of an effect directly ccratrary. When superior improve- 

 ment became general, the gloomy and despotic empire of 

 papal superstition had the most unfavourable effects on 

 the state of society, and the destiny of the fine arts. The 

 deplorable bondage in which it held the world, shackled 

 the powers of. the hmnan intellect, and disseminated a taste, 

 gross and uncouth, as those who then assumed the go- 

 vernment of the consciences and understandings of men. 

 By them some of the finest remains of antiquity were mu- 

 tilated and defaced, in the pious rage of mistaken sanc- 

 tity.. Many of the invaluable treasures of Greek and Ro- 

 man literature are supposed to have been obliterated, to 

 make room for the disgusting legends of some miserable 

 fanatic or maniac, dignified with the name of saint; or 

 for the barbarous and despicable effusions of some mo- 

 nastic rhymer.* It is a- certain fact,, which appears from 

 the writings of Petrarch and some other early authors^ that 

 many classical Avorks, which had survived the irruption 

 of the northern barbarians, were then in existence, and 

 have since perished, through the want of taste and the 

 ignorance of the subsequent ages;, when monkish^ indo- 

 lence 



* See die Life of Francis D' Assise. 



t Every one, that has perused the ancient monkish writers, knows, that, how- 

 ever barbarous their own stile, they are full of allusions to the Latin classics, 

 especially the poets. There seem also, in those middle ages, to have remained 

 many ancient books, which are now lostj Malmesbury, who flourished in the 

 reign of Henry L and Stepherv, quotes^ Livy's description of Cesar's passage 



over 



