Introductory. 



at the outset, it does not seem difficult to fix upon a 

 leading characteristic whereby to connect together, on the 

 one hand, the period of the Renaissance with that of the 

 Revolution ; on the other, the latter event with contem- 

 poraneous phenomena. 



That wide-spread break-up of definite religious systems, 

 accompanied by a more or less marked tendency to 

 democracy in politics, which exists to-day, is generally 

 allowed to be the expression of a spirit similar to, if not 

 identical with, that which predominantly influenced the 

 great French movement of the last century. 



Similarly, the affected imitation of ancient Rome, the 

 studious reproduction of classical customs, which were 

 practised by so many of the " citizens " of France, as well 

 as by its " senators " and " consuls," marks a certain 

 similarity of spirit between the revolutionary movement 

 of the eighteenth century and the elegant and refined 

 period of the Renaissance. 



Moreover, though the last-named period was not,, except 

 more or kss in Italy, avowedly anti-Christian (like the 

 French Revolution), it was, nevertheless, speedily followed 

 by religious disruptions, which are deemed by many who 

 heartily approve them as but the logical precursors of 

 that absolute negation of Christianity which has, in fact, 

 become so widespread in Switzerland, Germany, France, 

 and Holland, and is now openly avowed by many of those 

 who lineally represent the initiators of such disruptions. 



