友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
恐怖书库 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

the greatness of cities-第11部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!


nto the which the nations thereunto adjoining use to resort to make their provisions of such things as they need because they have commodious means for transportation of it。 And this consisteth in the largeness and the safeness of the ports; in the opportunity and fitness of the gulfs and creeks of the seas; in the navigable rivers that come into the cities; or run by or near them; in the lakes and chattels; as also where the ways be plain and safe。     And here to the purpose; because I speak of ways; I cannot pass over those two ways which the kings of Cuzco (called in their language Incas) in the long process of time cut out throughout their dominion; about two thousand miles in length; so pleasant; so commodious; so plain and so level as they give no place to the magnificent works of the Romans。 For there shall you see steep and high hills laid even with the plain; and deep valleys filled up; and horrible huge stones cut in pieces; there shall you see the trees that are planted here and there; in excellent good order even by a line; yield both with their shade a comfort and with the charm of the birds that there abound in great plenty; a marvellous delight and pleasure to the travellers that pass those ways。 Neither are there wanting on those ways many good inns for lodging and for entertainment; plentiful of all necessary things; nor palaces and goodly buildings that in eminent and open places; as it were; to meet you; present you with a pleasant and beautiful show of their excellency and rareness; nor pleasant towns; nor sweet countries; nor a thousand other delights and pleasures to feed both the eye with variety and the mind with admiration at the infinite effects; partly wrought by nature and partly by the handiwork of man。 But to return to our purpose。     It is a good matter and a great help to a prince to know the natural site of his country; and with judgment to have an understanding how to amend it by art and industry。 As; for example; to defend his ports with rampiers and with bulwarks; to make the lading and unlading of merchandise both quick and easy; to scour the seas of pirates and of rovers; to make the rivers navigable; to build storehouses apt and large enough to contain great quantity of wares; and to defend and maintain the ways as well on the plains as on the mountains and hilly places。     In this point the kings of China have deserved all praise that may be。 For they have with an incredible expense and charge paved with stone all the highways of that most famous kingdom; and have made stone bridges over mighty great rivers; and cut in sunder hills and mountains of inestimable height and craggedness。 They have also strewed the plains and bottoms with very fair stone; so that a man may there pass either on horse or afoot as well in the winter as in the summer time; and merchandise may be easily carried to and fro there by load; either on carts or on horse; mules or camels。     And in this point; no doubt; some princes in Italy are much to blame; in whose countries in the winter…time horses are bemired in sloughs up to the belly; and carts are stabled and set fast in the tough dirt and mire。 So that carriages by cart or horse are thereby very cumbersome; and a journey that might be well dispatched in a day can hardly be performed in three or four。 And the ways are as bad in many parts of France; as in the country of Poitiers; Saintonge; Beauce and in Burgundy。 But this is no place to censure so famous provinces; and therefore let us proceed。

 9。 Of dominion and power

    The greatest means to make a city populous and great is to have supreme authority and power; for that draweth dependency with it; and dependency concourse; and concourse greatness。 In the cities that have jurisdiction and power over others; as well the public wealth as the wealth of private men is drawn by divers arts and means unto them。 Thither do repair the ambassadors of princes; and the agents of dukes and commonwealths; there are the greatest causes heard; as well criminal as civil; and all appeals are brought to trial there。 There are the suits and causes; as well of men of quality as of the commonweal and common persons debated and decided; the revenues of the state are there laid up; and there spent out again when there is need。 The richest citizens of other countries seek to ally themselves and to get an habitation there。     Out of all which causes here recited there must needs follow an abundance of wealth and riches; a most strong and forcible bait to allure and draw forth the merchants; the artificers and the people of all sorts that live upon their labour and their service; to run amain from the furthest coasts unto it。 After this sort a city soon increaseth both in magnificency of building; in multitude of people and abundance of wealth; and also groweth to the proportion of a principality。     The truth whereof these cities all of them declare it plain; that either have had or have any notable jurisdiction in them; Pisa; Siena; Genoa; Lucca; Florence and Brescia; whose countries do extend an hundred miles in length and forty in breadth; and not only contain the most fruitful and fertile plains but also many rich and goodly valleys; many towns and castles that have above a thousand houses in them and do feed very near three hundred and forty thousand persons。 Many free and imperial cities in Germany are like to these: Nuremberg; Lubeck and Aachen; and such was Ghent in Flanders; that when the standard was advanced and spread sent out at once an hundred thousand men of war。     I speak not here of Sparta; Carthage; Athens; Rome nor Venice; whose greatness grew as fast as their power; even so far that; to pass the rest; Carthage; in the height of her pride and glory; was twenty…four miles about; and Rome was fifty besides the suburbs; which were in a matter so infinite and great as on the one side they extended even to Ostia and on the other side; in a matter; to Utricoli; and round about they occupied and possessed a mighty deal of the country。 But let us proceed; for to this chapter belongeth all that shall be said hereafter of the residence of princes。

 10。 Of the residency of the nobility

    Amongst other causes why the cities of Italy are ordinarily greater than the cities of France or other parts of Europe; it is not of small importance this; that the gentlemen in Italy do dwell in cities; and in France in their castles; which are for the most part palaces compassed and surrounded with moats full of water; and fenced with walls and towers sufficient to sustain a sudden assault。     And although the noblemen of Italy do also themselves magnificently dwell in the villages; as you may see about the countries of Florence; Venice and Genoa; which are full of buildings both for the worthiness of the matter and the excellency of the workmanship fit to be an ornament and an honour rather to a kingdom than to a city; yet notwithstanding; these buildings generally are more sumptuous and more common in France than they are in Italy。 For the Italian divideth his expense and endeavours part in the city; part in the country; but the greater part he bestows in the city。 But the Frenchman employs all that he may wholly in t
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 1
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!