Epitome of the Progress of Natural Science. 1 55 



jects, did not admit of their making any efforts towards enlight- 

 ening mankind. It was in this last century, that Italy was 

 annexed to the German empire by Otho, a connexion which, un- 

 fortunately, she has not yet been able to shake off. 



The eleventh century opened upon Europe, at a period when 

 rapine, anarchy, and ignorance, had scarce a lower degree to 

 descend to. The extreme of desolation had overtaken civilized 

 society, and no other movement was left to it, but a re-construc- 

 tion of its elements. It is accordingly this century which is sig- 

 nalized by the Italians, as the commencement of a general 

 renovation ; a period, when, from the chaos which succeeded to 

 the ruins of human intelligence, new combinations began to be 

 formed. Amongst the causes which operated powerfully upon 

 the human mind, at this period of general instability of things, 

 and which was well fitted to influence the universal debility of 

 intellect, was the belief,— which had been inculcated through 

 the interested fanaticism of the monks,— that the world was draw- 

 ing to its end. The period fixed for this astounding event, and 

 which was well calculated for an age abandoned by philosophy, 

 and delivered up to the influence of credulity, was the termina- 

 tion of the tenth century. Men looked forward to the evening 

 of the day, on which they believed the sun was to rise for the 

 last time, either with a stupid indifference, or a sullen despair. 

 Many had endowed the convents largely with their wealth, for 

 masses for their own souls, and for those of their living descend- 

 ants : the desolation which was to fall upon the whole of man- 

 kind at once, took away all the common motives which attach 

 men to property. The most illustrious names, the most magnifi- 

 cent establishments, could no longer be valuable legacies to future 

 generations ; for at the conclusion of the thousandth year of the 

 Christian era, all generations were to be destroyed. But when 

 the awful moment, which had been awaited with such inexpres- 

 sible agitation, had passed away amidst the accustomed benevo- 

 lences of nature, when the glorious sun rose once more, and 

 ushered in the first day of the eleventh century, men abandoned 

 themselves to a grateful confidence in the permanence of nature, 

 and returned to the gentler influences of hope, both for present 

 and future happiness. The human mind, thus unexpectedly re- 

 lieved from so deadly a weight, was in the right situation to fol- 

 low those generous impulses which influence it, when untram- 



