MODERN HISTORY. 147 



in 809, was very near adding to his vaft domi- 

 nions the kingdom of Spain. 



II. It is therefore with the advancement of this 

 monarch to the imperial dignity, with the re-eda- 

 blifhment of the empire of the Welt, in the firft 

 year of the ninth century, that commences what 

 is called iModern Hiltory. The face of Europe 

 was changed. It became at once CKriftian 

 and civilized. It was then that modern king- 

 doms, republics, and dates, were either founded, 

 or acquired their true confidence. This lad 

 age of the world, down to the prefent day, con- 

 tains 965 years. The means by which the Di- 

 vine Providence thought proper to civilize Eu- 

 rope, and almoft all the other nations of the 

 known earth, during that period , the fuccefTive 

 progrefs of the arts and Iciences , the ufeful in- 

 ventions of every kind , the degree of perfec- 

 tion to which manufactures and commerce have 

 been carried -, the difcovery of a new world-, the 

 eftablifhment of pofts and public banks, and of 

 every kind of intercourle between mankind-, the 

 improvement of navigation, and a thouland like 

 objects, require as much to be clearly invedi- 

 gated an ;;ied in mo iern hiftory, .:s uo the 



politics of kings, the dr. iters, the 



exploits of hero ons of 1 



doms. It is therefore our bufmefs I, ..e to pre- 

 fent our readers with a clew t byrinth, bu: 

 we trull they will not expect that we fliould 



-hem t!;: -vindingsand recedes, 



K 2 by 



