-these men, I think, may be justly denominated hypocrites."

Poggio likewise wrote a work "On the Unhappiness of Princes." He descants, at considerable length, on the position, that both from history and the ordinary principles of human nature, princes must be the most unhappy of all mortals. They are universally depraved, both in public and private sentiment. They are avaricious, cruel, intemperate, proud, and of unbridled ambition; and being thus enslaved by vice they cannot possibly know, or feel anything of true happiness. The uncontrolled authority they exercise, is, of itself, one of the most powerful stimulants to wickedness of all kinds; inasmuch as it removes all those wholesome restraints which public opinion throws around a man's movements, and keeps him continually reminded of the importance and value of good principles*.

FILELFO was a violent satirist of the government of Cosmo de Medicis. He did not confine himself to public matters; but took a delight in delineating the most atrocious private vices and scandals †.

* Poggii Opera, p. 392.

In the author's "Philelfi Satyræ," he addresses the judges of Cosmo in the following lines

"En Mundum servat conjectum in vincula carcei,

Qui rebus momenta dabit non parva futuris.
Nunc etiam atque etiam vobiscum volvite curas,

Et lustrate animo quæ sint potiora saluti
Urbis consilia: his castas accommodet aures
Quisque suas. Vobis res coram publica sese
Offerat in medium, referens stragesque necesque.
Venturas, ubi forte minus pro lege vel æquo
Supplicium sumptum fuerit de sonte nefando;
Aut etiam officium collatum munere mulc tam
Pendeat, afficiet magnis vos cladibus omnes."

AONIUS PALEARIUS, wrote his "Inquisitionis Detrectator," in 1536. He calls the Inquisition a poinard held at the throats of literary men. He was beheaded for his writings at Rome, in 1570.

The work called "Squitinio della Liberta Veneta," 1612, previously noticed, was considered a very seditious one by the public authorities of Italy. The author makes some severe strictures on the Venetian government, showing that its boasted freedom was, in fact, no freedom at all. The work was burned by the common executioner in the city of Venice.

TRAJANO BOCALINI'S "I Ruggriagli di Parnasso," 1630, (or Advertisement from Parnassus in two centuries; with the Political-Touchstone), is a curious work. It was translated into English in 1657, by the Earl of Monmouth. The work is a satirical effusion, and must have told with some effect among the political speculators and literati of Italy. The general scope of the work is, that a society of politicians open a shop or warehouse in Parnassus, where they sell various sorts of merchandise. The things they dispose of have an allusion to the party politics of the day and country. The warehouse is represented as being amply stored with stuffing or bombast, an article little prized by the common run of people, but highly valued by courtiers. The shavings of the finest clothes which wise men weave with the superfine wool of forbearance, serves to stuff the pack-saddles of slavery, to make them more easy for the courtiers. Pencils are likewise sold for the use of those princes who have occasionally to paint black for white. Spectacles, compasses, besoms, iron instruments, perfumed comforts, horse-trammels, and peacock's feathers, are among the articles puffed off as

specifics for state necessities and ailments. Oil is a standard commodity for strengthening the stomachs of courtiers, and their royal masters. The political ink, however, takes the precedence of all other articles, for by it politicians have it in their power to confer immortality upon all writers whose cause they espouse. There is much good sense, and profound observation displayed throughout the volume. The "Teatro Jesuitico," 1654, is one of the most bitter works which ever appeared in Italy against the jesuits. Its author is supposed to be Pierre Jurieu. He denominates the Society of Jesus to be the common pest of all nations; dangerous alike to the sovereign and the people. He likewise wrote "Catéchisme des Jésuites," 1602. Loyola, their founder, he calls an incendiary, a fool, a sophist, an ass, a Don robber, and a glutton. The books were condemned to the flames, and are now very scarce.

The satirical works of FERRANTE PALLAVICIN, 1660, form a curious specimen of Italian satire. He attacks the popish system with great earnestness and bitterness, calling Urban VIII. by all kinds of names, and showing that the system of theological supremacy was infamous in principle, and degrading in practice. The author had to take shelter in Venice; but was inveigled into France, where he was beheaded at Avignon, in the twenty-third year of his

age.

The satirical works of GIGLI, 1700, are spoken of, by Italian writers, as having had some political influence in their day. They were committed to the flames, both at Rome and Florence. The poetical effusions of BAPTISA, a native of Mantua, abound with severe censures on the Roman hierarchy.

There were a great number of political caricatures published in Italy, after the revival of letters, and for a couple of centuries afterwards. Of these, little is known in this country; and regular collections of them even in the chief Italian cities are by no means common. But for a long time after the art of printing became generally known, the painters and engravers were very active; and many hundreds of the most amusing and pungent caricatures of the public authorities of the day, were brought before the public eye.

Newspapers, by a sort of common consent among antiquaries, date their origin from Italy. The gazettas of the Italians, which sold for a small coin called gazetta, are the foundation of our English gazettes. These vehicles of public news first appeared in the republic of Venice, and was under the direct superintendence of the government. Other cities and states in Italy adopted these kind of newspapers, under the same name. Mr. George Chalmers says, that "A jealous government did not allow a printed newspaper; and the Venetian gazetta continued long after the invention of printing, to the close of the sixteenth century, and even to our own days, to be distributed in manuscript." There are thirty volumes of Venetian gazettas in the Magliabechian Library, at Florence, all in manuscript*.

CHAPTER V.

POLITICAL LITERATURE OF GERMANY, HOLLAND, THE NETHERLANDS, AND OTHER NORTHERN KINGDOMS OF EUROPE, FROM THE YEAR 1400, TILL 1700.

FROM the various countries, whose political systems we have to notice collectively in this chapter, we shall be compelled to lean more to the chronological, than to the territorial division of our matter. This partial deviation from our general design, will not, it is hoped, prove any stumbling-block either to the scientific or general reader.

The political literature of Germany after the year 1400, till the actual commencement of the Reformation, consists of little or nothing, save some dry scholastic discussions on the general polity of states. These were merely elementary treatises for the use of such students of the several universities of the kingdom, as were destined for the legal profession. The spirit of what is called modern politics, is coeval in this country with the rise and progress of the Reformation. Temporal and spiritual reforms were discussed together; and the idea was a very prevalent one, among all the most active and intelligent men of the country, that they ought never to be separated, either in theory or in practice.