首先，文藝復興包含了文學、藝術、科學、哲學、教育和宗教方面令人映像深刻的新的成就。盡管這些文化形式的基礎都來自古典主義，但它們很快繁榮起來，并擺脫了希臘、羅馬的影響，事實上，繪畫、科學、政治和宗教上的很多成就與古典文化遺產都沒有什么關系。其次，文藝復興包含了許多鮮明的觀點和態(tài)度，使其所處的社會呈現出獨特的風貌，大體上這些中值得注意的是樂觀主義和個人主義，但所有這些中最重要的還是人文主義。在最寬泛的意義上，人文主義可以被定義為對人的價值的強調。這個詞出自西賽羅，他曾用該詞來表達對自由藝術的投入或與人類尊嚴最一致的主題。人文主義者反對經院哲學家成天埋頭于神學和邏輯，他們努力構造一種流暢的、優(yōu)美的形式，使之看起來更注意人類本性里的美感和非理性。
參考譯文：
The Renaissance embraced, first of all, an impressive record of new achievements in art, literature, science, philosophy, education and religion. Although the foundation of many of these was classical, they soon expanded beyond the measure of Greek and Roman influence. Indeed, many of the achievements in painting, science, politics and religion bore little relation to the classical heritage. Secondly, the Renaissance incorporated a number of dominant ideas and attitudes that gave it the impress of a unique society. Notable among these in general were optimism, and individualism; but the most significant of them all was humanism. In its broadest meaning humanism may be defined as emphasis on the human values. It was a term derived from Cicero, who used it in the sense of devotion to the liberal arts, or the subjects most compatible with the dignity of man. The humanists rejected the Scholastic philosophy with its preoccupation with theology and logic. They strove for a smooth and elegant style that would appeal more to the aesthetic than to the rational side of man's nature.
