Note 20 — CAPITOLO I.
Reading edition
«During the gloomy and disastrous centuries which followed the downfall of the roman empire, Italy had preserved in a far greater degree than any other part of western Europe the traces of ancient civilisation. The night which descended upon her was the night of an arctic summer. The dawn began to reappear before the last reflection of the preceeding sunset had faded from the horizon.» Macaulay, Ess. on Macchiavelli p. 64.