A SONNET made on ISABELLA MARKHAME, when I firfte thought her fayer as fhe food at the Princess's Windowe in goodlye Attyre, and talkede to dyvers in the Courte-Yard. From a MS. of JOHN HARINGTON, dated 1564. W I. HENCE comes my love, O hearte, disclose, From lips that fpoyle the rubies prayse; · II. The blufhyng cheek fpeakes modeft mynde, Syth noughte dothe faye the hearte of itone. III. Why thus, my love, fo kynde befpeake, Sweet lyppe, fweet eye, fweet blufhynge cheeks, O Venus, take thy giftes again : 'Make not fo faire to caufe our moane, 1 An Account of Books for 1769. THE biftory of the reign of the emperor Charles V. with a view of the progress of Society in Europe, from the fubverfion of the Roman Empire, to the beginning of the fixteenth century. By William Robertfon, D. D. principal of the university. of Edinburgh, and hiftoriographer to bis majefty for Scotland. In 3 vols. quarto. in ancient or modern hiftory more important or interefting, than that which our ingenious and clegant author has chofen for the fubject of this work. The age of Charles V. is to be confidered as one of thofe capital æras, that draw a diftinguished line between the past and future history of mankind. Some of the greatest discoveries that ever were made, the art of printing, that of making gunpowder, and the knowledge of the mariner's compafs, began then to approach to fuch a degree of perfection, as to difplay, in a great measure, the wonderful effects which they were capable of producing, and to encourage an improvement of them to their utmost extent. The discovery of a new world caufed a prodigious revolution in the political, commercial, and phyfical fyftem of Europe. New fources of wealth and power were opened; new fubjects for commerce, and new avenues to it discovered; and our minds were enlarged by a contem plation of orders of men, animals, and productions, of which we had not before even an idea. The revival of letters was attended with a reformation in religion, and with a total revolution in the modes of learning and philofophy. The abftracted metaphyfical difquifitions, in which the schoolmen had been for fo many ages bewildered, were at length, in a great measure, laid new ces of ufeful knowledge were every day opened to the mind. Mankind became more fenfible of their native importance, and efforts were made, in almost every part of Europe, for the establishment both of civil and religious liberty. Dr. Robertfon obferves, that it was during the adminiftration of Charles V. that the powers of Europe were formed into one great political fyftem, in which each took a ftation; wherein it has fince remained with lefs variation than could have been expected, after the fhocks occafioned by fo many internal revolutions, and fo many foreign wars. The great events which happened then, have not hitherto spent their force. The political principles and maxims, then eftablifhed, ftill continue to operate. The ideas concerning the balance of power, then introduced or rendered general, ftill influence the councils of nations. To benefit by the hiftory of that age, it was, however, neceffary to receive most valuable part of the work. In this he attempts to point out and explain the great caufes and events, to the operation of which all the improvements in the political state of Europe, from the fubverfion of the Roman empire to the beginning of the fixteenth century, are to be ascribed. receive fome information concerning the state of Europe, previous to the fixteenth century. It had long been a fubject of regret to all men of letters, that the fubverfion of the Roman empire, and the fpirit and inftitutions of the middle ages remained, in a great meafure, unexplained and in obfcurity. Moft of the immediate writers of those times Our author has divided this vowere not only inelegant, but too of- lume into three fections. In the ten weak, undifcerning, and unin- firft of these he has exhibited a view formed; frequently misled through of the progrefs of fociety in Europe, their own credulity, and as often in relation to interior government, mifleading others from the violence laws, and manners. In the fecond of their prejudices. Since the re- fection, a view is given of the provival of letters, though an inde- grefs of fociety in Europe, with refatigable fpirit of difquifition was fpect to the command of the naexerted upon other fubjects; yet tional force requifite in foreign men of genius were, in general, de- operations. In the third fection, at terred from entering far into this. view is exhibited of the political The fubject, from its importance, conftitution of the principal ftates was indeed inviting; but the chaos in Europe, at the commencement of rubbish in which it was buried, of the fixteenth