagainmetinthecourtofNaples:butthegenerouspupilrenouncedthefairestoccasionofimprovement；andbyhisrecommendationBarlaamwasfinallysettledinasmallbishopricofhisnativeCalabria。^91ThemanifoldavocationsofPetrarch，loveandfriendship，hisvariouscorrespondenceandfrequentjourneys，theRomanlaurel，andhiselaboratecompositionsinproseandverse，inLatinandItalian，divertedhimfromaforeignidiom；andasheadvancedinlife，theattainmentoftheGreeklanguagewastheobjectofhiswishesratherthanofhishopes。Whenhewasaboutfiftyyearsofage，aByzantineambassador，hisfriend，andamasterofbothtongues，presentedhimwithacopyofHomer；andtheanswerofPetrarchisatoneexpressiveofhiseloquence，gratitude，andregret。Aftercelebratingthegenerosityofthedonor，andthevalueofagiftmorepreciousinhisestimationthangoldorrubies，hethusproceeds:\"Yourpresentofthegenuineandoriginaltextofthedivinepoet，thefountainofallinventions，isworthyofyourselfandofme:youhavefulfilledyourpromise，andsatisfiedmydesires。Yetyourliberalityisstillimperfect:
withHomeryoushouldhavegivenmeyourself；aguide，whocouldleadmeintothefieldsoflight，anddisclosetomywonderingeyesthespaciousmiraclesoftheIliadandOdyssey。But，alas!
Homerisdumb，orIamdeaf；norisitinmypowertoenjoythebeautywhichIpossess。IhaveseatedhimbythesideofPlato，theprinceofpoetsneartheprinceofphilosophers；andIgloryinthesightofmyillustriousguests。Oftheirimmortalwritings，whateverhadbeentranslatedintotheLatinidiom，I
hadalreadyacquired；but，iftherebenoprofit，thereissomepleasure，inbeholdingthesevenerableGreeksintheirproperandnationalhabit。IamdelightedwiththeaspectofHomer；andasoftenasIembracethesilentvolume，Iexclaimwithasigh，Illustriousbard!withwhatpleasureshouldIlistentothysong，ifmysenseofhearingwerenotobstructedandlostbythedeathofonefriend，andinthemuch—lamentedabsenceofanother。NordoIyetdespair；andtheexampleofCatosuggestssomecomfortandhope，sinceitwasinthelastperiodofagethatheattainedtheknowledgeoftheGreekletters。\"^92
[Footnote85:OfthosewriterswhoprofessedlytreatoftherestorationoftheGreeklearninginItaly，thetwoprincipalareHodius，Dr。HumphreyHody，deGraecisIllustribus，LinguaeGraecaeLiterarumquehumaniorumInstauratoribus；Londini，1742，inlargeoctavo，andTiraboschi，IstoriadellaLetteraturaItaliana，tom。v。p。364—377，tom。vii。p。112—143。TheOxfordprofessorisalaboriousscholar，butthelibrarianofModemaenjoysthesuperiorityofamodernandnationalhistorian。]
[Footnote86:InCalabriaquaeolimmagnaGraeciadicebatur，coloniisGraecisrepleta，remansitquaedamlinguaeveteris，cognitio，Hodius，p。2。IfitwereeradicatedbytheRomans，itwasrevivedandperpetuatedbythemonksofSt。Basil，whopossessedsevenconventsatRossanoalone，Giannone，IstoriadiNapoli，tom。i。p。520。]
[Footnote87:IiBarbarisaysPetrarch，theFrenchandGermans
vix，nondicamlibrossednomenHomeriaudiverunt。Perhaps，inthatrespect，thexiiithcenturywaslesshappythantheageofCharlemagne。]
[Footnote88:SeethecharacterofBarlaam，inBoccacedeGenealog。Deorum，l。xv。c。6。]
[Footnote89:Cantacuzen。l。ii。c。36。]
[Footnote90:FortheconnectionofPetrarchandBarlaam，andthetwointerviewsatAvignonin1339，andatNaplesin1342，seetheexcellentMemoiressurlaViedePetrarque，tom。i。p。406—410，tom。ii。p。74—77。]
[Footnote91:ThebishoprictowhichBarlaamretired，wastheoldLocri，inthemiddleages。Scta。Cyriaca，andbycorruptionHieracium，Gerace，Dissert。ChorographicaItaliaeMediiAevi，p。
312。ThedivesopumoftheNormantimessoonlapsedintopoverty，sinceeventhechurchwaspoor:yetthetownstillcontains3000inhabitants，Swinburne，p。340。]
[Footnote92:IwilltranscribeapassagefromthisepistleofPetrarch，Famil。ix。2；DonastiHomerumnoninalienumsermonemAlienumsermonenviolentoalveoderivatum，sedexipsisGraecieloquiiscatebris，etqualisdivinoilliprofluxitingenio……SinetuavoceHomerustuusapudmemutus，immoveroegoapudillumsurdussum。Gaudeotamenveladspectusolo，acsaepeillumamplexusatquesuspiransdico，Omagnevir，&c。]
TheprizewhicheludedtheeffortsofPetrarch，wasobtainedbythefortuneandindustryofhisfriendBoccace，thefatheroftheTuscanprose。Thatpopularwriter，whoderiveshisreputationfromtheDecameron，ahundrednovelsofpleasantryandlove，mayaspiretothemoreseriouspraiseofrestoringinItalythestudyoftheGreeklanguage。Intheyearonethousandthreehundredandsixty，adiscipleofBarlaam，whosenamewasLeo，orLeontiusPilatus，wasdetainedinhiswaytoAvignonbytheadviceandhospitalityofBoccace，wholodgedthestrangerinhishouse，prevailedontherepublicofFlorencetoallowhimanannualstipend，anddevotedhisleisuretothefirstGreekprofessor，whotaughtthatlanguageintheWesterncountriesofEurope。TheappearanceofLeomightdisgustthemosteagerdisciple，hewasclothedinthemantleofaphilosopher，oramendicant；hiscountenancewashideous；hisfacewasovershadowedwithblackhair；hisbeardlonganuncombed；hisdeportmentrustic；histempergloomyandinconstant；norcouldhegracehisdiscoursewiththeornaments，oreventheperspicuity，ofLatinelocution。
ButhismindwasstoredwithatreasureofGreeklearning:
historyandfable，philosophyandgrammar，werealikeathiscommand；andhereadthepoemsofHomerintheschoolsofFlorence。ItwasfromhisexplanationthatBoccacecomposed
andtranscribedaliteralproseversionoftheIliadandOdyssey，whichsatisfiedthethirstofhisfriendPetrarch，andwhich，perhaps，inthesucceedingcentury，wasclandestinelyusedbyLaurentiusValla，theLatininterpreter。ItwasfromhisnarrativesthatthesameBoccacecollectedthematerialsforhistreatiseonthegenealogyoftheheathengods，awork，inthatage，ofstupendouserudition，andwhichheostentatiouslysprinkledwithGreekcharactersandpassages，toexcitethewonderandapplauseofhismoreignorantreaders。^94Thefirststepsoflearningareslowandlaborious；nomorethantenvotariesofHomercouldbeenumeratedinallItaly；andneitherRome，norVenice，norNaples，couldaddasinglenametothisstudiouscatalogue。Buttheirnumberswouldhavemultiplied，theirprogresswouldhavebeenaccelerated，iftheinconstantLeo，attheendofthreeyears，hadnotrelinquishedanhonorableandbeneficialstation。Inhispassage，PetrarchentertainedhimatPaduaashorttime:heenjoyedthescholar，butwasjustlyoffendedwiththegloomyandunsocialtemperoftheman。