This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1823 edition. Excerpt: ... essay ii. upon the revival of learning. In every part of the earth mankind have been disposed to the culture of sciences, arts, and literature. Certain countries, however, are better adapted to unfold their seeds, and produce a more vigorous vegetation. Particular plants flourish in particular climates; and either take not root, or thrive badly out of them. If experience proves to us, that after the repeated tempests, which at various times have changed the face of the earth into a desert, there is any part of it, in which spontaneous vegetation has quickly shot forth again fresh and vigorous, whilst other parts have remained barren, (even sometimes notwithstanding the greatest labour of the cultivator), we must necessarily allow that particular soil to be favoured by nature, and to have received from her a singular fertility. This has happened exactly with Italy when placed in comparison with other nations with respect to sciences, arts, and the belles lettres. Leaving out of the question the oriental nations, which were certainly the mothers of the first light, which has since diffused so much splendour over the west: their history being enveloped in uncertain traditions, and fabulous conjectures, we cannot with safety decide whether that light was a twilight, or a sun which now shines resplendent over Europe. Be Opinions are various; to prove their great uncertainty, it will be sufficient to quote two of the greatest men of our age, De Bailly and De la Place. The former thinks that in the times of which no trace that as it may, whether we regard the ancient or the modern nations in their most favourable hypothesis, we shall perceive that they exhibit to us one single illustrious epoch, one golden age alone, in which arts, sciences, ...