freedom of its agency. What is called the reformation, which produced a greater freedom of opinion in religious matters, was accompanied with greater boldness of political research. Men became more conscious of the real dignity of human nature; and the more insight they obtained into the true genius of that doctrine, which represents all man kind on the same level of a humble dependance on the Fatber of mercies, the more they felt the flame of freedom glowing in their breasts. The first seeds of the reformation in the Low Countries, were dispersed by the protestant merchants, who had formed an establishment at Antwerp and Amsterdam. Many of the Belgic nobility received their education at Geneva, where they imbibed the doctrines of Calvin. The diffusion of these doctrines was greatly promoted by that varied intercourse which the relations of commerce encouraged. In a community where commerce flourished, the vices of the monastic institutions, which are favourable to beggary and idleness, must have been readily perceived and severely condemned. The reformed religion, which was entirely hostile to the spirit and the design of such esta blishments, was therefore in unison with the public opinion; and the late invention of the typographical art, facilitated the circulation of the arguments, satires, and lampoons which were produced in a continually increasing abundance against the errors and superstitions of the Romish church. Thus there was a continual and multiplied accession of proselytes to the new doctrine. Charles made every effort to maintain the credit of the old faith, and to prevent the increase of the new, But the truths, which had once been divulged, could not rea dily be suppressed; and the errors, which had been exposed, could not easily regain their original authority, The fires of persecution were lighted up, but without producing the effect which was expected. Severe prohibitions, accompanied with heavy penalties, were issued against the po rusal of the scriptures, against public and private conven ticles, and against all discourses on the topic of religion, Whoever was convicted of cherishing the new opinions was dismissed from his employments; and those who dissemi nated heresies, were put to death. The men were hung or beheaded, and the women buried alive. But Charles, finding that these measures were insufficient to prevent the dissemina tion of the new doctrines, had conceived the design of introducing into the Netherlands that all-powerful instrument of religious uniformity, the Spanish inquisition. The mere mention of this infernal engine of spiritual oppression spread a general alarm throughout the country. The busy hum of

trade was still, the manufactures were deserted, and every. face presented the features of despair. Had not Charles abandoned his project, the ruin of the country must infallibly have ensued.

But in the other provinces, this institution prevailed in all its merciless fury, and it is computed that during the reign of Charles, not less than five hundred thousand persons were sacrificed on account of their religious opinions.

Still the flame of rebellion, which raged so furiously. during the government of Philip, was kept under during. that of Charles. The discontent of his subjects was in some measure mitigated by the great events of his reign, which, if they did not conciliate love, commanded admiration. The manners and conduct of Charles, at the same time, tended,notwithstanding the tyrannical spirit of his administration, to ingratiate him with the inhabitants of the Netherlands. He had been born among them; and he had conceived a predilection for their language, manners and customs. The habits of his domestic life were more agreeable to theirs, than to those of his Spanish subjects. He conversed with them with a sort of affectionate familiarity; and their hearts were often won by the courteous and obliging facility of his address, when they were on the point of being totaily alienated by the cruelty and oppression of his measures. Charles, when he renounced the sovereignty of the Netherlands in favour of his son, would gladly have transferred to him the affections of the people. At the awful solemnity of his abdication, he earnestly recommended to him the paternal care of these countries as the richest jewels of the crown. The ambition of Philip was not less rapacious than that of his father, but it was not so much restrained by the sensations of humanity, or even the considerations of an enlightened policy. A religious bigotry bad entirely frozen up the sensibilities of his heart; and not one tender sensation was admitted into his bosom to soften the rigour of his intolerance. His notions of the regal dignity were exalted far above the level of reason, and of common sense; and he conceived the people as if boru for no other purpose than to gratify the ambition of the prince. As he was a Spaniard by birth, he did not inherit any of his father's predilection for the native vivacity or unreserved manners of his Flemish subjects. A monastic education had tended to extinguish all the social sympathies, and to communicate a degree of austerity to his sentiments and manners, which rendered him an object of terror and repugnance to his people. Supposing his religious intole

rance to be consecrated by the express sanction of the Deity, those measures of the most sanguinary persecution which would have revolted every unvitiated heart, became with him a matter of conscience, and instead of exciting remorse they commanded his unmingled approbation. Whea his conduct was most cruel, he probably thought it most acceptable to the Father of mercies.

In vain did Charles endeavour to render his son an object of affection to the Flemings. There was nothing in the manners or deportiment of Philip at all calculated to promote this end. He could not condescend to practise any even of the most easy methods of obtaining popularity. Constantly surrounded by his Spanish attendants, hardly any native of the Netherlands could obtain access to his person. His countenance was overspread with a sullen gloom, which was not relieved by one ray of complacency at all the tokens of respect which he received, and expressions of joy with which he was saluted. The haughty carriage of the son was contrasted with the familiar courtesy of the father; and the Flemings could institute no compa rison between them, which was not unfavourable to the successor of Charles. Their affections were irrecoverably estranged by the appearance of Philip; and they seem to have been unanimously excited, not more by the love of liberty, than by the personal hatred of the sovereign, to resist the unconditional tyranny, which they saw that he meditated tp establish.

