wn from Prof.
Villari's recent work on Early Florentine History. "I Primi due Secoli
della Storia di Firenze, Ricerche di Pasquale Villari." 2 vols.,
Florence, 1893, 1894. Price 8 fr. English translation by Madame
Villari. "The Two First Centuries of Florentine History." Fisher
Unwin. Price 2_s._ 6_d._ This work should be carefully studied in its
entirety by all who desire to understand the constitutional history of
Florence. N.B.--Some of our readers may be glad of the information
that the modern scholar is Pasquale Vill[)a]ri (with short [)a]), and
the mediaeval chronicler Giovanni Vill[=a]ni (with a long [=a]).]

The settled conviction of both Villani and Dante that a difference of
race underlay the civil wars of Florence, rests upon a truth obscurely
though powerfully felt by them.

We have seen that the legend of Fiesole and Florence, upon which they
rest their case, is without historical foundation; but the conflict of
races was there none the less. And as it is here that modern
historians find the key to the history of Florence, our readers will
probably be glad to have set before them a brief account of the
general conceptions in the light of which modern scholars would have
us read the naive and ingenuous records of Villani.

The numerous Teutonic invasions and incursions which had swept over
northern and central Italy, from Odoacer to Charlemagne, had
established a powerful territorial nobility. They constituted a
dominating class, military in their habits, accustomed to the exercise
and the abuse of the simpler functions of government, accepting
certain feudal traditions, but owning no practical allegiance to any
power that was not in a position instantly to enforce it. Their
effective organization was based on the clan system, and the informal
family council was omnipotent within the limits of the clan. They were
without capacity or desire for any large and enduring social
organization. Their combinations were temporary, and for military
purposes; and internecine family feuds were a permanent factor in
their lives. Their laws were based on the "Barbarian" codes, but the
influence of Roman law was increasingly felt by them.

In the cities it is probable that the old municipal organization had
never wholly died out, though it had no formal recognition. The
citizens were sometimes allowed to live "under their own law," and
sometimes not; but the tradition of the Roman law was never lost.
Nominally the citi