676 
dlinary successes of the Mussulmen ex- 
cited the jealousy, while their real or 
supposed cruelties provoked the ven- 
geance, gf the Christian world. Europe, 
at the same time, was unhappy; and the 
Jove of booty, of novelty, aad the rich 
productions of the East, all contributed 
to excite the adventurers. In addition 
to this, we ought to enumerate the pri- 
vileges accorded to those who assumed 
the Cross; the warlike manners of the 
people; the religious enthusiasm; and 
the particular interest of the see of 
‘Rome. : 
INFLUENCE OF THE CRUSADES ON THE 
STATE OF EUROPE. 
The first evil produced by these expe- 
ditions, is stated to be the depopulation 
of the European kingdoms: some writers 
pretend, that they produced an expen- 
diture of nearly six millions of men, and 
the most moderate authors estimate the 
joss at two millions. 
that of capital, together with the telax- 
‘ation of industry and of cultivation. The 
third, is thé interruption given to com- 
merce; the fourth is stated to be, the 
degeneracy of manners—the additional 
cruelty produced by wars, in which an 
idea-of religion had been intermixed, so 
as to render our ancestors more san- 
guinary, and their contests more inhu- 
man. 
OF THE SALUTARY INFLUENCE OF THE 
_ CRUSADES. 
These were manifest, first, in respect 
to the safety of Portugal; as many of 
the adventurerslanded at Lisbon, assisted 
in the conquest of Cintra and Palmela 
(1147), of Sylves (1190), of Lisbon itself 
(1218), and enabled'the Sanchos and the 
Alphonsos to establish the foundations 
of the kingdom. The crusades proved 
also favourable to truces between the 
European princes, who were persuaded 
that all private quarrels ‘ought to he 
stifled, in order to engage with heart and 
hand against the infidels. hese, too, 
were generally followed by pacitications ; 
and the advantages, as well as blessings 
of repose, became evident. chy 
OF THE ALTERATIONS PRODUCED IN RE- 
SPECT TO THE ROYAL POWER, AND 
CIVIL LIBERTY. 
France’ is here said to’ have derived 
considerable advantage from the ab- 
sence of her warlike barons. Their ex- 
peditions to the’ East, not only enabled 
the’ kings of France to reign quietly, but 
also to.add to the domains of the crown, 
either by the. purchase or’ the lapse ‘of 
the estates of many of them, in default 
The next loss 1s- 
Retrospect of French Literaiure— History. 
of heirs. These are circumstances which, 
added to the royal power, proved also 
favourable to liherty, we are told; but 
while the clergy preached in favour of 
the enfranchisement of slaves, they at 
the same time retained the peasants re- 
siding on the church lands, in their ac- 
customed state of bondage. “The French 
monarchs, about this tme, began to 
grant certain privileges to the towns ap- 
pertaining to themselves; while the great — 
vassals of the crown, in imitation of the © 
sovereign, and with his consent, enfran- 
chised their villages, &c. also, by which 
they reaped an immediate profit. But 
some of the cities, of their own accord, ” 
laid the foundations of their own liberty, 
without consulting the wishes of their 
superiors. ‘Thus, we are told by Meze- 
ray, in his History of Piefs, that Mar- 
seilles declared itself free, during the 
absence and captivity of the Duke of 
Anjou in Egypt, while Tholouse did the 
same in the time of Alphonso. The 
former of these princes was forced to ac- 
cede from necéssity ; the other only fol- 
lowed the impulses of his own heart, in 
confirming the inhabitants in their privi- 
legzes; and when the serfs residing in the . 
country supplicated for a similar favour, 
it was immediately granted. 
GENERAL RESULTS. — ~ 
After enumerating in general the ad- 
yantagés, as well as disadvantages, ac- 
cruiny to Furope from the crusades, the 
author presents the following summary, , 
by way of dediction: ~~ 7 4 
1. They for a moment extended the 
bounds of the Greek empire; but they 
at the same time‘ enfeebled, and thus 
rendered the conquést more easy for the 
Mussulmen. _ ~ hella i er ae 
_ 2. They assisted the Christians to 
found’ the kingdom of Portugal; but 
without their aid, it is probable that 
Europe would have expelled the Moors. 
3. Private wars became indeed, for a 
time, less frequent; but these dissension 
were renewed; the manners became 
more corrupt; while the spirit of the 
crusadés rendered men more ferocious. 
4. They disembarrassed kings of their 
most turbulent subjects; but they depo- 
pulated Europe. ~~ ce 
5. Commerce, industry, and know- 
ledge were increased; but these were 
only incidental circumstances, for the 
sources of industry were dried up, trade 
was for a while interrupted, and the 
progress of knowledge retarded. | © . 
“" Histoire de’ la Swede, &c.” A His- 
tory of Sweden, 2 vols. Paris. i 
oe ae | Thus. 