The sovereignty of the Netherlands was the first part of his imperial power which Charles resigned. The ceremo ny took place at Brassels in the presence of a solemn conVocation. When Charles had concluded his address, Philip dropt upon his knee before him, seized his hand, pressed it to his lips, and received his paternal blessing. A tear stole from his eyelids for the last time. All the by standers wept. It was an hour never to be forgotten.' After Philip had taken the coronation-oath and received the homage of the state, Charles the fifth abandoned his palace at Brussels and retired to a private house, whence he departed to end his turbulent and ambitious life in the silence and penance of a monastery.

The sovereignty of the Netherlands on the accession of Philip comprehended the four duchies of Brabant, Limburg, Luxemburg and Guelders; the seven provinces of Artois, of Hennegau, of Flanders, Namur, Zutphen, Holland and Zealand; the margraviate of Antwerp, and the five lordships of Friesland, Mecheln, Utrecht, Overyssel and Gro

ningen; comprising a country, which, in industry and riches, was not inferior to any European state. But the arbitrary spirit of the monarch, combined with his religious bigotry, soon occasioned the loss of this valuable appendage to his crown. The character of a sovereign usually affords the most certain clue to the events of his reign. The education of Philip had stifled or extirpated those social sympathies, the seeds of which are planted by nature in the bosom of man. The vacuity of his mind was occupied only by a narrow selfishness or a domineering superstition. The Deity whom he worshipped was a merciless being, the object of his fear rather than of his love, His political creed was in unison with his religious, and both were equally adverse to the happiness of mankind. Charles was intolerant; but his Intolerance was often restrained by considerations of policy and views of interest. But the intolerance of Philip was not of this variable kind; it was a fixed rule of action and a permanent principle of belief. Charles was governed more by a comprehensive survey of his present interest; Philip was a slave to the prejudices of his education, and the suggestions of his priests. Not at all acquainted with the difficulty of forcing the opinions or determining the volitions of the mind, he imagined that his dogmatic fiat only was necessary to produce an unvarying uniformity of belief. The edicts of his father against heresy were enforced with unmitigated cruelty; and the Spanish inquisition was introduced into the Netherlands with all its concomitants of horror and despair. Cardinal Ximenes was the founder of this barbarous institution, which was supported by the monarch as the most powerful engine of avarice and oppression. It conferred on the prince an absolute power over the lives and treasures of his subjects. Its principal object was to fetter the free agency of the mind, and to stop that progress of discussion, which seemed equally inimical to the altar and to the throne. But the establishment of such a tribunal, which at once suspended all freedom of intercourse, and filled every circle with suspicion and dismay, could not be endured by s people whose habits were commercial and whose spirit was independent. A revolt ensued, which finally caused the separation of seven provinces from the Spanish monarchy, and added another proof to this memorable truth, that the force of opinion is not to be subdued by the force of arms!

ART. XVI.A Speech on the Character of the Right Honour able William Pitt, delivered in Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge, December 17, 1806. By William Edward Prettyman Tomline. Second Edition, 4to. Evans. 1806, THIS speech is evidently well intended, and strictly conforms with the newest and most approved receipts for making an academical declamation. The following instances of beautiful aphorisms, and of that daring originality of thought which pervades twenty-three pages quarto, are submitted for universal admiration.

1. A profound remark with which Mr. Tomline is gifted at the opening:

An inquiry into the conduct and character of great and illustrious men is always interesting and instructive; and it would be diffi cult to name a person to whom this observation more justly applies, than to Mr. Pitt.'

2. Another profound remark, reasoning thereon, with a beautiful, though unforeseen deduction from the same;

By his efforts, that confederacy was formed, which, had it been properly directed, might have contributed to the deliverance of Europe; and its want of success was owing to causes over which he could have no controul. The merit of this last measure of Mr. Pitt's government is but too evident from the consequences its failure has produced; and the treaties will ever remain a monument of his political wisdom, and of the high estimation in which he was held in foreign courts.'

3. The extraordinary elevation of the concluding sen tence, which, as it far transcends the general tenor of the performance, should seem to have been taken from the corrected theme of some school-boy.

His body is buried in peace, honored by the mournful tribute of a grateful people: his fame shall be had in everlasting remembrance; it shall never cease to shine, unsullied, above the transient mists of earth-born envy; and He who was his guide through life, and his hope and consolation in death, will proclaim it in heavenly glory.'