century. and the patient drudgery to be fub- end of this fection, feveral critical mitted to in making the fearch, difquifitions are added; which, unwere too difcouraging. Thus, en- der the title of proofs and illuftraquiries into the most dark and in- tions, take up above half the voterefting fubjects, which required lume. Many of these are very cuthe acuteft difcernment, under the rious; and our author quotes his direction of the best formed judg-authorities with the most scrupulous ment, to be applied to their inveftigation, were abandoned to the indifcriminate zeal of antiquaries, or to the undiftinguishing labour of compilers. It is true, that Muratori, and fome other late writers, have, with equal industry and ingenuity, developed many valuable monuments of thofe dark periods; but their enquiries were directed to particular parts, and did not take in the whole fystem. This difficult and interefting portion of hiftory is undertaken by Dr. Robertson, and employs his preliminary volume, which many of his readers will confider as the At the exactnefs. The two other volumes contain fuch matters as relate to the reign of which he treats. Our author's merits, as an historian, are fo well known, and fo generally acknowledged, that little can be faid upon that subject, which would not at least appear fuperfluous. Few writers have agreed in their ideas on the feudal fystem. As our author has many new ones on the fubject, and diffents from fome received opinions, which have had the fanction of writers of eminence, the fame variety of opinion will probably take place among his readers. We cannot but express our our regret, that our author has paffed over in filence, that excellent body of laws which was compofed by our Saxon ancestors; and that the celebrated inftitutes of our admirable Alfred fhould efcape his notice. This was not, however, by accident; and the Doctor gives, as a reason for not entering into the fame detail in refpect to the ancient laws and cuftoms of these kingdoms, as of the other European nations, that as the capital facts with regard to the progrefs of government and manners here, are known to most of his readers, fuch a detail appeared to him the lefs effential. We cannot however help thinking, that as the Saxon feudal fyftem was the most unmixed, as well as by many degrees the most perfect in Europe, that a curious investigation of it, would not only have afforded great pleafure to the public, but would also have yielded a clew, which he would have found of great ufe in his continental researches upon the fame fubject. Our author has given no account, in this work, of the conquefts of Mexico and Peru, or of the establishment of the Spanish colonies in the continent and iflands of America: an event which had a great effect upon the general fyftem of Europe: This omiffion he takes notice of, and gives us room to expect the pleasure of feeing a full difcuffion of this fubject in a separate treatife. Upon the whole, this is a work of great merit, and would fufficiently establish Dr. Robertfon's character as a writer, though he had published no other. We are, however, of opinion, that he has not allowed to England that due fhare in the continental tranfactions of Europe, and that great weight and influence in the general political fyftem, which the undoubtedly held. Perhaps upon fome occafions he may be thought, too hypothetical, a charge well founded against fome of the best hiftorians; it may alfo probably be wished, that in fome of his difquifitions he had examined more attentively all the records and other ancient authorities that correfponded with his fubject. Men of genius are apt to think that they comprehend every part of a fubject at firft view; and it is no wonderif in this opinion they fometimes overlook, during the tiresome task of fearching and comparing a great number of authorities, fome that it might have been wished they had confidered. The plan of this undertaking was very extenfive, and the attempt arduous; and the author was, in many parts, obliged to feek his way with great difficulty in the dark; he has thrown light upon many obfcure parts, and treats the fubject in general with perfpicuity and elegance. Our author, after fhewing the causes that led to the downfall of the Roman empire, gives the following account of the barbarous nations that compleated its deftruction. "The violent irruption of the Goths, Vandals, Huns, and other barbarians, haftened this event, and precipitated the downfal of the empire. New nations feemed to arife, and to rush from unknown regions, in order to take vengeance on the Romans for the calamities which they had inflicted on mankind. These fierce tribes either inhabited the various provinces in Germany which had |