30 APRIL 1927, Page 27

A FLORENTINE DIARY FROM 1450 TO 1510. By Luca Landucci,

translated from the Italian by Alice de Rosen Jervis. (Dent. 7s. 6d.)—Del Iladia's edition of the apothecary's diary is well known to students of this fas- cinating period of the Italian Renaissance. We owe Miss Jervis a debt for having made it available in English. To read straight through such a diary would be intolerable, but taking it in snatches, and filling in the background for oneself, one can make anew the life of Florence in that gorgeous day. We can sec the billeting of the troops of time King of France (done then just as it is to-day), kingly and Papal pageants, gonfalons and pikes and torches on a night of riot, miracles. murders and jousts, Savonarola preaching to congregations of fifteen thousand—a delightful book to conjure up visions. .