BRACCIOLINI IN ROME.
I. His genius and the greatness of his
age. II. His qualifications. III.
His early career. IV. The character of
Niccolo Niccoli, who abetted him in the forgery
V. Bracciolini’s descriptive writing of the
Burning of Jerome of Prague compared with the descriptive
writing of the sham sea fight in the Twelfth Book
of the Annals.
BRACCIOLINI IN LONDON.
I. Gaining insight into the darkest passions
from associating with Cardinal Beaufort. II.
His passage about London in the Fourteenth Book of
the Annals examined. III. About the Parliament
of England in the Fourth Book.
BRACCIOLINI SETTING ABOUT THE FORGERY OF THE ANNALS
I. The Proposal made in February, 1422,
by a Florentine, named Lamberteschi, and backed by
Niccoli. II. Correspondence on the matter,
and Mr. Shepherd’s view that it referred to
a Professorship refuted. III. Professional
disappointments in England determine Bracciolini
to persevere in his intention of forging the Annals.
IV. He returns to the Papal Secretaryship, and
begins the forgery in Rome in October, 1423.
BRACCIOLINI AS A BOOKFINDER
I. Doubts on the authenticity of the Latin,
but not the Greek Classics. II. At the
revival of letters Popes and Princes offered large
rewards for the recovery of the ancient classics.
III. The labours of Bracciolini as a bookfinder.
IV. Belief put about by the professional bookfinders
that mss. were soonest found in obscure convents
in barbarous lands. V. How this reasoning
throws the door open to fraud and forgery.
Vi. The bands of bookfinders consisted of
men of genius in every department of literature and
science. VII. Bracciolini endeavours to
escape from forging the Annals by forging the whole
lost History of Livy. VIII. His Letter
on the subject to Niccoli quoted, and examined.
IX. Failure of his attempt, and he proceeds with
the forgery of the Annals.
The last six books of the
annals.
The character of Bracciolini.
