people do not straightway change their minds because they cross the sea,
as Horace says, nor will the shadow of an impressive name make me a whit
more learned ... but we must put on the lion's skin to prove our ability
to those who judge a man by his title and not by his books, which in
truth they do not understand."[11]

Although Erasmus despised degree-hunting, it is well known that he felt
the power of Italy. He was tempted to remain in Rome for ever, by reason
of the company he found there. "What a sky and fields, what libraries
and pleasant walks and sweet confabulation with the learned ..."[12] he
exclaims, in afterwards recalling that paradise of scholars. There was,
for instance, the Cardinal Grimani, who begged Erasmus to share his life
... and books.[13] And there was Aldus Manutius. We get a glimpse of the
Venetian printing-house when Aldus and Erasmus worked together: Erasmus
sitting writing regardless of the noise of printers, while Aldus
breathlessly reads proof, admiring every word. "We were so busy," says
Erasmus, "we scarce had time to scratch our ears."[14]

It was this charm of intellectual companionship which started the whole
stream of travel _animi causa_. Whoever had keen wits, an agile mind,
imagination, yearned for Italy. There enlightened spirits struck sparks
from one another. Young and ardent minds in England and in Germany found
an escape from the dull and melancholy grimness of their uneducated
elders--purely practical fighting-men, whose ideals were fixed on a
petrified code of life.

I need not explain how Englishmen first felt this charm of urbane
civilization. The travels of Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester, of Gunthorpe,
Flemming, Grey and Free, have been recently described by Mr Einstein in
_The Italian Renaissance in England_. As for Italian journeys of