[ '^ ] 



f ' naiflance des Arts — Ces Grecs ne purent enfcigner aux Italiens 

 I ' que le Grec' 



The ingenious author is certainly well founded in his affertion 

 that Science and the Arts flourifhed in Italy long before the lofs 

 of their Imperial City had forced the Greeks to feek in the more 

 Weftcrn Countries an Afylum, which their talents amply repaid to 

 their generous Protedors ; yet ftill my pofition may be true, fince 

 the channel, through which I have fuppofed the Greek Learning to 

 be conveyed, is totally different from that mentioned by Voltaire, 

 and the time of fuch influx greatly antecedent. Long before the 

 taking of Conftantinople had compelled thefe Sons of Science to 

 feek elfewhere a refuge for that ftudious and contemplative eafe to 

 which they were wholly addided, their learning had, according 

 to my idea, been propagated in Italy by means of the Arabians, 

 whofe conquefts, and not thofe of the Turks, were in reality the 

 original fource of Italian Literature, and Florence had already 

 become une nouveUe Athenes, not merely par le feul Genie des 

 Florentins, however brilliant that genius moft certainly was, and 

 how greatly focver it contributed to their literary acquirements, 

 but from the fortunate importation of fcientific materials, which 

 brought it into adion, and upon which it was enabled to operate. 

 It muft alfo be allowed that, whatever decay Science had experi- 

 enced in its favourite clime, the general fund of Learning was in 

 fome degree increafed by the acceflion it received from the fugitive 

 Greeks, and though the Greek Language was undoubtedly known 

 and ftudied in Italy long before it was taught there par ces Fiigitifs, 

 we may naturally fuppofe that, after their arrival, it was more 



(B 2) generally 



