Again, the great age of the Renaissance, when all the free burghs accepted the rule of despots, and when the genius of the Italians culminated, is for him a period of downfall and degradation.

Besides, he leaves the history of the Italian people before the starting-point of the Republics unexplained.

He has, at the close of their career, to account for the reason why these Communes, so powerful in self-development, so intelligent, so wealthy, and so capable of playing off the Pope against the Empire, failed to maintain their independence.

In other words he selects one phase of Italian evolution, and writes a narrative that cannot but be partial.

If we make the Despots our main point, we repeat the same error in a worse form.