Why, then, if it brought all these arts and inventions and discoveries,
do we not call it the birth, instead of the _re_-birth? Because
many of the beautiful elements of the Renaissance, such as art, science,
and poetry, enjoyment of life, freedom to investigate and study nature--
all these had existed in the days of ancient Greece and Rome; but after
the fall of Roman civilization it took the barbarian peoples of other
portions of Europe a long, long time to grow civilized, and to establish
some sort of order out of their jumbled affairs; and while they were
slowly learning lessons of government and nationality, the culture of
the antique world was lost sight of. When it was found again, when young
men wished to learn Latin and Greek so that they could read the long-
neglected books and poetry of the ancients, human life was made much
richer and happier.
This desire came first to the people of Italy. It was very natural, for
ancient Rome, where great learning had last flourished, was in Italy;
furthermore, the Italian peninsula, jutting out into the much-navigated
Mediterranean, was full of seaports, to which came vessels with the
merchandise, the language, and the legends of other countries; and when
we learn of other countries, we broaden our ideas.
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