Accuracy, patience, love of truth, sincerity in criticism, and laborious research, have all their proper place assigned to them.

Compare Guicciardini, _Ricordi_, No.cxliii., for sound remarks upon the historian's duty of collecting the statistics of his own age and country.
[4] The prefaces to Giannotti's critiques of Florence and of Venice show how thoroughly his mind had been imbued with the _Politics_ of Aristotle.

Varchi acknowledges the direct influence of Polybius and Tacitus.

Livy is Machiavelli's favorite.
[5] On this point the Relazioni of Italian ambassadors are invaluable.

What dryly philosophical compendia are the notes of Machiavelli upon the French Court and Cesare Borgia! How astute are the Venetian letters on the opinions and qualities of the Roman Prelates! [6] Guicc.