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was who combated with the utmost energy and wisdom the revolutionary principles 

 of Philip— it was he who arrested their triumphant establishment. Neither the 

 murmurings of his inferiors, nor the envy of his equals, nor the persecution of the 

 great, could subdue his spirit. Such an opponent Philip never contemplated." 



The developement of the origin of the tragedy which was acted in the 

 Netherlands is also of considerable merit. Of the political sentiments 

 with which the author views these transactions, the following will afford 

 a favourable specimen : — 



** If blind obedience towards a supreme power which boldly transgresses divine 

 and human right, natural and positive law; wholly disregards solemnly sworn 

 obligations and promises, despises all warnings, punishes humble entreaties — if un- 

 conditional obedience towards an Alba or a Philip were a paramount duty, the human 

 race would sink to a brutal condition or be wholly extirpated. Whoever condemns 

 the Prince of Orange for having heeded the loud entreaties of those who were in 

 danger, in banishment, or had expired on the scaffold, and for having drawn his 

 sword to save his country, must have no heart beating within his bosom. On 

 William's side there was long prescription, ancient laws, sworn compacts — it was 

 the King and his Generals who were revolutionists — who swerved from right, and 

 despised all legitimate means." 



The story of Don Carlos, which Schiller and Alfieri, two of the most 

 gifted and imaginative poets of modern times, have used as the subject of 

 deeply affecting tragedies, the author disposes of in the same manner as 

 Llorente and other writers. It militates somewhat against the pre- 

 conceived notions which most readers of Schiller's and Alfieri's tragedies 

 have formed of Don Carlos' character, founded on these productions, or 

 on the popular belief, which till very lately prevailed on this subject. It 

 seems that Don Carlos was born with a feeble constitution and a wicked 

 disposition, which, with few lucid and repentant intervals, rose to 

 absolute fury. Under the influence of this malady, the hate he bore to his 

 father became so intense that he probably made attempts upon his life. 

 He was wholly unfit to govern, and both he and the queen died a natural 

 death, no mutual love, as the popular story has it, having ever existed 

 between them. 



The author having brought the history of the revolution in the Nether- 

 lands down to the armistice, which was concluded between the Belgians 

 and the Spaniards for twelve years, and which was the precursor of their 

 acknowledged independence, an occasion is afforded him to take a survey 

 of the condition of both belligerent countries. At this period Spain was 

 engaged in tearing asunder, with equal folly and cruelty, another member 

 of her vast empire — her Moorish subjects, whose persecutions, begun 

 under Philip's cruel reign, was carried with unrelenting fury to complete 

 expulsion by his superstitious successors. Ribeira, the Archbishop of 

 Valencia, maintained, that the expulsion of the Moors was a very mild 

 punishment — nay an act of grace, since the King might justly execute 

 them all as heretics. The children, said he, may be detained, brought 

 up in the christian religion, and then either employed in the mines or 

 sold as slaves for the benefit of the treasury. But Sandoval, Arch- 

 bishop of Toledo, was of opinion that it were better to destroy all the 

 children than again permit them to pollute by admixture the Spanish 

 blood. The Moors, however, were ordered to ship themselves off without 

 delay, on pain of death. They were allowed, it is true, to sell their pro- 

 perty and articles within 20 — 30 days, yet not to take the produce with 

 them in money, jewels, or bills of exchange, but in manufactured goods. 

 Thus the grant became illusory, and almost the whole of their property 

 was confiscated. 



*' More than one half of the Moors were shipwrecked,*' says Mr. Von 

 Raumer," many were murdered by the crews of the ships which were hired 



