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n was soon outgrown。 By the year 1200； at the height of the Middle Ages； a genuine； hearty enjoyment of the external world was again in existence； and found lively expres… sion in the minstrelsy of different nations； which gives evidence of the sympathy felt with all the simple phenomena of nature spring with its flowers； the green fields and the woods。 But these pictures are all foreground without perspective。 Even the crusaders； who travelled so far and saw so much； are not recognizable as such in their poems。 The epic poetry； which describes amour and costumes so fully； does not attempt more than a sketch of outward nature； and even the great Wolfram von Eschenbach scarcely anywhere gives us an adequate picture of the scene on which his heroes move。 From these poems it would never be guessed that their noble authors in all countries inhabited or visited lofty castles； commanding distant prospects。 Even in the Latin poems of the wandering clerks； we find no traces of a distant viewof landscape properly so called but what lies near is sometimes described with a glory and splendor which none of the knightly minstrels can surpass。 What picture of the Grove of Love can equal that of the Italian poet for such we take him to beof the twelfth century？
'Immortalis fieret Ibi manens homo； Arbor ibi quaelibet Suo gaudet pomo； Viae myrrha； cinnamo Fragrant； et amomo Conjectari poterat Dominus ex domo' etc。
To the Italian mind； at all events； nature had by this time lost its taint of sin； and had shaken off all trace of demoniacal powers。 Saint Francis of Assisi； in his Hymn to the Sun； frankly praises the Lord for creating the heavenly bodies and the four elements。
But the unmistakable proofs of a deepening effect of nature on the human spirit begin with Dante。 Not only does he awaken in us by a few vigorous lines the sense of the morning air and the trembling light on the distant ocean； or of the grandeur of the storm…beaten forest； but he makes the ascent of lofty peaks； with the only possible object of enjoying the viewthe first man； perhaps； since the days of antiquity who did so。 In Boccaccio we can do little more than infer how country scenery affected him； yet his pastoral romances show his imagination to have been filled with it。 But the significance of nature for a receptive spirit is fully and clearly displayed by Petrarchone of the first truly modern men。 That clear soulwho first collected from the literature of all countries evidence of the origin and progress of the sense of natural beauty； and himself； in his 'Aspects of Nature；' achieved the noblest masterpiece of descriptionAlexander von Humboldt has not done full justice to Petrarch； and following in the steps of the great reaper； we may still hope to glean a few ears of interest and value。
Petrarch was not only a distinguished geographerthe first map of Italy is said to have been drawn by his directionand not only a reproducer of the sayings of the ancients； but felt himself the influence of natural beauty。 The enjoyment of nature is； for him； the favorite accompaniment of intellectual pursuits； it was to combine the two that he lived in learned retirement at Vaucluse and elsewhere； that he from time to time fled from the world and from his age。 We should do him wrong by inferring from his weak and undeveloped power of describing natural scenery that he did not feel it deeply。 His picture； for instance； of the lovely Gulf of Spezia and Porto Venere； which he inserts at the end of the sixth book of the 'Africa；' for the reason that none of the ancients or moderns had sung of it； is no more than a simple enumeration； but Petrarch is also conscious of the beauty of rock scenery； and is perfectly able to distinguish the picturesqueness from the utility of nature。 During his stay among the woods of Reggio； the sudden sight of an impressive landscape so affected him that he resumed a poem which he had long laid aside。 But the deep… est impression of all was made upon him by the ascent of Mont Ventoux； near Avignon。 An indefinable longing for a distant panorama grew stronger and stronger in him； till at length the accidental sight of a passage in Livy； where King Philip； the enemy of Rome； ascends the Haemus； decided him。 He thought that what was not blamed in a greyheaded monarch； might well be _excused _in a young man of private station。 The ascent of a mountain for its own sake was unheard of； and there could be no thought of the companionship of friends or acquaintances。 Petrarch took with him only his younger brother and two country people from the last place where he halted。 At the foot of the mountain an old herdsman besought him to turn back； saying that he himself had attempted to climb it fifty years before； and had brought home nothing but repentance； broken bones； and torn clothes； and that neither before nor after had anyone ventured to do the same。 Nevertheless； they struggled forward and upward； till the clouds lay beneath their feet； and at last they reached the top。 A description of the view from the summit would be looked for in vain； not because the poet was insensible to it； but； on the contrary； because the impression was too overwhelming。 His whole past life； with all its follies； rose before his mind； he remembered that ten years ago that day he had quitted Bologna a young man； and turned a longing gaze towards his native country； he opened a book which then was his constant companion； the 'Confessions' of St。 Augustine； and his eye fell on the passage in the tenth chapter； 'and men go forth； and admire lofty mountains and broad seas； and roaring torrents； and the ocean； and the course of the stars； and forget their own selves while doing so。' His brother； to whom he read these words； could not understand why he closed the book and said no more。
Some decades later； about 1360； Fazio degli Uberti describes； in his rhyming geography； the wide panorama from the mountains of Auvergne； with the interest； it is true； of the geographer and antiquarian only； but still showing clearly that he himself had seen it。 He must； however； have ascended far higher peaks； since he is familiar with facts which only occur at a height of 10；000 feet or more above the seamountain…sickness and its accompanimentsof which his imaginary comrade Solinus tries to cure him with a sponge dipped in an essence。 The ascents of Parnassus and Olympus； of which he speaks； are perhaps only fictions。
In the fifteenth century； the great masters of the Flemish school； Hubert and Jan van Eyck； suddenly lifted the veil from nature。 Their landscapes are not merely the fruit of an endeavor to reflect the real world in art； but have； even if expressed conventionally； a certain poetical meaningin short； a soul。 Their influence on the whole art of the West is undeniable； and extended to the landscape…painting of the Italians； but without preventing the characteristic interest of the Italian eye for nature from finding its own expression。
On this point； as in the scientific description of nature； Aeneas Sylvius is again one of the most weighty voices of his time。 Even if we grant the justice of all that has been said against his character； we must nevertheless admit that in few other men was the picture of the age and its culture so fully reflected； and that few came nearer to the normal type of the men of the early Renaissance。 It may be added parenthetically； that even in respect to his moral character he will not be fairly judged； if we listen solely to the complaints of the German Church； which his fickleness helped to balk of the Council it so ardently desired。
He here claims our attention as the first who not only enjoyed the magnificence of the Italian landscape； but described it with enthusiasm down to its minutest details。 The ecclesiastical State and the south of Tuscanyhis native homehe knew thoroughly； and after he became Pope he spent his leisure during the favourable season chiefly in excursions to the country。 Then at last the gouty man was rich enough to have himself carried in a litter across the mountains and valleys； and when we compare his enjoyments with those of the Popes who succeeded him； Pius； whose chief delight was in nature； antiquity； and simple； but noble； architecture； appears almost a saint。 In the elegant and flowing Latin of his 'Commentaries' he freely tells us of his happiness。
His eye seems as keen and practiced as that of any modern observer。 He enjoys with rapture the panoramic splendor of the view from the summit of the Alban Hillsfrom the Monte Cavowhence he could see the shores of St。 Peter from Terracina and the promontory of Circe as far as Monte Argentaro； and the wide expanse of country round about； with the ruined cities of the past； and with the mountain…chains of Central Italy beyond； and then his eye would turn to the green woods in the hollows beneath and the mountain…lakes among them。 He feels the beauty of the position of Todi； crowning the vineyards and olive…clad slopes； looking down upon distant woods and upon the valley of the Tiber； where towns and castles rise above the winding river。 The lovely hills