Works: The history of Scotland. The history of Scotland.- v. 3-5. The history of the reign of the Emperor Charles V.- v. 6-8. The history of America. Disquistion on ancient India

Front Cover
Talboys and Wheeler, 1825 - America

From inside the book

Selected pages

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 240 - Thus, during the whole seventeenth century, the English were gradually refining their language and their taste ; in Scotland, the former was much debased, and the latter almost entirely lost. In the beginning of that period, both nations were emerging out of barbarity ; but the distance between them, which was then inconsiderable, became, before the end of it, immense. Even after science had once dawned...
Page 135 - Not insensible of flattery, or unconscious of that pleasure with which almost every woman beholds the influence of her own beauty. Formed with the qualities which we love, not with the talents that we admire, she was an agreeable woman rather than an illustrious queen. The vivacity of her spirit, not sufficiently tempered with sound judgment, and the warmth of her heart, which was not at all times under the restraint of discretion, betrayed her both into errors and into crimes. To say that she was...
Page 310 - ... your passage, both your servants do well understand how false that is, knowing for a truth that we have not any more than two or three small barks upon the seas, to apprehend certain pirates...
Page 185 - The rest of James's subjects, in order to avoid suspicion, or to gain his favour, contended who should be most forward to execute his vengeance. A convention of estates being called, pronounced the late insurrection to be high treason ; ordained every minister to subscribe a declaration of his submission to the king's jurisdiction, in all matters civil and criminal...
Page 137 - She danced, she walked, and rode with equal grace. Her taste for music was just, and she both sung and played upon the lute with uncommon skill. Towards the end of her life, long confinement, and the coldness of the houses in which she had been imprisoned, brought on a rheumatism, which often deprived her of the use of her limbs. No man, says Brantome, ever beheld her person without admiration and love, or will read her history without sorrow.
Page 325 - ... are already given and granted ; no man pleaseth her that contenteth not him ; and what may I say more, she hath given over to him her whole will, to be ruled and guided as himself best liketh...
Page 231 - James acquired such an immense accession of wealth, of power, and of splendour, that the nobles, astonished and intimidated, thought it vain to struggle for privileges which they were now unable to defend. Nor was it from fear alone that they submitted to the yoke : James, partial to his countrymen, and willing that they should partake in his good fortune, loaded them with riches and honours; and the hope of his favour concurred with the dread of his power, in taming their fierce and independent...
Page 131 - ... the joys of heaven, which repines because the body must endure the stroke of the executioner ; and though I did not expect that the queen of England would set the first example of violating the sacred person of a sovereign prince, I willingly submit to that which Providence has decreed to be my lot...
Page 276 - ... least allow that the queen's enemies, who employed these forgers, could not be ignorant of the design and meaning of these short notes and memorandums; but we find them mistaking them so far as to imagine that they were the ' credit of the bearer,' ie points concerning which the queen had given him verbal instructions.
Page 204 - It seemed to be a very fiction, and a mere invention of the man's own brain, for neither did he show the letter, nor could any wise man think that Gowrie, who went about the treason so secretly, would have communicated the matter to such a man as Logan was known to be,

Bibliographic information