English Travellers of the Renaissance | Page 9

gods ought

to be served diligently. He that disregards these things acts with pious
zeal but without consideration for other people's feelings ("nulla ratione
cujusque vocationis").[52] James Howell may have read maxim 99 on
how to take jokes and how to make them, "joci sine vilitate, risus sine
cachinno, vox sine clamore" (let your jokes be free from vulgarity, your
laugh not a guffaw, and your voice not a roar).
Loysius reflects the sentiment of his country in his conviction that
"Nature herself desires that women should stay at home." "It is true
throughout the whole of Germany that no woman unless she is
desperately poor or 'rather fast' desires to travel."[53]
Adding to these earliest essays the Oration in Praise of Travel, by
Hermann Kirchner,[54] we have a group of instructions sprung from
German soil all characterized by an exalted mood and soaring style.
They have in common the tendency to rationalize the activities of man,
which was so marked a feature of the Renaissance. The simple errant
impulse that Chaucer noted as belonging with the songs of birds and
coming of spring, is dignified into a philosophy of travel.
Travel, according to our authors, is one of the best ways to gain
personal force, social effectiveness--in short, that mysterious "virtù" by
which the Renaissance set such great store. It had the negative value of
providing artificial trials for young gentlemen with patrimony and no
occupation who might otherwise be living idly on their country estates,
or dissolutely in London. Knight-errantry, in chivalric society, had
provided the hardships and discipline agreeable to youth; travel "for
vertues sake, to apply the study of good artes,"[55] was in the
Renaissance an excellent way to keep a young man profitably busy. For
besides the academic advantages of foreign universities, travel
corrected the character. The rude and arrogant young nobleman who
had never before left his own country, met salutary opposition and
contempt from strangers, and thereby gained modesty. By observing
the refinements of the older nations, his uncouthness was softened: the
rough barbarian cub was gradually mollified into the civil courtier. And
as for giving one prudence and patience, never was such a mentor as
travel. The tender, the effeminate, the cowardly, were hardened by

contention with unwonted cold or rain or sun, with hard seats, stony
pillows, thieves, and highwaymen. Any simple, improvident, and
foolish youth would be stirred up to vigilancy by a few experiences
with "the subtelty of spies, the wonderful cunning of Inn-keepers and
baudes and the great danger of his life."[56] In short, the perils and
discomforts of travel made a mild prelude to the real life into which a
young man must presently fight his way. Only experience could teach
him how to be cunning, wary, and bold; how he might hold his own, at
court or at sea, among Elizabeth's adventurers.
However, this development of the individual was only part of the
benefit of travel. Far more to be extolled was his increased usefulness
to the State. That was the stoutest reason for leaving one's "owne
sweete country dwellings" to endure hardships and dangers beyond
seas. For a traveller may be of the greatest benefit to his own country
by being able to compare its social, economic, and military
arrangements with those of other commonwealths. He is wisely warned,
therefore, against that fond preference for his own country which leads
him to close his eyes to any improvement--"without just cause
preferring his native country,"[57] but to use choice and discretion, to
see, learn, and diligently mark what in every place is worthy of praise
and what ought to be amended, in magistrates, regal courts, schools,
churches, armies--all the ways and means pertaining to civil life and the
governing of a humane society. For all improvement in society, say our
authors, came by travellers bringing home fresh ideas. Examples from
the ancients, to complete a Renaissance argument, are cited to prove
this.[58] So the Romans sent their children to Marseilles, so Cyrus
travelled, though yet but a child, so Plato "purchased the greatest part
of his divine wisdome from the very innermost closets of Egypt."
Therefore to learn how to serve one's Prince in peace or war, as a
soldier, ambassador, or "politicke person," one must, like Ulysses, have
known many men and seen many cities; know not only the objective
points of foreign countries, such as the fortifications, the fordable rivers,
the distances between places, but the more subjective characteristics,
such as the "chief force and virtue of the Spanyardes and of the
Frenchmen. What is the greatest vice in both nacions? After what
manner the subjects in both countries shewe their obedience to their

prince, or oppose themselves against him?"[59] Here we see coming
into play the newly acquired knowledge of human nature of which the
sixteenth