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'En leur reigle n'estoit que ceste clause： Fay ce que vouldras。 Parce que gens liberes； bien nayz； bien instruictz； conversans en compaignies honnestes； ont par nature ung instinct et aguillon qui tousjours les poulse 。。。 faictz tueux； et retire de vice： lequel ilz nommoyent honneur。'
This is that same faith in the goodness of human nature which inspired the men of the second half of the eighteenth century； and helped to prepare the way for the French Revolution。 Among the Italians； too； each man appeals to this noble instinct within him； and though with regard to the people as a wholechiefly in consequence of the national disasters judgements of a more pessimistic sort became prevalent； the importance of this sense of honour must still be rated highly。 If the boundless development of individuality； stronger than the will of the individual； be the work of a historical providence； not less so is the opposing force which then manifested itself in Italy。 How often； and against what passionate attacks of selfishness it won the day； we cannot tell； and therefore no human judgement can estimate with certainty the absolute moral value of the nation。
A force which we must constantly take into account in judging of the morality of the more highly developed Italian of this period； is that of the imagination。 It gives to his virtues and vices a peculiar color； and under its influence his unbridled egotism shows itself in its most terrible shape。
The force of his imagination explains； for example； the fact that he was the first gambler on a large scale in modern times。 Pictures of future wealth and enjoyment rose in such lifelike colors before his eyes； that he was ready to hazard everything to reach them。 The Mohammedan nations would doubtless have anticipated him in this respect； had not the Koran； from the beginning； set up the prohibition against gambling as a chief safeguard of public morals； and directed the imagination of its followers to the search after buried treasures。 In Italy； the passion for play reached an intensity which often threatened or altogether broke up the existence of the gambler。 Florence had already； at the end of the fourteenth century； its Casanova a certain Buonaccorso Pitti； who； in the course of his incessant journeys as merchant； political agent； diplomatist and professional gambler； won and lost sums so enormous that none but princes like the Dukes of Brabant； Bavaria； and Savoy； were able to compete with him。 That great lottery…bank； which was called the Court of Rome； accustomed people to a need of excitement； which found its satisfaction in games of hazard during the intervals between one intrigue and another。 We read； for example； how Franceschetto Cibo； in two games with the Cardinal Raffaello Riario； lost no less than 14；000 ducats； and afterwards complained to the Pope that his opponent has cheated him。 Italy has since that time been the home of the lottery。
It was to the imagination of the Italians that the peculiar character of their vengeance was due。 The sense of justice was； indeed； one and the same throughout Europe； and any violation of it； so long as no punishment was inflicted； must have been felt in the same manner。 But other nations； though they found it no easier to forgive； nevertheless forgot more easily； while the Italian imagination kept the picture of the wrong alive with frightful vividness。 The fact that； according to the popular morality； the avenging of blood is a dutya duty often performed in a way to make us shuddergives to this passion a peculiar and still firmer basis。 The government and the tribunals recognize its existence and justification； and only attempt to keep it within certain limits。 Even among the peasantry； we read of Thyestean banquets and mutual assassination on the widest scale。 Let us look at an instance。
In the district of Acquapendente three boys were watching cattle； and one of them said： 'Let us find out the way how people are hanged。' While one was sitting on the shoulders of the other； and the third； after fastening the rope round the neck of the first； was tying it to an oak； a wolf came； and the two who were free ran away and left the other hanging。 Afterwards they found him dead； and buried him。 On the Sunday his father came to bring him bread； and one of the two confessed what had happened； and showed him the grave。 The old man then killed him with a knife； cut him up； brought away the liver； and entertained the boy's father with it at home。 After dinner； he told him whose liver it was。 Hereupon began a series of reciprocal murders between the two families； and within a month thirty…six persons were killed； women as well as men。
And such 'vendette；' handed down from father to son； and extending to friends and distant relations； were not limited to the lower classes； but reached to the highest。 The chronicles and novels of the period are full of such instances； especially of vengeance taken for the violation of women。 The classic land for these feuds was Romagna； where the 'vendetta' was interwoven with intrigues and party divisions of every conceivable sort。 The popular legends present an awful picture of the savagery into which this brave and energetic people had relapsed。 We are told； for instance； of a nobleman at Ravenna who had got all his enemies together in a tower； and might have burned them； instead of which he let them out； embraced them； and entertained them sumptuously； whereupon shame drove them mad； and they conspired against him。 Pious and saintly monks exhorted unceasingly to reconciliation； but they can scarcely have done more than restrain to a certain extent the feuds already established； their influence hardly prevents the growth of new ones。 The novelists sometimes describe to this effect of religionhow sentiments of generosity and forgiveness were suddenly awakened； and then again paralysed by the force of what had once been done and could never be un。 done。 The Pope himself was not always lucky as a peacemaker。 Pope Paul II desired that the quarrel between Antonio Caffarello and the family of Alberino should cease； and ordered Giovanni Alberino and Antonio Caffarello to come before him bade them kiss one another； and threatened them with a fine of 2；000 ducats if they renewed this strife； and two days after Antonio was stabbed by the same Giacomo Alberino； son of Giovanni； who had wounded him once before； and the Pope was full of anger； and confiscated the goods of Alberino； and destroyed his houses； and banished father and son from Rome。 The oaths and ceremonies by which reconciled enemies attempted to guard themselves against a relapse； are sometimes utterly horrible。 When the parties of the 'Nove' and the 'Popolari' met and kissed one another by twos in the cathedral at Siena on New Year's Eve； 1494； an oath was read by which all salvation in time and eternity was denied to the future violator of the treaty'an oath more astonishing and dreadful than had ever yet been heard。' The last consolations of religion in the hour of death were to turn to the damnation of the man who should break it。 It is clear； howeve