PROM THE SPANISH MONARCHY. 169 



founding its mofl artful attacks on human liberty; 

 that, by a bold and magnanimous refiftance. the iron 

 fceptre may be wrenched from the extended arm of a 

 defpot, and that an heroic perfeverance may at length 

 exhanft his dreadful refources. Never did I fo forci- 

 bly feel this truth, as in contemplating the hifhory of 

 that memorable rebellion which fevered the united 

 Netherlands from the fpanifh crown — and therefore I 

 thought it not unworthy the attempt to fet this fair 

 monument of civic force before the world, for awaken- 

 ing in the breaft of every reader a chearful fentiment 

 of his own importance, and for giving a frefh and ir- 

 refragable example, of what mankind will hazard in 

 the caufe of Liberty, and what they may perform by 

 union. 



It is not the extraordinary or heroical part of the 

 tranfaction that induces me to draw up this account. 

 The annals of the world have preferved to us enterprifes 

 of a iimilar nature which feem to have been formed on 

 a bolder plan, and executed with a more dazzling ef- 

 fect. Many ftates have been overturned by a flngle 

 frroke of coilifion, and others have rifen into confe- 

 quence bv daring efforts. It is not therefore to be ex- 

 pected that we have here any coloffal men to produce, 

 or any of thole aftonifhing deeds fo amply prefented to 

 our view in the hiftory of former times. Thofe times 

 are part, thofe men are no more. In the effeminate 

 lap of refinement we leave numbed and relaxed thofe 

 powers which were formerly brought into exercife by 

 the neceffities of the times. With humble aftonifh- 

 ment we now regard thefe gigantic forms, as decrepit 

 age beholds the athletic feats of youth. Not of this 



com- 



