An essential step in the humanist education being propounded by scholars like Pico della Mirandola was the hunting down of lost or forgotten manuscripts that were known only by reputation.
Et væsentligt skridt i den humanistiske uddannelse, fremlagt af lærde som Pico della Mirandola, var at opsøge tabte eller glemte antikke manuskripter som kun var kendt af omtale.