LORD WOODHOUSELEE. 533 
mankind,—he followed the progress of its arms through a world 
hitherto unknown 5 and thus gradually. introducing to the ob- 
servation of his students, those various nations of the North, 
that were destined i in future years to overturn this mi ighty fa- 
bric,. he made the easiest, but the most fortunate, transition 
to the history of Modern Europe, and: to the examination of 
the causes that produced the fall of Rome. . At this. eventful 
period, he again availed himself of the pause which history af- 
forded him, to take a retrospectiy e view of this great people, 
—to consider. their attainments in arts and arms,—to compare 
their. progress . in science and in literature with that of the 
mighty. people. that had preceded them,—and to indulge him- 
self in that illustration, of the excellence of their greater wri- 
ters, which he was so well qualified , to give, and which, far bet- 
ter than mere critical examination was wert to excite the admi- 
ration, and t to form the taste, of the young who heard] him. | 
The history | of Modern Europe : affor ded not to Mr‘ Tyrie 
the same fortunate principle of arrangement which he had 
found i in. the Ancient ; But another principle of connection 
presented . itself, of which he willingly availed himself. To 
the historian ‘of Modern Europe, the natural place of observa- 
tion is his own countr y. It isthe point . of view to which all 
his interests 1 most obviously conduct him, and from which all 
the events ¢ a the surrounding world f fall into somewhat of SYS- 
tematic order and harmonious d distance. ‘Tt was on this prin- 
ciple, therefore, that ; Mr Tyner conducted ‘his views | of mo- 
dern history. Considering ‘the history « of. their « own country 
as the, subject most important in the instruction o ‘of his stu- 
dents, he began by the ‘narration. ¢ of. the great e events of its ci- 
vil and military. story : He traced the : successive steps. of its 
progress i in ‘industry, i in legislation, in opulence, and i in refine- 
ment ; and | unfolded. y with, care the gradual 1 rise ‘of its political 
3X 2 Coasieation, 
