55) is very severe on the aristocracy, whom he defines as 'those who live in idleness on the produce of their estates, without applying themselves to agriculture or to any other useful occupation.' He points out that the Venetian nobles are not properly so called, since they are merchants.

The different districts of Italy had widely different conceptions of nobility.

Naples was always aristocratic, owing to its connection with France and Spain.

Ferrara maintained the chivalry of courts.

Those states, on the other hand, which had been democratized, like Florence, by republican customs, or like Milan, by despotism, set less value on birth than on talent and wealth.