Macchiavelli, Niccolo (Hist.)

A young friend of Tito Melema, who is to succeed Tito as Secretary to the Ten if the latter has to leave Florence suddenly. "He was a young man about Tito's own age, with keen features, small close-clipped head, and closeshaven lip and chin, giving the idea of a mind as little encumbered as possible with material that was not nervous. The keen eyes were bright with hope and friendliness, as so many other young eyes have been that have afterwards closed on the world in bitterness and disappointment; for at that time there were none but pleasant predictions about Niccolo Macchiavelli, as a young man of promise, who was expected to mend the broken fortunes of his ancient family." Niccolo di Bernardo dei Macchiavelli (1469-1527), Florentine statesman and author, Secretary to the Ten, 1498-1512.

<em>Romola</em>

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