The traditions of medieval Lombardy and Normandy, and the French
aristocratic influences which followed, all tended in this direction;
and the Aragonese government, which was established by the middle of
the fifteenth century, completed the work, and accomplished in Naples
what followed a hundred years later in the rest of Italy--a social
transformation in obedience to Spanish ideas, of which the chief
features were the contempt for work and the passion for titles. The
effect of this new influence was evident, even in the smaller towns,
before the year 1500. We hear complaints from La Cava that the place
had been proverbially rich, as long as it was filled with masons and
weavers; whilst now, since instead of looms and trowels nothing but
spurs, stirrups and gilded belts was to be seen, since everybody was
trying to become Doctor of Laws or of Medicine, Notary, Officer or
Knight, the most intolerable poverty prevailed. In Florence an
analogous change appears to have taken place by the time of Cosimo, the
first Grand Duke; he is thanked for adopting the young people, who now
despise trade and commerce, as knights of his order of St. Stephen.
This goes straight in the teeth of the good old Florentine custom, by
which fathers left property to their children on the condition that
they should have some occupation.
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