Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. II.djvu/212

188 i88 CASTILIAN LITERATURE. PART nificent library of the Escurial. Most of them are '— in manuscript ; the richly colored and highly deco- rated binding of these volumes (an art which the Spaniards derived from the Arabs) show how high- ly they were prized, and the worn and battered condition of some of them prove that they were not kept merely for show. ^ Tuition of The queen manifested the most earnest solici- the infantas. ^ tude for the instruction of her own children. Her daughters were endowed by nature with amiable dispositions, that seconded her maternal efforts. The most competent masters, native and foreign, especially from Italy, then so active in the revival of ancient learning, were employed in their tuition. This was particularly intrusted to two brothers, Antonio and Alessandro Geraldino, natives of that country. Both were conspicuous for their abilities and classical erudition, and the latter, who survived his brother Antonio, was subsequently raised to high ecclesiastical preferments. ^ Under these mas- 5 Navagiero, Viaggio fatto in caccio. The works of the latter Spagna et in Francia, (Vinegia, writer consisted of the " Fiammet- 1563,) fol. 23. —Mem. de la Acad! ta," the treatises " De Casibus II- de Hist., torn. vi. Ilust. 17. lustrium Virorum," and " De Cla- The largest collection comprised ris Mulieribus," and probably the about two hundred and one articles, "Decameron"; the first in the or distinct works. Of these, about Italian, and the three last translal- a third is taken up with theolo- ed into the Spanish. It is singu- gy, comprehending bibles, psalters, lar, that neither of Boccaccio's missals, lives of saints, and works great contemporaries, Dante and of the fathers ; one fifth, civil law Petrarch, the former of whom had and the municipal code of Spain ; been translated by Villena, and one fourth, ancient classics, mod- imitated by Juan de Mena, half a ern literature, and romances of century before, should have found chivalry ; one tenth, history ; the a place in the collection, residue is devoted to ethics, med- 6 Antonio, the eldest, died in icine, grammar, astrology, &c. 1188. Part of his Latin poetical The only Italian author, besides works, entitled, " Sacred Bucol- Leonardo Bruno d' Arczzo, is Boc- ics," was printed in 1505, at Sala-