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THE
CIVILISATION   OF   THE
RENAISSANCE
IN   ITALY

 
 
By
JACOB BURCKHARDT
AUTHORISED TRANSLATION BY
S. G. C. MIDDLEMORE


LONDON: GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD.
NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY

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PREFACE.

DR. Burckhardt’s work on the Renaissance in Italy istoo well known, not only to students of the period, butnow to a wider circle of readers, for any introductionto be necessary. The increased interest which has oflate years, in England, been taken in this and kindredsubjects, and the welcome which has been given to theworks of other writers upon them, encourage me to hopethat in publishing this translation I am meeting a wantfelt by some who are either unable to read German atall, or to whom an English version will save a gooddeal of time and trouble.

The translation is made from the third edition of theoriginal, recently published in Germany, with slightadditions to the text, and large additions to the notes,by Dr. Ludwig Geiger, of Berlin. It also contains somefresh matter communicated by Dr. Burckhardt to ProfessorDiego Valbusa of Mantua, the Italian translatorof the book. To all three gentlemen my thanks are duefor courtesy shown, or help given to me in the courseof my work.{iv}

In a few cases, where Dr. Geiger’s view differs fromthat taken by Dr. Burckhardt, I have called attentionto the fact by bracketing Dr. Geiger’s opinion andadding his initials.

THE TRANSLATOR.

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CONTENTS.