"The mind of the Renaissance was not a pilgrim mind, but a sedentary city mind, like that of the ancients"

This quote by George Santayana is referring to the mindset of the people throughout the Renaissance period. He is recommending that the frame of mind of individuals during this time was not one of expedition and discovery, but rather one of remaining in one location and being content with the understanding they currently had. This is in contrast to the state of mind of individuals during the Middle Ages, who were most likely to explore and look for brand-new understanding. Santayana is comparing the frame of mind of the people throughout the Renaissance to that of the ancients, suggesting that they were content with the knowledge they had and were not interested in seeking out brand-new understanding. This quote is a pointer that the frame of mind of the people throughout the Renaissance was various from that of the Middle Ages, and that it was more focused on remaining in one location and being content with the understanding they already had.