ACCOUNT OF BOOKS. 



491 



reader is gratified, when he learns 

 that this engagement was the first 

 cause of the intimate connection 

 between France 'and Switzerland, 

 formed soon afterwards; which has 

 been productive of so many impor- 

 tant consequences, which remained 

 to our days, and which had so tra- 

 gical a termination. 



In commencing the second vo- 

 lume of this work, we approach the 

 period at which the history of Hel- 

 vetia mingles itself with, and ulti- 

 mately (as it were)lose& itself in that 

 of other states. We are to see its 

 people for a short time, indeed, act 

 up to their ancient characters, and 

 achieving splendid events; but we 

 next behold them as allies, and last- 

 ly we hear of them only as mer- 

 cen;:ries. In what remains of his 

 task, therefore, the Helvetic histo- 

 rian can no longer interest by no- 

 velty of matter; nor does the sub- 

 ject retain the same dignity, and 

 afford the same satisfaction. Hel- 

 vetia ceases, very soon, to be the 

 region in which men of invincible 

 bravery, of primitive manners, of 

 sentimentspure as thecrystal streams 

 issuing from their glaciers, and of 

 integrity and honour as unshaken as 

 their native mountains, are seen 

 spurning the oppressor's yoke,break- 

 ing his bands, defying his prowess, 

 and baffling all his attempts to force 

 or induce them to resume their 

 chains. The temple of Freedom 

 is soon to be converted into a theatre 

 for gladiators, formed to be let out 

 for hire to combat in the destructive 

 games of ambition. — It is true that 

 Helvetia did not all at once leap 

 into the anns of disgrace ; it re- 

 quired time, as well as consummate 

 address, to familiarize her to what 

 was so contrary to the feelings and 

 habits of her better duvs. It mubt 



be admitted that measures most 

 honourable to her, and deeds full 

 of glory, attracted the notice, and 

 awoke the wishes of a crafty seducer, 

 and gave rise to the machinations 

 by which he undermined Helvetic 

 virtue. Like other wanderers, she 

 does not deviate from her former 

 paths without exhibiting, at times, 

 her qualms of conscience, her fits 

 of repentance, and her gusts of good 

 resolution: but these weaken by 

 degrees; and she settles down to a 

 commerce, than which nothingmore 

 disgraceful is recorded in the annals 

 of human depravity, a commerce 

 in the blood of her children. Do 

 speculatists, with great force of rea- 

 sonings, maintain that all wars, ex- 

 cept for self-defence, are contrary 

 to morals and true religion .'' What 

 shall we say, then, of a people who 

 furnish warriors for gold, who lend 

 them to every cause indiscriminate- 

 ly ? This disgrace of Helvetia is not 

 to be disputed, nor palliated; yet 

 justice requires that we should add, 

 that it is almost the sole offence 

 with which this people are charge-, 

 able. 



The period on which we are en- 

 tering exhibits to our view two re- 

 markable men, whose actions and 

 fate have had eminent influence 

 over the subsequent state of Europe; 

 Lewis XI. of France, and Charles 

 the Bold, thelast duke of Burgundy. 

 The former was a monster in pri- 

 vate life, and callous to every prin- 

 ciple, but possessed of extraordinary 

 discernment as to what respected 

 the interests of his crown, who, 

 before Machiavelli wrote, reduced 

 to practice all his rules; so that he 

 mioht have served the same end in 

 politics to that ingenious writer, 

 tliat Homer and the Greek trage- 

 dians are said to have done to Aris- 



