Bonvesin, da la Riva
"Italian courtesy-books: Fra Bonvicino da Riva's fifty courtesies for the…" is a historical anthology compiled in the mid-19th century by William Michael Rossetti. The book examines the tradition of courtesy literature in Italy, particularly from the medieval period, and presents translated specimens of these early works. Its central concern is the rules and ideals surrounding polite behavior, especially at the table, and how such social codes evolved and were recorded in Italian literary culture. The opening of the book provides introductory remarks by Rossetti, laying out both his motivation for assembling this volume and the cultural context for Italian courtesy-books. He references the advanced stage of Italian civilization during the Middle Ages and introduces key early authors, starting with Brunetto Latini, whose poem "Tesoretto" includes a discourse on the virtue of courtesy, especially in speech and conduct. Rossetti then turns to Fra Bonvicino da Riva and his poem "The Fifty Courtesies for the Table," a detailed guide to manners at mealtime, which he presents in both the original Italian and in English translation. This beginning also includes a summary and classification of Bonvicino’s rules, showing their continuing relevance and offering comparisons with later texts. The reader is oriented to expect both broad cultural analysis and close readings of original etiquette texts, establishing the book's dual value as a scholarly resource and a window onto historical s…
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