97 



forcibly impelled to the acquisition of tliat knowledge, 

 which is insensibly obtained, not only in human nature, 

 but in the arts, by an observation of various countries,, 

 and of the manners and customs of various nations. 



The grand source of improvement of Europe, in those 

 early ages, was found in the, Crusades, which brought the 

 natives of the northern and western parts of Europe ac- 

 quainted with the arts and civilization of the Grecian em- 

 pire, and of the Saracen's, with the luxury and enjoyments 

 of the people; and enabled them to refine the manners, 

 the arts, and pleasures of their own countrymen, on their 

 return. The Crusades too, by exciting a romantic spirit of 

 adventure, and a generous readiness to sacrifice all other 

 objects to the pursuits of honest fame,, gave rise to a num- 

 ber of gallant acts and atchievements, which furnished 

 matter for heroic song; and also produced a certain high 

 and romantic mood, an elevation of sentiment, extremely 

 favourable to the cultivation of poetry and music, which 

 are generally the pleasures of refined sjiirits. Though the 

 Greek empire was much on the decline, these military 

 adventurers had still an opportunity of observing a degree 

 of splendor, a perfection and skill in commerce and agri- 

 culture, a display of politeness and of the Jim arts, of ar- 

 chitecture, sculpture, painting; poetry and music, such as 

 they had never before witnessed, nor could possibly have 

 conceived. x\nd at that time, also, the Saracens were 

 highly cultivated, and v^ry^ f9V^r4^'d i" aits and politeness. 



^OL. X. n ImiN.'J-ii'lff i\bout 



