What looks like such
an influence is generally no more than a consequence of the new culture
in general, and of the special growth and development of the Italian
mind. When we come to speak of religion, we shall have more to say on
this head. But in by far the greater number of cases, we have to do,
not with the general culture of the people with the utterances of
individuals or of learned circles; and here, too, a distinction must be
drawn between the true assimilation of ancient doctrines and
fashionable make-believe. For with many, antiquity was only a fashion,
even among very learned people.
Nevertheless, all that looks like affectation to our age, need not then
have actually been so. The giving of Greek and Latin names to children,
for example, is better and more respectable than the present practice
of taking them, especially the female names, from novels. When the
enthusiasm for the ancient world was greater than for the saints, it
was simple and natural enough that noble families called their sons
Agamemnon, Tydeus, and Achilles, and that a painter named his son
Apelles and his daughter Minerva.58 Nor will it appear unreasonable
that, instead of a family name, which people were often glad to get rid
of, a well-sounding ancient name was chosen. A local name, shared by
all residents in the place, and not yet transformed into a family name,
was willingly given up, especially when its religious associations made
it inconvenient.
Pages:
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292