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Article SKETCHES OF CELEBRATED CHARACTERS. Page 1 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sketches Of Celebrated Characters.
SKETCHES OF CELEBRATED CHARACTERS .
( O j N his arrival at Florence he applied himself with great diligence ^ to the study of the Latin language , under Cristoforo Landing and of the Greek , under Andronicus of Thessalonica . Ficino and Argyropylus were his instructors in . the different systems of the Platonic and Aristotelian philosophy ; but poetry had irresistible allurements for his young mind , and his stanze on the Giostra of Giuliano , if they
did not first recommend him to the notice of Lorenzo , certainly obtained his approbation , and secured his favour . The friendship of Lorenzo provided for all his wants , and enabled him to prosecute his studies free from the embarrassments and interruptions of pecuniary affairs . Entrusted by Lorenzo with the education of bis children , and the care of his extensive collection of manuscripts and
antiquities , he constantly resided under his roof , ancl was his inseparable companion at those hours which were not devoted to the more important concerns of the state . In the intercourse which Politiano maintained with the learned men of his time , he appears to have been sufficiently conscious of his own superiority . The . letters addressed to him by his . friends were , in general , well calculated to gratify his vanity ; but although he was , in a high degree , jealous of his ' literary reputation , he was
POLITIANO .
careful to distinguish how far the applauses bestowed upon him were truly merited , ancl how far they were intended to conciliate his favour . If he did not always estimate himself by the good opinion entertained of him by others , he did not suffer himself to be depressed by their envy or their censure . ' I am no more raised or dejected , ' says he , ' by the flattery ' of my friends , or the accusations of riiy
ad' versaries , than I am by the shadow of my own body : for although ' that shadow may be somewhat longer in the morning and the even' ing than it is in the middle of the day , this will scarcel y induce me ' ' to think myself a taller man , at those times , than I am at noon . ' In restoring to their ori ginal purity the ancient authors , he was himself indefatigable ; and if to the munificence of Lorenzo de Medici
we are to attribute the preservation of many of these works , Politiano is perhaps entitled to our equal acknowled gments for ins elucidations ancl corrections of the text , which , from a variety of causes , was frequently unintelli gible , illegible , or corrupt . Besides the advantages which he derived from various copies of the same work which enabled him to collate them so as to ascertain the true reading , he obtained great assistance from the collection of anti ques formed' by Lorenzo and his ancestors ; and amongst his coins , inscrip-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sketches Of Celebrated Characters.
SKETCHES OF CELEBRATED CHARACTERS .
( O j N his arrival at Florence he applied himself with great diligence ^ to the study of the Latin language , under Cristoforo Landing and of the Greek , under Andronicus of Thessalonica . Ficino and Argyropylus were his instructors in . the different systems of the Platonic and Aristotelian philosophy ; but poetry had irresistible allurements for his young mind , and his stanze on the Giostra of Giuliano , if they
did not first recommend him to the notice of Lorenzo , certainly obtained his approbation , and secured his favour . The friendship of Lorenzo provided for all his wants , and enabled him to prosecute his studies free from the embarrassments and interruptions of pecuniary affairs . Entrusted by Lorenzo with the education of bis children , and the care of his extensive collection of manuscripts and
antiquities , he constantly resided under his roof , ancl was his inseparable companion at those hours which were not devoted to the more important concerns of the state . In the intercourse which Politiano maintained with the learned men of his time , he appears to have been sufficiently conscious of his own superiority . The . letters addressed to him by his . friends were , in general , well calculated to gratify his vanity ; but although he was , in a high degree , jealous of his ' literary reputation , he was
POLITIANO .
careful to distinguish how far the applauses bestowed upon him were truly merited , ancl how far they were intended to conciliate his favour . If he did not always estimate himself by the good opinion entertained of him by others , he did not suffer himself to be depressed by their envy or their censure . ' I am no more raised or dejected , ' says he , ' by the flattery ' of my friends , or the accusations of riiy
ad' versaries , than I am by the shadow of my own body : for although ' that shadow may be somewhat longer in the morning and the even' ing than it is in the middle of the day , this will scarcel y induce me ' ' to think myself a taller man , at those times , than I am at noon . ' In restoring to their ori ginal purity the ancient authors , he was himself indefatigable ; and if to the munificence of Lorenzo de Medici
we are to attribute the preservation of many of these works , Politiano is perhaps entitled to our equal acknowled gments for ins elucidations ancl corrections of the text , which , from a variety of causes , was frequently unintelli gible , illegible , or corrupt . Besides the advantages which he derived from various copies of the same work which enabled him to collate them so as to ascertain the true reading , he obtained great assistance from the collection of anti ques formed' by Lorenzo and his ancestors ; and amongst his coins , inscrip-