J792. obsei-vat'wtis on Wntion's history, l6'j 



collectively, as terminating upon some important ob- 

 ject, and illustrating a general and comprehensive 

 theory. It wonderfully afsists and delights the imagi- 

 nation to have some great and leading principle always 

 in view, especially when it is of such a nature as to 

 be perpetually improving, "and rising to greater perfec- 

 tion. The progrefs of civilization, and the gradual 

 advancement of the arts and fciences in modern times, 

 is one great and general idea which connects the most 

 remote with the latest periods of the history of the 

 kingdoms of Europe. This consideration animates us 

 to proceed in tracing the first efforts to emerge from 

 barbarism ; the light of fcience begins gradually to 

 dawn, our views enlarge, and we are at last cheered 

 with prospects of boundlefs effulgence. 



But though this be the grand centre of the history of 

 national events, and human transactions, it admits of 

 many subdivisions, without, at the same lime, making 

 us lose sight of the great tendency of the whole. The 

 particular views of one reign, or a series of reigns, in 

 promoting, or abolifhing a certain form of govern- 

 ment, the consequences of civil and religious revoluti- 

 ons, and other momentuous incidents which give rise 

 to a train of similar circumstances. The history of 

 Philip II. is remarkably happy in this respect. We h.ive 

 displayed before U3 one great and important reign j the 

 monarch is influenced throughout the whole of it by 

 the ambition of extending his conquests, deprefsing 

 the protestant religion, and rendering his power abso- 

 lute. These principles give birth to all the events o£ 

 the history. To these we refer them, as to a conmion 

 centre, and as a bond of union to all its scattered parts. 



