Page:The Voyage Of Italy Or A Compleat Journey through Italy, The Second Part.pdf/56

6 ting almost all the chief Churches of Italy, with exquisit marbles; when I consider in fine, how this Sun hath helpt to make so many brave Soldiers, and Scholars, I dare not speak ill of the Sun, or Air of Italy, least Balzac check me, as Gracchus did him who spoke ill of his Mother, with a ''Tu Matri meæ maledicis, quæ Tiberium Gracchum genuit? Darest thou speak ill of that Sun which helpt to make Cæsar?''

Yes, yes, it's this great blessing of God, warm Sun, which hath so throughly baked the Italian wits, that while (according to the observation of Charles the V) the French appear not wise, but are wise: the Spaniards appear wise, but are not wise: the Dutch neither appear wise, nor are wise; the Italians only both appear wise, and are wise. Hence the Italians anciently afforded us those prodigies of wit and learning, and set us those fair Copies in Liberal Arts and Sciences, which all men follow, but none attain unto so