But the life of humanity is long and vigorous, and the philosopher of history knows well that the sum total of accomplishment at any time must be diminished by an unavoidable discount.

The Renaissance, like a man of genius, had the defects of its qualities.
FOOTNOTES: [56] _Sketches of the History of Christian Art_, vol.ii.p.

102.
[57] Since I wrote the paragraph above, I have chanced to read Mr.
Buskin's eloquent tirade against the modern sceptical school of critics in his "Mornings in Florence," _The Vaulted Book_, pp.

105, 106.

With the spirit of it I thoroughly agree; feeling that, in the absence of solid evidence to the contrary, I would always rather accept sixteenth-century Italian tradition with Vasari, than reject it with German or English speculators of to-day.